Giga Garden .... Centre, Algarve

This is pretty close to visiting a garden. Had the camera with me so took a few pics ... well, it will take two goes.

The carpark has about 30 of these palms in it ...



Here's a nice Banana plant for BM Babe ...



There's a few tall palms as you enter ...







Which lead to a nice marble fountain ...



By a wonderful marble seating area complete with overhead pergola (this costs €20,000, about Ã?£13,000) ...



... to be continued

 

Continued ...

Around the corner now to more palms ....







For interest I'll throw in a few of the orchids ...





... and you can have that statue for €3,750 (about Ã?£2450).

This is just a tiny section of the centre.

I did buy some plants, two more Lotus, gold this time, and a huge Gloriosa that I don't know what to do with.

 

Good shots Sis, and I'm sure you'll find a place to put the Gloriosa. I see that there are some nice large pots in the pic with the orchids. Having said that, I could do with one at the moment too.

 

lol you allways come up with great pics,its good of you to share them with us,
what a beautiful place.is it a garden centre?

 

Thank you, Kathy3 ... that reminds me I must make a visit to them this weekend! Hmmmm ... maybe I should join Plants Anonymous or whatever it's called ... I'll check that out.

Yes, it's a garden centre, this is just SOME of the inside. Behind the orchid section, the two levels, that's an internet cafe ... makes sense in a garden centre, doesn't it?

If you like this, Kathy3, hope you look at my Country Life in Non-Gardening Discussions.

 

I think I could probably spend a couple days looking around there LoL.
I presume those very large palms under cover are too tender even for your climate.
Are you sure pic two is a banana?

 

You'd love it, pete.

No, the palms are not too tender for here, just the tallest greenhouse on the Iberian Peninsula and it's mildly humid in there. A mini whirlwind took part of the greenhouse out last October whilst we were selling up in the IoW. These palms are small compared to what the palm centres sell.

I THINK I'm sure that's a banana .. BM hasn't said otherwise and I've sent him photos of it personally ... what do you think it is 25-30 foot tall? Don't think it's a BoP :eek:

 

I think it a BOP. :D

 

Can BoPs grow that tall?

If it were BoPs, pete, surely there would be some birds now ???

[ 22. June 2007, 09:50 PM: Message edited by: Lady of Leisure ]

 

http://www.floridata.com/ref/S/stre_nic.cfm

Your nicolai might. :eek:

 

I actuallly have this link. But surely, pete, they do not go 20-30 foot. :eek:

I like this bit fromt thsy link ...

Features
This is an easy to grow, very non-messy, low maintenance plant that is a good choice for use near pool and patio. Plants are inexpensive, available in a range of sizes, and grow rather quickly and so are a great choice for new home landscapes in warm areas. Bird of paradise tree is just the ticket when you want tough, durable beauty and unique form in a large plan.

... just the ticket, huh?

 

I remember years ago seeing really tall ones in California, so tall you could hardly see the flowers. :D

I wouldn't swear to it, but I dont think bananas get that tall.

 

I believe you, pete, honestly ... cough, cough. Must go back to Giga and ask them what it is. You'll be right and I'll own up to my complete ignorance! :D

Is it just me and t'other half, or are the leaves difficult to distinguish on these two plants? We bought the S nicolai thinking it was a banana plant.

I must say as well, did you notice this giant is IN A POT as are the giant palms inside the centre?

 

I could be wrong, so dont take it for granted.
The main difference in the leaf is that bananas have a soft succulent short lived leaf but strelitzia leaves are hard and long lived, they also have a leaf stalk that is about the same lenghth as the leaf blade, bananas tend to be a very long leaf on a short stem.
Again I could be wrong but I think they are grown in open ground and potted up for sale, one possible reason for your "dwarf" reginae, it needs to settle after a difficult period of moves.
But that is just my thoughts on the subject.

 

Whatever it is, its a whopper, and it deserves a place in my garden