Mediterranean Gardening Association – Portugal ASSOCIAÇÃO DE PLANTAS E JARDINS EM CLIMAS MEDITERRÂNICOS www.mediterraneangardeningportugal.org

and Mediterranean Gardening International www.mediterraneangardeninginternational.org

INTERNATIONAL SPRING CONFERENCE 2016

Dry Gardens in the Mediterranean ‘an undiscovered diversity’ 22–25 April, Lagos, Algarve Optional Pre-conference Tour, Sintra, Lisbon 19–22 April Keynote Speakers – Olivier Filippi & Dr Ken Thompson Inspiration, knowledge and confidence - using native plants to make beautiful gardens The Mediterranean Gardening Association in Portugal extends a warm invitation to all to join us for our 5th major Spring Conference weekend. The aim for 2016 is to reveal the practical and aesthetic benefits of making beautiful and sustainable gardens with plants of the Mediterranean and dry zone flora worldwide. The Mediterranean Gardening Association of Portugal gratefully acknowledges the support and encouragement of our sister organisations in MGi for this event. MGi is an international group of societies for people with an interest in Mediterranean plants and gardens. Each society is independent but contributes to share knowledge and experience of gardening and plants in the Mediterranean climate zones of the world. The Conference 22-25 April The conference weekend will concentrate on modern trends towards use of native plants from Mediterranean zones for sustainable mediterranean gardens including discussion on how to unlock their huge future potential. We are delighted to have the opportunity to hear directly from Olivier Filippi on creating dry gardens in the Mediterranean. This will be illustrated by visits to contemporary gardens in the Algarve and appreciation of examples throughout Portugal from our panel of speakers. The Spring Conference will also offer an opportunity to see wonderful wild flowers and some notable local private gardens. For those arriving early on Friday 22 April or staying in the area on Monday 25 April additional garden visits will be offered as an optional extension to the Conference weekend. We are very grateful to the private garden owners who will open their homes and gardens to us. We have a fantastic panel of speakers who are keen to share their knowledge and enthusiasm. All presentations and talks will be in English. Optional Pre-Conference Tour 19-22 April For those wishing to extend their stay in Portugal, we are also offering a specially organised Optional preconference tour, inviting you to learn more about the gardens of Portugal and the elements that have shaped them. We believe these gardens should be better known and have much to teach us about adapting to climate and conditions. The combination of historic and private gardens around Lisbon, and in Sintra with its special microclimate, give interesting contrasts in style and vegetation. Our aim is for this tour to be a good introduction to gardens in Portugal. They have a unique character which produces great garden architecture incorporating colourful tiles, pools and shaded walks enclosed by high walls. Full details of the Conference Weekend and the Pre-Conference Tour can be found below.

CONFERENCE INFORMATION 22 – 25 April Venue and Accommodation The Conference Venue and Accommodation will be based in Lagos, on the western side of the Algarve. Our conference base is the Four Star Vila Galé Lagos Hotel, built in 2009 and set on the Meia Praia beach front. The stunning garden setting of the large swimming pool is within the ´U` shaped configuration facing out over the beach to take full advantage of the sea views. The hotel has a modern atmosphere and is wheelchair friendly with disabled rooms and toilets. Accommodation is in modern and comfortable hotel rooms. On site facilities include: outdoor pools with view to the beach, 2 bars, 2 restaurants specialising in local dishes, a Satsanga spa with indoor pool, sauna, Turkish bath, massage rooms and gym, tennis courts, putting green and a multi-sports field. Conference delegates will have full access to all hotel facilities. Residential all-inclusive packages are available for the duration of the conference, with the option to extend your stay at favourable rates. Alternatively, arrangements have been made for day delegates, and for those who may wish only to attend part of the weekend. We have arranged reduced conference rates, which includes breakfast in the hotel. All rooms booked before December 2015 will have a sea view. There are also restaurants & cafes close by. The hotel offers free Wi-Fi in all public areas and throughout the hotel. There is also ample on site parking and a hotel garage. More information on the hotel facilities www.vilagale.com/en/hotels/algarve/vila-gale-lagos/ Hotel location GPS N37º 6' 47.8'' - W8º 39' 45.3'' Rooms have also been reserved at the four star Hotel Tivoli Lagos which is set in the heart of Lagos, with easy access to all the facilities of the town and the famous promenade along the river side overlooking the marina. For those staying at the Tivoli there will be transport to the Vila Galé organised each morning. Web site www.tivolihotels.com/en/our-hotels/algarve/tivoli-lagos/the-hotel.aspx There are a range of other excellent hotels within Lagos and a short distance from our conference base. Lagos is a lively and very popular destination and has a lovely historic centre and good links to the motorway, railway and road networks. For alternative good quality accommodation please let me know and I am happy to help with any more details needed. However, if you stay in another hotel, you will need to organise your own transport to and from the conference hotel. As our dates are also just before a national Bank Holiday you are advised to secure travel and accommodation as soon as possible. We have some rooms reserved at the Vila Galé and Tivoli in Lagos that can be booked on a “first come first served” basis, and can advise on other hotels as needed. Guided Wildflower walks will visit two distinct areas at the peak time for viewing plants, the biodiversity hotspots of Arrifana and neighbouring Amoreira beaches and the stunning location of Cape St Vincent itself on the Sagres peninsula. This pensinsula was classified as a biogenetic reserve in 1988 owing to the high concentration of endemic plants. Both sites are in the Parque Natural do Sudoeste Alentejano e Costa Vicentina, the finest preserved stretch of European coastline, covering over 100 km, from Porto Covo in the Alentejo, to Burgau in the Algarve. The Park includes various habitats and unique species of animal and plant life, and is visited by many zoologists and botanists from all parts of the world. Plant life includes unique indigenous species such as Biscutella vicentina, Cistus palhinae and Plantago algarbiensis. If you wish to extend your stay there is much to see in the lovely surrounding countryside and the stunning western Atlantic and southern Algarve coastline with superb beaches. www.algarvewildlife.com/reservesvincent.php Information on local plant nurseries, gardens and good locations to view wild flowers will be available at the Conference. An excellent online flora of Portugal is available here www.flora-on.pt

