Patience is the gardener’s best friend…

Saturday 12 April is a date that should be recorded in the diary of every garden owner or amateur gardener in the Algarve. On this day, the Algarve Museum of Costume in São Brás de Alportel (Sotavento) will be hosting a garden fair dedicated to one of the most important topics in the region: which indigenous dry plants should I plant in my garden? The Algarve has been experiencing a water shortage for many years and is currently being overrun by invasive plants and tree species. Taking these emergencies into account means creating a natural garden that no longer wastes water when irrigated and only uses native plants and trees.

Teresa Chuva (no, seriously, that is her real name) is a dedicated gardener who has devoted herself to the study of dry plants in botany. She works as a gardener and not only creates dry gardens, but also tends to them afterwards. Together with some of the most important plant nurseries in Portugal, she will be organising this exhibition in São Brás de Alportel with the support of the local council. Teresa studied at the Escola Superior Agrária de Coimbra and lives in the Sotavento region of the Algarve. In an interview with ECO123, she talks about her desire to remedy certain misconceptions about the Algarve’s gardens. “We are guided by the climatic conditions available to us,” she says.

You should also know which plants need which soil or, to put it another way, you should allow the climatic and geographical conditions to determine the plants and trees you grow in your garden. And this includes the question of water, or rather, the lack of water. Because the Algarve has to be very careful with water. That’s why Teresa is such a great fan of dry gardens…

The Escola Superior Agrária de Coimbra is the only organisation in Portugal that warns against invasive plant and tree species and publishes information about this. With this in mind, we wish the exhibition every success. The purpose of the exhibition is also to familiarise visitors with succulents and many other dry plants and native tree cultures originating from the nurseries attending the event, and, if necessary, to enable visitors to stock up on them.

During the same weekend of 12 and 13 April, the ECO123 workshop (second session) on “Permaculture” will take place in Esgravatadouro near Caldas de Monchique (Barlavento). It starts at 10 am. The teacher is Lesley Martin. Registration at editor@eco123.info or theobald.tiger8550@gmail.com. There are still four places available.

Escola Superior Agrária de Coimbra

Contact:Hélia Marchante – hmarchante@gmail.com; 934244614

https://invasoras.pt/en