Gardening in Portugal

Useful Information

Exotic Plant Care in Portugal

Fruit Trees in Portugal

Citrus Trees in Portugal

Cork Oaks in Portugal

Gardening in Portugal can be a rewarding and enjoyable past time, giving you something to look upon and cherish as the years go by. However aside from the elaborate, exotic gardens of Portugal's many manor houses and palaces, gardens are generally more functional than aesthetic.

The Portuguese generally are very good gardeners however instead of floral borders, a Portuguese garden will be filled with a variety of vegetables, herbs and fruit trees. In fact a typical Portuguese garden will only have a minimum of flowering plants. This could be a remnant from the days when Portugal was under the rule of the dictator Salazar, when self sufficiency was a must.

However since the fall of the dictatorship in the early 1970s, things have changed a little and although in more rural areas you will still see a plethora of well-tended vegetable gardens,

there are more and more ornamental aspects to gardening more gardens are taking on a sculpted, variety mixing sufficiency with visually pleasing displays of a variety of plants.

If you are a keen gardener then the delights of the Portuguese climate and  will no doubt have you snapping your Secateurs to get planting and landscaping. However for us the more novice 'jardimeira' it can be a challenge knowing what to plant and where; how much water to give and when.

Simply grassing your garden may be a good idea, however you will have to keep in mind, if you do not have access to a natural, free water supply, it will be costly to keep your garden green during the height of the summer. Without regular watering during the hotter months of the year will mean your lawns will brown and die off.