As a frequent visitor I find that March, April and May are the most colourful  times to visit the Palheiro gardens.

Camellias and sea of Arum lilies and Nasturtiums growing wild greet you along the entrance drive studded with Plane trees and old Oaks.

The orange pincushion Proteas and pink Judas trees are flowering in the Main garden whilst the bright red Captain Rawes reticulata Camellia signals the peak of another Camellia season .  Rhododendrons, wild Freesias and mauve Moschosma mix with the rare Clematis  grandiflora which is also in flower .

The spectacular red Telopeas from Western Australia are flowering above the Chapel and red Tritonias grow alongside the lowest pond below near the giant Auracarias.

White and blue Wisteria, Delphiniums, Californian poppies, Sweet Peas and a myriad of other annuals vie for attention in the Lower garden.  Time also for the  beautiful Cantua buxifolia with its red long trumpets and blue Echium candicans or Pride of Madeira below the lily ponds near the Tea house.

The Roses add a splash of colour in the walled Rose garden created several years ago though their main flowering time is yet to come.

Visit Palheiro Gardens here

The Madeira Flower Festival – 19th to 25th April
Flower Festival Programme 2012

April 19th, Thursday
Performances by local folk dancing groups, background music and floral decorations in down town Funchal (until
April 25th)
3pm – 8pm – Performances by the Camacha Cultural and Recreational Association
Flower Market – Flower Sculptures – Arriaga Avenue, opposite the Regional Secretariat of Culture, Tourism and
Transports (Tourism Office)
Floral Carpets –Arriaga Avenue central squares (Cathedral, Baltazar Dias Municipal Theatre and “Loja do Cidadão”)
57th Flower Exhibition at Restoration Square (Largo da Restauração) – Organized by the Regional Secretariat
for the Environment and Natural Resources
Artistic project “The Butterfly and the Paradox Violet” – Sculpture on display in the northern garden of the Saint
Lawrence (São Lourenço) Palace
“Madeira Embroidery inspired by Flowers” – Organized by the Madeira Wine, Embroidery and Handicraft Institute
(IVBAM) – Arriaga Avenue central squares, opposite the Municipal Garden
9 pm – Ballet: “Russian Seasons in Madeira” by “Paladar à Música” – Madeira Congress Centre

April 20th, Friday
10 am – 3pm – Performance by the Camacha Cultural and Recreational Association
3pm – 8pm – Performance by the Boa Nova Ethnographic and Folklore Group
9pm – Ballet: “Russian Seasons in Madeira” by “Paladar à Música” – Madeira Congress Centre

April 21st, Saturday
Children’s Procession and the Wall of Hope Ceremony
9 am – Children gathering at Arriaga Avenue, opposite the Municipal Garden
10 am – Children’s Parade
Itinerary: Arriaga Avenue, Zarco Avenue, (Rua) Câmara Pestana Street and Municipal Square
11am – Symbolic construction of the Wall of Hope at the Municipal Square:
- Pigeon’s release and live show for children by an entertainment group.
3 pm – 8 pm – Performance by the Jardim da Serra Folklore Group
Reid’s Palace Classic Auto Show – Estrada Monumental between restaurant Vila Cipriani and Peace Square (Largo
da Paz)
Golf Tournament – Santo da Serra Golf Course
8 pm – “Madeira in Bloom” Ball – Pestana Casino Park Hotel

April 22nd, Sunday
10am – 3 pm – Performance by the Camacha Cultural and Recreational Association
4 pm – Flower Festival Parade
Groups/themes in order of appearance:
- “Madeira – Europe’s Jewellery Box” – João Egídio Rodrigues
- “Dolls – Flowers of Madeira” – Escola de Samba Caneca Furada
- “Enchanting Flowers” – Associação de Animação Geringonça
- “From the Sea to the Island of Flowers” – Fábrica de Sonhos
- “Memoires and Traditions go hand in hand with Flowers” – Turma do Funil
- “Madeira, the Masterpiece” – Associação Fura Samba
- “Eleven Colourful Municipalities” – Bairro da Argentina Sports, Cultural and recreational Association
- “Disco” – Chico & Companhia
- “Glorious” – Isabel Borges
Itinerary: Departure from Avenida do Mar e das Comunidades Madeirenses (south lane), Francisco Sá Carneiro
roundabout, Francisco Sá Carneiro Avenue (south lane) until the Sea Square (Praça do Mar).

April 23rd, Monday
10 am – 3 pm – Performance by the Monteverde Folklore Group
3 pm – 8pm – Performance by the Boa Nova Folklore and Ethnographic Group

April 24th, Tuesday
10 am – 3pm – Performance by the Monteverde Folklore Group

April 25th, Wednesday
11 am – 4pm – Performance by the Casa do Povo da Camacha Folklore Group

Once again Florialis won 1st prize for best Orchid Flower & 1st, 2nd & 3rd prizes for best Protea & Similar Flowers at the 56 th Annual Flower Festival this year that took place during the 5th to the 11th of May in Funchal.

Most of the car floats that paraded the Funchal Centre Streets on the Sunny afteronon of Sunday May the 8th, carried Thousands of Florialis Flowers contributing to yet another succesfull display of Madeira’s Beautifull Flora & Joyfull Children.

