PresentationGerald LuckhurstLandscape Architect and Horticulturist

Gerald Luckhurst trained as a horticulturist at the University of Reading, UK and holds a master's degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of Massachusetts, USA and a PhD from the University of Bristol in Anthropology and Archaeology. He is a chartered member of the British Landscape Institute and the Institute of Horticulture. One of Portugal's best known garden designers, he is also a member of the Portuguese Association of Landscape Architects. In 2013 his project for the restoration of the gardens of the Palace of Monserrate, Sintra, was awarded the European Garden Award as the “best redevelopment of a Historic Park.”

Since the 1980's his practice has been based in Portugal, work includes the preservation and conservation of historic landscapes, detailed design for hotels and tourism, planning and development for commercial and residential projects in Portugal and overseas, consultancy to municipal and national government agencies, large private estates and voluntary work for charitable organisations.

He is currently consultant landscape architect to the Parques de Sintra, Monte da Lua, S.A. a public equity company responsible for the management of a large part of the UNESCO classified World Heritage Cultural Landscape of Sintra in Portugal.

His company, Jardim Formoso Lda. employs more than thirty people including designers, landscape managers and specialized landscape construction personnel and gardeners.

Resort Hotels

Vila Porto Mar Madeira Island, Portugal

Large hotel garden constructed on aseries of terraces and roof gardens integrated with the building design on four different levels.

Features a wide variety of sub-tropicalvegetation including a collection of morethan sixty species of palms.

Resort Hotels

Miramar HotelMadeira Island, Portugal

The density of building development issuccessfully concealed by exuberanttropical vegetation in a garden composed of intimate spaces ,including stairwells and corridors, narrow borders and courtyards.

A careful selection of planting has enabled even the most difficult of thesespaces to present a rich palette of colour and leaf textures.

Resort Hotels

Village HotelMadeira Island, Portugal

This garden resort, the first of its kindon the island, has won many awardsfor the quality of its display. It was also distinguished as the garden with the greatest biodiversity in the city of Funchal – no mean achievement in thisisland of botanical superlatives.

Resort Hotels

Choupana Hills SpaMadeira Island, Portugal

High above the city of Funchal, this mountain resort is composed of 60bungalow units grouped around centralspa and restaurant buildings. All amidst 11 hectares of gardens.

The planting is planned on an grand scale. As the client put it, in musical terms : this is Beethoven, notMozart.

Resort Hotels

Reid’s Palace HotelMadeira Islands – Portugal

Famous old hotel with luxurious historicgardens revamped by the Orient Express Hotel group.

The gardens were restored to includemodern irrigation and lighting schemesand the plant collection considerablyaugmented so as to return them to theirformer glory.

The photographs here are taken fromthe book ‘The Gardens of Madeira’ written by Gerald Luckhurst.

Resort Hotels

Pestana Grand HotelMadeira Islands – Portugal

A modern building by the architect David Sinclair sited at the southernmostpoint of the island. The gardens are exposed to extreme weather conditions.

An important consideration in the planting design was the preservation ofmagnificent sea views over the cliff-tops.

The garden features a superb sunken rock garden planted with more than 300species of succulent plants: dragon treesaloes, agaves, and giant cactus.

Resort Hotels

São ToméEquatorial Africa

A tropical island resort with limited waterresources. Sheltered areas within the buildings were planted with large andcolourful-leaved plants produced in collaboration with local gardeners.

Other areas, exposed to occasional violent storms, were designed with lawns and stately royal palms, with beachfrontplantings to stabilise the artificial sand lagoon.

Resort Hotels

Porto Santo HotelMadeira Islands – Portugal

“Desert Island” gardens created underextreme climatic and soil conditions, they are watered from a desalinationplant and include large areas of locallyadapted plants and native vegetation that require minimal watering.

The garden also has areas devoted to organic agriculture producing localvarieties of vegetables, orchards andvineyards.

Resort Hotels

Promenade Hotel & Spa

Madeira Island – Portugal

A recently established garden, the photographs were taken after a year ofgrowth. Large masses of tropical foliagecreate intimate spaces for relaxingaround the large swimming pool.

The spa garden has an abstract styleof planting that recalls oriental themesthat may be contemplated from theindividual treatment rooms and interiorpools.