Speaker Profiles Olivier Filippi is well known as the author of The Dry Gardening Handbook. We are very pleased to have the launch of the English edition of his second book on Lawn Alternatives at this event. The nursery and display garden of Olivier Filippi in Mèze, south west France, is one of the ex libris of dry gardening. A pioneer in irrigation-free gardening in the Mediterranean, painstaking research by Olivier and Clara Filippi has created a display garden full of texture and colour that changes with each season but retains its harmonious structure throughout the year. Web site www.jardin-sec.com Dr Ken Thompson, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, UK. He has published widely on almost all aspects of plant ecology, plant functional types, commonness and rarity, invasive plants, urban ecology and prediction of the response of regional and national floras to changing climate and land use. Ken has also written a number of books for gardeners, including ‘An Ear to the Ground’ which shows how a little botanical knowledge can bring not just better results but peace of mind, and that losing sleep over such traditional gardening bogeys as weeds, pests and pruning is not necessarily the best course. Ken Thompson's message to gardeners can be summed up as RELAX. Marilyn Medina Ribeiro has degrees in Graphic Design and Landscape Management and has worked in nurseries, parks and private gardens. In 2008 she moved to live in the Algarve, managing hotel gardens and later founding her own company to provide and promote sustainable garden design and land management. Web site www.waterwisegardens.com Paulo Palha qualified as an Agricultural Engineer and has become an authority on the construction of the Green Roof as well as an experienced landscape designer and an international speaker and trainer in these areas. His company, Neoturf, was founded in 2001 and provides global research solutions for sustainable construction, water management, and building with vegetation (green roofs and green walls). Web site www.neoturf.pt/en Miguel Coelha de Sousa qualified in Landscape Architecture and has since worked in major landscape architecture practices including the PROAP studio, collaborating on various landscape projects with the emphasis on selection of native and appropriate plants and preparation of planting plans. Working now also as a free lance professional, Miguel has developed several garden and landscape projects, providing construction, management and maintenance of green spaces, He has also led courses on garden design and horticultural tourism trips. Web site www.proap.pt Wildflower Walk Guides (All details and timings subject to confirmation) Udo Schwarzer is a Biologist, and Claudia Schwarzer is a Landscape Architect, specialising in native plant gardens. They will lead the walk at Arrifana and Amoreira on Saturday afternoon. They have a wealth of knowledge of Algarve natural history and particularly of the western Atlantic coast. Web site www.biopiscinas.pt Sue Parker and Pat O´Reilly are Directors of First Nature and authors of books on the natural history of the Algarve including Wildflowers in the Algarve; and Wild Orchids in the Algarve. Their books will be on sale in the meeting room. They will lead the walk at Cape St Vincent on Sunday afternoon. Web site www.algarvewildlife.com

