For the first time since 2019, the Spring Garden Fair will be held in Silves at the FISSUL Exhibition Hall, near the river, on Saturday and Sunday, March 25 and 26. This venue has once again become available for events and all its facilities will be open with free entry to the garden fair.
This will allow us to have a programme of free talks for the first time since 2019. These will be in the auditorium at FISSUL, during the weekend, from our enthusiastic and knowledgeable speakers on topics such as ‘Making your First Waterwise Garden’, ‘Permaculture for Beginners’, ‘Propagation Workshop’ and ‘Bromelias and Tillandsias’. Also scheduled is a talk from João Gomes of Sementes de Portugal on his recommended ‘Native Species for your Garden’.
The Mediterranean Gardening Association for Portugal (MGAP) is organising this event to share good quality, independent information about making beautiful and sustainable gardens and landscapes. MGAP is run entirely by volunteers and their members will be at the event to share their knowledge and enthusiasm for climate-appropriate Algarve gardens.
In recent months, MGAP has been providing support for local authorities, schools and professional gardeners. Funds raised at garden fairs allow us to develop these activities and the support of our visitors is much appreciated.
There will be a great variety of plants available from local growers, including a huge range of succulents, ornamental plants for your containers, and robust Mediterranean plants. There will be a selection of native plants, together with seeds from Sementes de Portugal, including their popular new lines of seed bombs and meadow seed mixes.
Included in the plants for sale will be a good range of fruit trees, aromatic herbs and vegetable plants for your edible garden. A range of organic products at the event will include soaps and natural cosmetics as well as plants and organic olive oil.
The MGAP bookshop will have books in English, Portuguese and French, and there will be a Plant Crèche where you can leave your purchases while browsing other attractions.
This indoor space allows us to include high-quality botanical art, cards and notelets for sale from local artists. For this event, we will have a new opportunity to learn about outside murals suitable for your garden spaces. The range of craft stands will include stained glass for the garden, hand-made wooden bird boxes, herbs and spices, and a range of traditional Algarve baskets.
Small specialist nurseries will bring their own grown plants adapted to the conditions here and it will be possible to make a pre-order for collection at the event – keep up to date by checking our website and Facebook page regularly for updates and a list of exhibitors.
The range of refreshments on offer has been extended to include organic vegetarian food as well as a curry and rice stand together with a traditional BBQ and delicious crepes and ice creams. It will be much appreciated if you can bring your own bags and boxes to the event, and we will provide a point for recycling your plastic plant pots. There is extensive and free car parking with signs out on the day.
We are very grateful to the Junta de Freguesia in Silves for their invaluable help as joint organisers, and we thank our sponsors for their generous support. If you plan to be at the garden fair and can spare an hour or so to help out, please contact [email protected] – it would be much appreciated. We are also always looking for good local plant nurseries, so please let us know if you have recommendations.
We are looking forward to returning to Silves with this event and also look forward to welcoming our visitors for a very special weekend for Algarve gardeners.
[email protected] www.mgaportugal.org
PROGRAMME OF FREE TALKS
Saturday, March 25
12 noon–1pm: Permaculture for beginners – Kat Garnett
2pm-3pm: Starting from scratch, your first waterwise garden. Presentation with Q&A panel – Jardim Seco nursery and MGAP members
3.30pm–4.30pm: Bromelias – Jorge Freixial, Bromélias do Brejo
5pm–5.30pm: Basic propagation techniques – Rosie Peddle
Sunday, March 26
11.30pm–12.30pm: Native species for your garden – João Gomes, Sementes de Portugal
1pm-2pm: Tillandsia air plants – Jorge Freixial, Bromélias do Brejo
By Rosie Peddle
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facebook.com/MedGardenersPortugal
www.mgaportugal.org
