Reid's Palace, A Belmond Hotel, Madeira celebrates the Madeira Annual Flower Festival 

Reid's Palace, A Belmond Hotel, ushers in a second year of the Botanical Bliss weekend workshops, celebrating the abundance of the island’s flora and fauna on 6th and 7th May 2023, alongside Madeira’s famed month-long Flower Festival. The weekend of unforgettable floral workshops launches in partnership with local companies Tristoas, dedicated to the preservation and drying of flowers to create exceptional arrangements, and PRANA, specialised in the craft of vegan candle making using soja wax, free of toxic paraffin.

BOTANICAL BLISS: A WEEKEND OF CREATIVITY

On the 6th and 7th May, Reid’s Palace hosts Botanical Bliss, a line-up of special complimentary workshops to learn different techniques of pressing and preserving plants and flowers, eco-printing and vegan candle making, all led by Madeiran-based creatives. A unique souvenir is created during these experiences, immortalising the island’s essence with botanical works of art.

The series kicks off with the botanical art workshop, forage the surrounding hotel grounds and follow Tristoas founder Mónica Souto as she explains how to work on the floral artistic composition and the pressing process. This is followed by the candle-making course, infused with the hotel’s herbal garden aromas. Here PRANA founders Joana Carvalho and Ismael Figueira showcase their products, made with vegetable wax and free of paraffin, lead and phthalates. The weekend ends with eco-printing - a natural dyeing technique transferring colour directly from a flower or plant to a piece of cloth inspired by Reid’s enchanted gardens in full Spring.

In addition to the workshops, the hotel further accentuated local talent by inviting Mónica to exhibit her floral creations throughout the hotel’s entrance - decorating the reception area with everlasting dried flowers, paying homage to the hotel’s timeless decor, and weaving together a true story of everlasting contemporary elegance.

“For me, transforming dried flowers into decorative elements is a way to keep them longer in our lives, respecting the principle of nature where “nothing is lost, everything is transformed”, explains the Founder of the company Tristoas, who fell in love with Reid’s lush gardens, drawing inspiration from it to protect and preserve each species so they may be enjoyed all year around.

THE ISLAND OF ETERNAL SPRING

Perched atop the Funchal cliffs with panoramic views of the Harbour and Atlantic Ocean, Reid’s Palace has always placed the spotlight on the island’s outstanding flora, and is home to 10 acres of lush gardens with almost 400 different plant species from around the world. The hotel highlights their outdoor space all year around with captivating activities from weekly garden tours led by a Botanical expert to picnics under the palm trees with a beautiful menu inspired by the hotel’s Michelin-starred William restaurant.

For those who’d prefer to stay close to home, an immersive garden map with botanical touchpoints has been created for an educational tour of the fabulous flowers and spectacular specimens of trees, shrubs, and plants frame the hotel. Listen to the sea, learn about nature, surrounded by the bouquet of aromas, wander at will and learn about what the garden has to offer.

Known as the Island of Eternal Spring for its subtropical climate, Madeira hosts beautiful weather all year around allowing for the growth of a myriad of plant and flower species. Each May, floral creativity comes to life for several weeks as Funchal’s streets are resplendent with flamboyant parades, folk performances, and fragrant markets. The festival's main event is the Allegoric Flower Parade on the 30th April, where the city’s main avenue overflows with a procession of live music and dancers adorned in floral costumes, filling the air with colour and delightful fragrances. Tickets can be purchased at the hotel reception.

Luxury accommodation at Reid’s Palace in a Deluxe Room starts from 570.00€ per night, including all fees and taxes, on a bed and breakfast basis. For more information or to book, please visit belmond.com/Reid's Palace.