Blummen Fest Madeira  2011 - Vorläufige Programm

06. Mai – Freitag
Unterhaltung im Stadtzentrum – 10.00 Uhr– 15.00 Uhr – Kultur und Freizeitverein von Camacha. – 15.00Uhr – 20.00 Uhr – Kulturgruppe Folklore und Ethnografie von Boa Nova und Folkloregruppe des Volkshauses von Campanário.

07. Mai – Samstag
Mauer der Hoffnung Zeremonie – 10.00 Uhr – Der Tausend Kindern Prozession. Reisewegbeschreibung: Anfang im Avenida Arriaga, um 09.00 Uhr, gegenüber Stadtgarten, Avenida Zarco, Rua Câmara Pestana und Rathausplatz. – 11.00 Uhr – Symbolischer Anbau der Mauer der Hoffnung im Rathausplatz mit Umsetzung einer Blume von jedem Kind. Freigabe der Tauben und Schauspiel für die Kinder bei einer unterhaltsame Gruppe. Unterhaltung im Stadtzentrum – 15.00 Uhr – 20.00 Uhr– Kulturgruppe für Folklore und Ethnografie von Boa Nova und Folkloregruppe des Volkshauses von Camacha.

08. Mai – Sonntag
Unterhaltung im Stadtzentrum – 10.00Uhr – 15.00 Uhr – Folkloregruppe des Volkshauses von Camacha und Folkloregruppe von Monteverde.
- 16.00 Uhr – Blumenkorso
Themen der am Festumzug teilnehmenden Gruppen:
- “Herzen in der Blüte” – Veteranos da Folia
- “Dahlias” – Isabel Borges
- “Imperialis” – Associação Fura Samba
- “Gänseblümchen Garten ” – Chico & Companhia
- “Orchideen Garten” – Fábrica de Sonhos
- “Madeira – Ihrer Garten” – Escola de Samba Caneca Furada
- “Magnolie-Königin” – Associação de Animação Geringonça
- “Die Lorbeerwald Rose” – João Egídio Rodrigues
- “Ein Nachmittag im Garten” – Turma do Funil

Reisewegbeschreibung:
Abfahrt vom Autonomieplatz (Südseite), Avenida do Mar e das Comunidades Madeirenses (Südseite), Nordeseite der gleiche Strasse gegenüber Marina Shopping und Weiterfahrt durch R. Dias Leite, Infante Rundplatz, Av. Arriaga (Nordseite bis Portugal-Bank), Avenida Zarco (Nordeseite), Rua Câmara Pestana und Rathausplatz.

05 th May – Thursday
- 5. pm – Exhibition: Green Heart – Infoarte Space of the Regional Secretariat of Tourism and Transport (SRTT), til 12th May. – 5.30 pm – Flower Market – Flower Sculptures – Avenida Arriaga (opposite SRTT). – Floral Carpets – Avenida Arriaga (Sé – Cathedral, Theatre and Loja do Cidadão).
- 56th Flower Exhibition – Largo da Restauração – Regional Secretariat for the Environment and Natural Resources (SRA). Entertainment in Funchal’s downtown – 3 pm to 8 pm – Camacha Cultural and Recreational Association and Monte Verde Folklore Group.

06 th May – Friday
Entertainment in Funchal’s downtown – 10 am – 3 pm – Camacha Cultural and Recreational Association. – 3 pm– 8pm – Boa Nova Folklore and Ethnographic Group and Campanário Casa do Povo Folklore Group.

07 th May – Saturday
Wall of Hope Ceremony – 10 am – Children’s Procession with thousands of children. Itinerary: Avenida Arriaga – 9 am – opposite the Municipal Garden (Jardim Municipal), Avenida Zarco, Rua Câmara Pestana and Municipal Square (Praça do Município). – 11am – Symbolic construction of the Wall of Hope – each child places a flower in the Wall situated in the Municipal Square (Praça do Município). Pigeon’s release and live show for children by an entertainment group.
Entertainment in Funchal’s downtown – 3 pm – 8 pm –    Boa Nova Folklore and Ethnographic Group and Camacha Casa do Povo Folklore Group.

08 th May – Sunday
Entertainment in Funchal’s downtown -10 am – 3pm – Camacha Casa do Povo Folklore Group and MonteVerde Folklore Group.
- 4 pm – Flower Festival Parade – “Hearts in Bloom” – Veteranos da Folia – “Dahlias” – Isabel Borges – “Imperialis” – Associação Fura Samba – “ Daisies Garden” – Chico & Companhia – “Orchid Gardens” – Fábrica de Sonhos – “Madeira – Your Garden” – Escola de Samba Caneca Furada – “The Queen Magnólia” – Associação de Animação Geringonça – “A Laurel Forest Rose” – João Egídio Rodrigues – “An Afternoon in the Garden” – Turma do Funil

Itinerary:
Departure from Praça da Autonomia (South side), Avenida do Mar and the Comunidades Madeirenses (heading south), changing to the north lane (opposite Marina Shopping) and going up Rua Dias Leite, the Infante Roundabout (Rotunda do Infante), Avenida Arriaga (north lane – until the Bank of Portugal (Banco de Portugal)), Avenida Zarco (north lane), Rua Câmara Pestana and Praça do Município.