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Sacha[_1_] · 12-10-2006, 10:11 AM posted to uk.rec.gardening

On 12/10/06 09:10, in article , "Charlie
Pridham" wrote:

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
snip

Did you have a lovely holiday and did you go to the Blandy garden this
time?
--

Yes we had a lovely time, it had rain between your visit and ours so forest
fires were under control, but our week was sunny throughout.

Yes, we had only one day of rain but unfortunately, it was the day we 'did
the tour', so the views and panoramas were a closed book to us!

Yes the Blandy garden was due for a repeat visit and you are quite right the
opening times have been extended and they are doing a lot of work in the
garden with several previously run down parts looking a lot better, we
walked back toward Funchal in the afternoon along the levada that runs just
above the garden. But the star for me was the high levada we came through a
tunnel from sunshine, agapanthus and hydrangea and were in what almost
seemed a wild garden, just stuffed with the Native madeiran plants, dripping
ferns and cool atmosphere, sadly we chickened out after the next tunnels as
the path became very narrow at less than 6" and the drops were a lot worse
than 600 feet!

You hearty people! I just looked at a couple of the higher levada paths and
felt faint. ;-) It was amazing how much was still flowering right up high,
compared to what had given up down in Funchal. Glad you got to Blandy
again, though I can't imagine you wouldn't have!
The picture of the butterflies is what they looked like with their wings
closed

Sad there's no name for it. There's a book on Madeiran wildlife and I think
I'll send for it.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/