I know Tenerife has a horrid reputation for cheap package holidays and all the tackiness that goes with them. There is that side to it, of course. However, judging Tenerife by what goes on in Playa de Las Americas is like coming here and only visiting Scunthorpe (haha, I’m allowed to say that as my other half is from there) and thinking that it represents the whole of the UK.
I love Tenerife and here’s why. It’s got great weather (I hate the cold) and you don’t have to travel far or pay a fortune to get some of this even during the Winter. It’s got some gorgeous scenery, although driving to see it can be terrifying. There’s enough to do, combined with a bit of general relaxing in the sunshine to easily fill up two weeks. Where we stay in Los Christianos if you're selective there are some really nice restaurants.
However, as a garden designer it’s the indigenous flora that interests me most. There is the obligatory effervescence of Bougainvillea, cascading in great clashing clumps over every vertical surface. I probably don’t even need to mention the ubiquitous feathery plumes of Phoenix Canariensis, one of many species of palm that grow in Tenerife. There are plants that we grow in the UK such as Hibiscus and some really unusual species of Euphorbia. I’m always delighted to see plants which we can only grow indoors such as Monstrera (cheese plants), Draceana, Ficus benjamina and Strelizia (Bird of Paradise plant) flourish in the perfect climate. I love Plumbago and it’s a real treat to see it running wild and adding its subtle sky blue blossoms to the gaudy palette. There are huge cacti and loads of interesting succulents perfectly suited to the hot, arid conditions of the South of the island.
Here’s a few images:-
Washingtonia Robusta
Phoenix dactilifera, Yucca, Phoenix Canariensis
Topiary Tenerife style
Bougainvillea
Acalypha, Yucca & Phoenix Canariensis
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