Optional Garden Visit on the Alentejo coast – Monday 25 April Following this visit and lunch, and depending on numbers, we hope to be able to arrange for those returning to Lisbon to be taken back to the city on Monday afternoon. Near Lisbon airport we recommend VIP Executive Arts Hotel in the Parque das Nações, a 10 minute taxi journey from the airport. http://www.viphotels.com/en/Hotels/VIP-Executive-Arts/About-Hotel.aspx Lugar do Olhar Feliz - Jean-Paul Brigand and Ann Kenny moved to the Alentejo coast in Portugal in 2001 to start a garden. Since then they have created a traditional Mediterranean garden with only edible or fragrant plants. The main collections are citrus (the largest collection in the south of Europe after l'INRA), pomegranates, mulberries (Morus alba & M. nigra), fig trees, abutilons, rare varieties of ginger, day lilies, desert fruits etc. Jean-Paul will be happy to lead a garden tour in French, and Ann in English. They accompany the work of planting with research on the use of old or not yet acclimatized varieties; how to grow them, cook them, store them, and then share this knowledge. Jean-Paul writes a monthly article on fruit for the MGAP web site Blog at http://olharfeliz.typepad.com Optional Garden Visits – Friday 22 April /Monday 25 April (depending on numbers, all visits subject to confirmation of costs and timing.) Alvor Garden the new owners quickly realised that the 350m2 lawn wasn't making sense, financially or aesthetically. After researching Mediterranean garden styles, they opted for a naturalistic gravel garden, thickly planted with herbs, perennials and grasses. Three different plant matrices were designed: short "plats", blocks of taller perennials, and swathes of grasses. These interleaved plantings create a dynamic picture within the flat garden. Loule Garden A new home came complete with a neglected garden that looked much the worse for wear. The owners wanted colour throughout the year - the villa is let for much of the year - without spending a fortune on irrigation. A border by the driveway was planted with interlocking drifts of agapanthus, daylilies and grasses, to give colourful impact. Stone-faced terracing was built to turn a tricky, steep area behind the house into a "hanging garden" filled with perennials with long flowering seasons, featuring many unusual salvia and lavender varieties. Moribund fruit trees were removed and a wildflower meadow installed beside the drive. Eastern Algarve gardens Barrocal gardens in the classic limestone landscapes which run along the length of the Algarve Casa Jardim, Jan & Nigel Chapman have two acres of beautiful grounds, carefully incorporating the natural terrain with partly-landscaped gardens, using oleanders, hibiscus, agaves and palms, plus olive, carob and almond trees with many artistic touches from its caring owners. Photos www.casajardim.com Quinta das Sesmarias, Rob and Rosie Peddle have a wonderful example of letting nature show us the way. While more formal areas around the terrace and swimming pond (designed by Claudia and Udo Schwarzer of Piscinas Biológicas ®) incorporate the beautiful pencil cypress and other trees which were discovered on starting the garden, large tracts are left to spontaneous native vegetation, the only maintenance here being to keep paths and firebreaks open. A “Mediterranean lawn” by the pool is a dazzling tapestry of flowers in the spring, and a relaxing, golden space in the summer. Wildlife abounds and all manner of rarities, from ground orchids to chamaeleons, have been able to thrive as a result of this sensitive management. Quinta Botanica, Cacela Velha, where the owners have created a haven for perennial plants in a seaside garden in the eastern Algarve.

Conference Programme As at 18 August 2015. All details subject to confirmation.

DATE Friday 22 April

TIME 11.00 – 16.00 16.00 – 17.00 17.30

Olivier Filippi Marilyn Medina Ribeiro

18.00-19.00 19.30

Saturday 23 April Paulo Palha of NEOTURF

Olivier Filippi

Udo Schwarzer, Sue Parker and Pat O’Reilly

9.30 -10.30

11.00-11.15 11.15-12.30 12.30-14.00 14.00 – 18.00

18.00 19.00 Sunday 24 April Miguel Coelho de Sousa of PROAP

Authors

Dr Ken Thompson, Dept of Plant Sciences, Sheffield University Sue Parker & Pat O’Reilly

Buffet style Dinner - at hotel PRESENTATION on Mediterranean plants in green roof construction including overview of ongoing project at the Instituto Superior de Agronomia, University of Lisbon, with time for questions Coffee Break and book sales TALK “Dry gardening: a new inspiration for gardeners in the Mediterranean region” Buffet Lunch WILDFLOWER WALKS Guided walk to Biodiversity hotspot, Arrifana beach, Amoreira beach, Aljezur and/or Garden Visits Groups join up at Arrifana, drinks and Q&A session Informal Dinner at cliff top Restaurant, Arrifana

9.30 -10.30

PRESENTATION on Current use, and attitudes, for native and climate compatible plants in larger landscape projects in Portugal with Algarve examples

10.30-11.00

BOOK LAUNCH and signing New revised Edition – Algarve Wildlife through the Year presented by Sue Parker and Pat O’Reilly Coffee Break TALK Soil, The Final Frontier what goes on out of sight and what do we really know about it.

