Welcome to Madeira island and the Palheiro Gardens

The gardens at "Quinta do Palheiro" are famous not only for the variety of plants that grow there but for the beauty of their setting in the hills to the east of Funchal, the capital of Madeira.

Palheiro Gardens Slopes of Eden

The Palheiro Gardens are open throughout the year and welcome visitors.
One of the most beautiful gardens in Madeira Island, today they form part of the Palheiro Estate which includes a Hotel, Golf course, the Palheiro Village and Florialis orchid nurseries.

Rare Endemic pigeons nesting at Palheiro

As a long time Island resident I was brought up on the story that the Madeira Trocaz pigeon lived exclusively in the laurel forests on the north of the island and fed on laurel berries; when they ventured out to eat newly planted cabbage, furious farmers used to shoot them and so the population was in decline.
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