Welcome to Saturday Morning Garden Blogging! We discuss all aspects of gardening and we travel down many tangents tenuously related to plants. Since we’re in the middle of winter in many parts of the U.S., a short respite from the cold, rain and/or snow is in order.
Today we’re visiting some warm, sunny islands.
Macaronesia is a geographical area consisting of four Island groups in the Eastern Atlantic Ocean. All the islands are volcanic, with recent eruptions in 2014 and 2021. When I first encountered the term Macaronesia, I thought someone had misspelled Micronesia, which is in the Pacific Ocean. I wasn’t sure what macaroni had to do with it, but this short article on the etymology of Macaronesia explains.
Mr M and I visited the Canary Islands and the Cape Verde Islands in October 2023. This diary is focused on pretty plants. For a more nature/scientific-y view, with some history and digressions, here are links to my Backyard Science diaries: the Canary Islands and the Cape Verde Islands.
The Canary Islands are part of Spain, While Cape Verde is an independent nation that belongs to the African Union.
There's a lot of ecological variation on all the islands. Generally, the inland areas are wetter, and the coastlines can be quite dry. Rainfall is heavily influenced by the trade winds on the Canary Islands and by ocean currents in the Cape Verdes.
The Canary Islands have very nice National Parks. The parks include botanical gardens with collections of both endemic and introduced plants.
Both islands were full of beautiful, bright flowers, especially Cape Verde. Most of the flowers are introduced and many are considered invasive. I’ve listed the geographical area of origin and my best effort at identifying some of the plants in the collage below.
I really like that Hibiscus.
Exploring the Cape Verde islands was an adventure. Almost every road was narrow, made of cobblestone, and sometimes with precipitous drop-offs. We were in good hands with local guides and drivers.
Going to local markets is one of my travel pleasures. The bustling, open air ambiance is always a reminder that I’m not in Michigan anymore.
We spent a day exploring Mindelo.
Another market in Praia, Santiago Island. Praia is the capital and largest city in the Cape Verde archipelago.
One of my favorite things about Cape Verde was the inventive container plantings. Since the islands are 400 to 500 miles off the coast of Africa, it’s expensive to ship items and it seems that everything is reused. I’m all for it.
Building were often adorned with plants, too.
Colorful art was everywhere.
From the arid landscapes...
to the tropical highlands…
these Macaronesian islands did not disappoint.
Back in wintery Michigan we’re experiencing “blizzard-like” conditions today. I’m waiting until April to start seeds. A couple of indoor plants have been repotted and the Rhipsalidopsis aka Schlumbergera (Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter) cacti are sporadically blooming.
How are plants brightening your outlook this time of year?