11.00-11.30 11.30-12.30

12.30-14.00 14.00-17.00

19.30 Monday 25 April Check out for hotel delegates

EVENT Optional visits to private gardens/ wildflower walks Western Algarve Arrival and check in of delegates at hotel Welcome, Drinks Reception, start of conference programme BOOK LAUNCH and signing, English Edition Olivier Filippi Lawn Alternatives TALK – Algarve Contemporary Gardens - some examples

11.00-16.00

Buffet Lunch WILDFLOWER WALKS Guided walk to Cape St Vincent and/or Garden Visits Books and seeds on sale in meeting room Dinner at local restaurant and end of Conference programme Optional visits to private gardens Optional visit to Lugar de Olhar Feliz, Cercal, Alentejo. This has spectacular fruit, citrus, pomegranate collections in Islamic inspired designed garden. Discuss link with CCVS collections in France. Return trip to Algarve or to Lisbon for airports.

PRE CONFERENCE TOUR INFORMATION - SINTRA Venue and Accommodation 19 – 22 April The Pre-Conference Accommodation will be based in the 4 star Tivoli Hotel Sintra. Sintra has been chosen to provide a good base for our visits and the hotel is in the historic centre of this UNESCO Heritage town. We hope you will have time to explore Sintra during your visit. The Hotel offers a tranquil setting with panoramic views across a dramatic landscape. All rooms have air conditioning, a minibar and satellite TV. Many of the rooms offer far-reaching views across the town towards Sintra Cascais Natural Park. There is parking on site and WiFi is available. Web site www.tivolihotels.com/en/ourhotels/sintra-hotels/tivoli-sintra/the-hotel.aspx For some fine wining and dining, we recommend you book into the elegant and renowned restaurant at the historic Hotel Tivoli Palácio de Seteais for dinner one evening, part of the same hotel group and a short taxi journey from Sintra. Go early and visit their lovely terrace and box parterre garden. Web site www.tivolihotels.com/en/our-hotels/sintra-hotels/tivoli-palacio-de-seteais/the-hotel.aspx

Programme Tuesday 19 April – arrive at Tivoli Hotel, Sintra. Time to explore the town, dinner available in hotel for those who wish but there are many good little restaurants in Sintra itself for those who wish to explore. List of recommended places supplied. Wednesday 20 April LISBON AREA leave Sintra 9.00am 9.30am Private Visit Palacio dos Marqueses da Fronteira we will make our own private guided visit, to the Palace and the gardens. http://www.fronteira-alorna.pt This beautiful garden is distinguished by its great stairways, water tanks, coloured glazed tiles (azulejos) and decorative parterres. From the plan, one might think it a renaissance garden dating from the 1550s but, as the exuberant detailing reveals, the garden was made in the 1660s. The water tanks have tile panels adding brilliant hues to the garden: terracotta, indigo, cerulean, turquoise, lemon-yellow. The Chapel Walk is an outdoor gallery with tiled panels showing allegories of the arts and sciences. Fronteira is perhaps the finest example of a uniquely Portuguese approach to garden design: comfortable, grand, lush, intimate and brilliantly coloured. The Duke of Wellington lived here when defending Lisbon from Napoleon's army. Lunch in Estufa Real restaurant at Ajuda Botanic Garden with time to explore The Ajuda Botanic Gardens (the first botanic gardens in Portugal) created between 1765 and 1769 and were close to the royal palace in use at the time. Initially these gardens were created to educate the young princes but they were also used as a place of relaxation for the royal family. At the peak for the garden in the early 18th century more than 5000 species were on display. However, by the 19th century, the collection had dwindled to just 1200 species. In 1918, the gardens were handed over to the Agronomy Institute of Lisbon Technical University and restored to the way they were in 1869. From the entrance, a balustrade affords a view over the lower terrace which has four kilometres of box hedging arranged in two formal square parterres separated by an impressive fountain decorated with serpents and other aquatic forms. Afternoon visit to the Gulbenkian Museum Park and Garden in Lisbon. A landmark modern design which has matured into a special and peaceful refuge in the centre of the bustling city. The Gulbenkian Park now covers approximately 7,5 hectares. The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation built its head office and magnificent museum here, later adding a Modern Art Centre. The project for the Park, interior gardens and terraces with gardens was drawn up by landscape architects Gonçalo Ribeiro Telles and António Viana Barreiro, working closely with the architects who designed the Foundation's complex of buildings. Major works included creating a lake and an open-air amphitheatre, as well as installing slabs of concrete on the ground to allow easy movement around the park. The garden design involved the careful selection of trees, shrubs and flowers. During the day, many visitors turn it into a special place for resting, reading and meditation. Tea in the cafe on site. Thursday 21 April - Sintra and Colares Private Gardens Leave hotel 9.00am Margaretha Nilson’s garden at Quinta do Castanheiro,Colares. Margaretha and Bruno have lived there for only two years but loved the garden made by the previous owner, and have been busy developing and adding to the plantings in the existing areas by incorporating Mediterranean plants. We will be welcomed by Margaretha and hear about her plans for the future.

