Portugal is known for its abundant sunshine and its potential to experience periods of severe drought that affect agriculture. In our grandparents’ gardens, it is common to see items that many would consider rubbish being given a new purpose. Together, these factors, along with a deep respect for water resources, show the Portuguese passion for gardening, which so beautifully adorns any home or flower bed.

Whether next to a stone bench, by the front door or on a windowsill, everything can be an excuse for Portuguese grandparents to create a garden and bring more harmony to their surroundings. Sometimes, it may not even be visible until you walk a few metres beyond the main gate of a house. In apartment buildings, however, it is rare to find one without a plant by the entrance, welcoming visitors and, quite often, having been a gift from a grandmother to her children or grandchildren. Because of the meaning attached to it, that plant, lovingly watered by the residents and even by the building’s cleaning staff, can become the most impressive plant you have ever seen.

Portuguese grandparents’ gardens are simple and reflect the humility inherent in the Portuguese character, as they do everything they can to bring joy and offer the best they can to their families.

A Grandmother’s plants

Anyone with a Portuguese grandmother knows very well that their love of plants is unmatched. They talk to their plants, want more than they have room for and take meticulous care of them.

On a more personal note, one of my grandmothers, who has outdoor space at home, once had as many as 150 plant pots. Were they all arranged in the best possible way? Not quite. The garden had no botanical narrative, but every plant had a story, and my grandmother knew exactly where she bought or found each one, and even which other plant a particular cutting came from.

My grandmother was once the owner of a flower shop, and after closing it, she continued to pursue her passion. With a large collection of pots, she has plants all over the house, in different rooms and outside. She has several gerberas in different colours, which she uses to decorate the centrepieces she so lovingly creates to bring colour and joy into her home.

Her collection of cacti and succulents is also enormous and, every now and then, I cannot resist taking a little cutting home so that I can have one of those plants myself. And, according to my grandmother, cacti can grow roots from just a single leaf, if you have the right one.

A Grandfather’s vegetable garden

If grandmothers collect plants, cacti and flowers to decorate centrepieces, anyone who grew up with a house and outdoor space will probably have a grandfather who takes great care of a vegetable garden.

During my childhood, I often visited my grandfather’s vegetable garden and spent a great deal of time there with him. As well as looking after and feeding the pigeons, chickens and ducks, which, if I remember correctly, were never intended to be eaten but simply cared for, the chickens and ducks provided us with eggs, which I used to make countless cakes.

Back to my grandfather’s vegetable garden: besides helping him with the watering and, quite often, getting in his way while he was working with his tools, I remember the watermelons perfectly, as well as so many other fruits, including the grapes that were once used to make homemade wine.

It is also interesting how gardening can be such a wonderful expression of affection. My grandfather would often let physalis and cherry tomatoes grow because he knew how much his grandchildren loved them. As a result, I would often sneak into the vegetable garden simply to eat them straight from the plant.

A Portuguese garden

The particularity of a Portuguese grandparents’ garden lies precisely in its ability to preserve stories and create unforgettable moments. It is knowing that, during childhood, the soups our parents made for us contained pumpkins grown by our grandfather, or that the plant pots decorating our living room were gifts thoughtfully chosen by our grandmother.

And so, we come to understand how nature can, so beautifully, bring families together.

Set The Portugal News as your preferred source for news on Google

GoogleAdd as a preferred source on Google