• Palheiro Gardens

    Welcome to Madeira Island and the Palheiro Gardens

  • View of Palheiro Gardens

    Welcome to Madeira Island and the Palheiro Gardens

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Palheiro Garden Slopes of Eden

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

The land first belonged to the Count of Carvalhal back in 1801. Here he built a hunting lodge with a carriageway entrance of 200 plane trees and imported exotic trees from all over the world. In 1885 the estate was purchased by John Blandy.

The family continued the development of the Gardens in the 1900s and it was Mildred Blandy who introduced many plants including proteas from South Africa. In 1997 the Counts's house was renovated and converted to a hotel known as the Casa Velha do Palheiro, a Relais & Château member.

The Gardens have a privileged location above Funchal and are rich in colour and scent. Here you will find a magnificent collection of camellias started by the Count, centennial trees, the rose garden created by Christina Blandy and a myriad of other flowers and climbers.

This Eden is divided into several areas: Main Garden, Sunken Garden, Ribeiro do Inferno, Rose Garden, Lady's Garden and the Tea-House area where you may admire a Brazilian auracaria and a magnificent New Zealand metrosideros. You may also enjoy lakes with water lilies, an interesting bush-sculptured family of hens and beautiful flower beds with purple and orange flowers.

The preservation of this natural treasure has the personal touch of Christina Blandy and a team of dedicated gardeners.