The lovely old stone house is built into the side of a mountain and it has undergone a complete renovation inside, giving a cool Scandinavian feel to this special place. It has a series of terraces, each divided into a series of garden rooms. Each level is fronted with a Pittosporum hedge, for protection from the sea winds but their relatively low level give fantastic views out towards the sea and neighbouring country-side, typical of the older gardens in Colares. There is a formal, box-edged herb garden, a tiled water tanque surrounded with old camellia trees, and many old Portuguese tiles have been used to decorate steps, fountains and walls. An old citrus orchard has been replaced with lavender, cistus, rosemary, echium, and other plants that can withstand the lack of water in summers. A shady area has been filled with more camellias, Helleborus, and Geranium maderense. There is a small swimming pool, overlooked by a shady garden with fern trees, a perfect place for lunch in the summers. Coffee in the garden. Francoise Baudry’s garden at Quinta da Bemposta is an outstanding plantsman's paradise of 5 acres that is set on a sheltered hillside just outside of Sintra. The stage is set with magnificent mature trees that provide plenty of shade near the house combined with informal planting. Retaining walls create large terraces on the slopes which are linked by cleverly hidden stairs or sloping paths amongst the shrubbery. Near the house, the planting is lush and exuberant – an interesting mix of plants from Australia and New Zealand with palms, birches and plane trees – but as you move away from the house the planting becomes more restrained and natural. Winding verdant lawns near the house refresh the eye, and the numerous seating opportunities cleverly placed around the garden mean that the casual explorer has plenty of opportunity to rest and take in the views or just enjoy the ambience. Lunch in Colares village at a typical Portuguese restaurant with local dishes available. Monserrate Palace and Park, Sintra – a guided visit The extensive gardens of Quinta de Monserrate were created in the mid-nineteenth century for an inspired English owner, Francis Cook. He encountered the shattered remains of previous historic buildings and plantings. The gardens are currently being restored with advice from Gerald Luckhurst. In the mid1800s, Sir Francis Cook, a wealthy English textile merchant, came to Portugal and fell in love with both his future wife and Monserrate. He rebuilt the palace on Gerard De Visme’s foundations, but this time it was a Moorish fantasy, now open to the public. With the help of a renowned English landscape-painter, William Stockdale, the botanist, William Nevill, and his head gardener, James Burt, he also created the masterpiece of Victorian naturalistic landscaping that Monserrate became. He bought much of the surrounding land, enlarging the property considerably. He brought in plants from all over the world, creating collections to represent the five continents. It truly became (from Byron´s Childe Harold´s Pilgrimage) “A Glorious Eden”, and enjoys world-wide fame. Tea in the Colunna Cafe on site. If time permits, we will visit a Garden Centre at Verdeal da Roca, Estrada do Cabo da Roca 1, Azoia, 2705001 Colares Tel 91 722 0426 a Plant Nursery open to the public, but set in a garden, a great range of plants in a lovely setting. We will meet the owners, Duarte Namorado Simões and Maria João, for a guided tour, including their own private garden. The current garden is set around the old family home which was a mill and there are several ‘levadas’ or water courses still running through the garden. There are excellent examples of antique working stone items displayed throughout the garden. The range of plants on the gently sloping site includes Leucodendron, Grevillea and some exotic Beaucarnias from the Acores. Other plants on offer are the delicate Dianella, and the tall flowering Fremontodendron californica with butter yellow flowers. Email : [email protected]

GPS 38.775881, -9.481138

Friday 22 April – Breakfast in the hotel, check out and travel to Algarve for main Conference programme. Dr Cristina Castel Branco has kindly agreed to be the guide for the visits to Fronteira Palace and Gardens and also Ajuda Botanic Garden. She is a distinguished garden historian well known on the international stage for her work in the restoration and management of historic landscapes. She teaches and works in Landscape Architecture and has her own company. She also lectures regularly in the History of Art in Gardens, Landscape Ecology and the Restoration and Management of Historical Landscapes both at the University of Lisbon and academic bodies worldwide.