4 FLOWERS AND GARDENS OF MADEIRA 



and cherries of Europe (which are so much 

 regretted) and the banana it is this feeling which 

 makes Madeira so delightful, independent of its 

 beautiful scenery and the constancy and softness 

 of its temperature." 



Any feeling of disappointment that the traveller 

 may have experienced from his first cursory glance 

 at the island must surely be quickly dispelled on 

 landing, especially if this should be in the month 

 of January, when, having left the snows and frosts 

 of Europe behind, after travelling for four days he 

 is basking in the almost perpetual sunshine of 

 so-called winter in Madeira. Lovers of flowers 

 and to those I most recommend a visit to the 

 island will find fresh beauties even at every turn 

 of the street : the gorgeous- coloured creepers seem 

 to have taken possession everywhere. Hanging 

 over every wall where their presence is per- 

 mitted will come tumbling some great mass of 

 creeper, be it the orange Bignonia venustus, whose 

 clusters of surely the most brilliant orange- 

 coloured flower that grows completely smother 

 the foliage; or the scarlet, purple, or lilac 

 bougainvillea, whose splendour will take one's 

 breath away, with its dazzling mass of blossoms. 

 The great white trumpets of the datura, com- 



