Special 10th anniversary edition for 2024 – new dates and new location
This unique event is the largest garden fair in Portugal and the only one dedicated to Mediterranean gardening. It celebrates the start of the gardening year and is dedicated to making beautiful and sustainable Mediterranean gardens with minimum water use.
This year we celebrate the 10th anniversary for our association (Mediterranean Gardening Association Portugal), and the event will take place on November 2 and 3 for the first time at the FATACIL showground in Lagoa with its excellent facilities for visitors and exhibitors.
This new location will allow the displays from some of our most popular plant growers to be even larger than at previous events and gives opportunities for the event to grow in the future. There will be a record-breaking 50-plus exhibitors at this event as the space available is larger than before.
We are very grateful for the support of Lagoa Câmara who stepped in to offer our event a home when it was confirmed at very short notice that the Silves venue was not available. Many people are already familiar with the site, and it has a lovely open-air aspect with many trees. Please follow the signs to the large free car parking area on the site with designated disabled parking at the entrance. There are covered stands and a large marquee for our talks and information displays.
Among the selection of plants available from the 20 nurseries present are succulents, robust Mediterranean species, fruit trees, native plants and seed, aromatic herbs and a good range of house plants and orchids. The popular Felco garden tools free maintenance workshop will be present.
New for this event, we will be holding three presentations on both days as well as demonstrations on stands with the theme of ‘Change your Garden – Change our World’. Also, there will be a solar cooking display, advice on growing drought-resistant bromeliads in your garden and a very special presentation on natural swimming ponds.
Entry donations of €1 per adult will be used to support our educational activities with schools, Câmaras, Freguesias and the general public. This includes helping them to make native plant and drought-resistant gardens that need no irrigation, with the hands-on involvement of students and employees.
The continuing drought, water use restrictions and changes in weather patterns have made it more important than ever that we take a long, hard look at how we manage our gardens – with a focus on water, needless use of chemicals and plant choices. There will be a presentation on ‘How to get rid of your lawn and what to plant instead’. See full list of talks on this page.
- New exhibitors for this event include a display of chicken wire sculptures for the garden. Also for sale for the first time will be Benji’s heirloom vegetable seed varieties, a talk on making bokashi compost and beautiful flower arrangements for you to take home.
- Bulbs and plants from MGAP stand will include some roses suitable for Mediterranean gardens as well as bulbs for naturalising, including native varieties such as the rarely available paperwhite narcissus. You can pre-order bulbs on request from mgapsec@gmail.com
- Refreshments and bar service will be available on site all day, including the popular curry house lunches.
- Free advice / plant clinic to provide support for making sustainable gardens using native and climate appropriate planting.
- A full list of exhibitors will be published online near to the date so that you can make your orders for collection at the event.
- Please help us to cut down on waste and bring your own bags and boxes.
Helpers are always welcome and if you are visiting the event with one or two hours to spare, we would love to hear from you.
See website www.mgaportugal.org and Facebook MedGardenersPortugal for further details or contact mgapfairs@gmail.com
Talks schedule – Autumn Garden Fair 2024
Theme – Change your Garden, Change our World
Saturday, November 2
12pm-1pm – How to get rid of your lawn and what to plant instead by Jessica Gomes and Rosie Peddle
1.30pm-2.30pm – Trees you can eat – new book – the last to complete the “Edible Landscapes” trilogy by Fernanda Botelho
3pm-4pm – Natural swimming ponds by Claudia and Udo Schwarzer
Sunday, November 3
11am-12pm – Bromeliads for the Garden – new book by Jorge Freixial
12.30pm-1.30pm – Bokashi composting by Joanna and Riki, Green Tribe People
2pm-3pm – Workshop on propagating plants for your dry garden by Jessica Gomes and Rosie Peddle
(All presentations in English and Portuguese)
By Rosie Peddle
|| features@algarveresident.com
289 791 869 | mgapsec@gmail.com
facebook.com/MedGardenersPortugal
www.mgaportugal.org
