Questions about gardens on Tenerife
Short answers to what people ask most: climate, plants, irrigation, rules and ordering a design.
Climate
Why can't I just plant what I like on Tenerife?
The island has dozens of microclimates. The north gets trade-wind moisture and fog, the south is dry and sunny, and every 100 metres of altitude changes the temperature. The Cabildo de Tenerife distinguishes 26 bioclimatic belts. A plant that thrives in La Laguna can die in a single summer in Los Cristianos.
How do I find the climate of my own plot?
Click the map on the home page. The site reads the altitude from a 30-metre terrain model, works out which side of the island you are on, and shows monthly temperature, rainfall and humidity. Temperature and rain are 1981–2010 averages adjusted to your altitude; humidity comes from the nearest Cabildo weather stations.
What is calima and how do I protect the garden from it?
Calima is a hot, dry wind carrying Saharan dust. In a day or two it can scorch the leaves of tender plants. Watering beforehand, mulch, shade netting for young plants and a windbreak of dense shrubs on the windward side all help.
Plants
Which plants live on Tenerife without watering?
Mainly local species of the dry belt: spurges (tabaiba, cardón), dragon tree, Canary palm, plus agaves, aloes and other succulents. They need water only in the first year after planting. The plant base has a “Without watering only” filter for each island zone.
Do hydrangeas grow on Tenerife?
Yes, best in the north at roughly 300–1000 metres, where it is cooler, often foggy and the soil stays moist. They need partial shade, acid soil and regular summer watering. On the north coast they grow in shade with automatic irrigation. On the hot south coast they do not survive in open ground.
When is the best time to plant?
From October to February: it is cooler, it rains, and plants root in before the dry summer. With irrigation you can plant almost all year, though in July and August new plantings in the south need shading and frequent watering.
Water and irrigation
Do I need irrigation if it often rains in the north?
Summer is dry across the whole island, the north included: there is almost no rain from June to September. Drip irrigation on a timer solves this and uses far less water than a hose or sprinklers. For a house used only part of the year, automatic irrigation is close to essential.
How can I cut the garden's water use?
Four measures: replace lawn with gravel and ground cover; water by drip and at night; mulch the soil with volcanic gravel (picón), as is traditional in the Canaries; and group plants by water need so drought-tolerant ones are not flooded for the sake of thirsty ones.
Island rules
Can I bring plants, cuttings or seeds to the Canaries?
The Canaries guard against imported pests more strictly than mainland Spain: plants entering the islands go through a separate phytosanitary control, many need a certificate and inspection, and some are banned outright. The rules change, so check with the Canary Islands Government plant health service (Sanidad Vegetal) before you travel. Buying from local nurseries is simpler and safer.
Which plants should not be planted on Tenerife?
Invasive species on the Spanish catalogue. The best-known example is fountain grass (Pennisetum setaceum, rabo de gato): it has taken over roadsides and ravines and its sale and planting are banned. Be careful with plants that escape easily, such as lantana. Garden waste must not be dumped in ravines.
May I dig up a wild plant for my garden?
No. Many local species are protected by law and taking them from the wild is an offence. Buy Canary species raised in nurseries. Our plant base flags protected species and tells you how each local plant is propagated.
Design and shopping
Can I order a garden design remotely?
Yes. You send photos and measurements and mark the spot on the map. Marianna prepares a planting plan, a visual and a plant list that any gardener, or you yourself, can plant from.
How much does a garden design cost?
Guide prices are in the services section on the home page: a design from photos starts at €250. The exact price depends on the size and difficulty of the plot and is quoted after we see the photos.
Where can I buy plants and irrigation equipment on Tenerife?
We keep a directory of the island's nurseries, garden centres, florists and hardware shops based on OpenStreetMap data. Home tap timers and drip kits are sold in the big DIY stores; professional controllers come from irrigation suppliers.
Where does this site's data come from?
From open sources that we have gathered into our own database: the species catalogue and weather stations of the Cabildo de Tenerife (CC BY), CHELSA V2.1 climate averages for 1981–2010, the 30-metre Copernicus terrain model, OpenStreetMap, Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons. Conditions for garden plants are written by us and reviewed by Marianna.