Garden Design Isabel Blaser

Monday 24 November 2014

Green Roofs for Mediterranean Climates: Biocrust Roofs

The NativeScapeGR project is a scientific project developed in the University of Lisbon, Portugal, that uses native plant species and biocrusts to create green roofs with low water requirements, adapted to climates with Mediterranean characteristics.



Friday 31 October 2014

Feira de Jardinagem mediterrânica. Dia 1 de Novembro em Estoi

publicado por Sementes de Portugal
http://sementesdeportugal.blogspot.pt

Dia 1 de Novembro, Sábado, entre as 11.00h e as 16.00h,  irá decorrer nos jardins históricos da Pousada do Palácio de Estoi, a sexta edição da feira de jardinagem mediterrânica promovida pela associação portuguesa de jardinagem mediterrânica.

Em conjunto com a Sigmetum, iremos estar presentes num dos poucos eventos que em Portugal se dedicam exclusivamente a promover o potencial ornamental da nossa flora espontânea. E que é, apesar de estarmos virados para o Atlântico, uma flora de matriz mediterrânica.

Mas se esta feira já tem todos os requisitos para merecer uma visita, o facto de se realizar numa parte dos jardins históricos da Pousada do Palácio de Estoi, que normalmente se encontra encerrada ao público, é um motivo adicional. 

A propósito e para quem não conhece, o Palácio de Estoi, onde hoje está instalada uma Pousada de Portugal, é um dos expoentes da arquitectura civil algarvia, mandado erguer em meados do séc.XIX, em estilo rococó e com elementos a fazer lembrar o Palácio de Queluz.. Classificado como de interesse público desde 1977, por si só merece a deslocação!

Saturday 25 October 2014


Beautiful Photographs of the Botanical Garden Barcelona by Sixto D. Lozano



Spanish Landscape Architecture: Barcelona Botanical Garden Posted by Sixto D. Lozano


One of Spain's crown jewels, Barcelona Botanical Garden is located on Montjuich´s mountainside between the Castle and the Olympic Stadium. Today, I'd like to bring you on a journey into a garden-mountain landscape that captures the perfect design balance between nature and the city of Barcelona.

Wednesday 1 October 2014

Algarve History Association October Events

MONDAY  6  october at 18h00

Municipal Library Tavira

Noras in the Algarve and Water Features in the Gardens of Andalusia

with   Isabel Blaser










































In this presentation, Isabel shows that the Arabs who came to the Iberian Peninsula in the eighth century had inherited hydraulic technologies from their forebears in the deserts of the Middle East. They brought these technologies with them to Iberia and introduced here techniques for raising, storing and channelling water which were new to Iberia. In the hot and dry climate of the Iberian Peninsula, they introduced innovative and intensive irrigation which allowed them to introduce new crops into the region. Even nowadays we still see in the Algarve the many old wells with impressive gear wheels standing near rivers and streams and in close proximity to orange groves. These devices are called Noras, and this name comes from the Arabic word Noura, which designates the gear wheel for raising water. In this presentation Isabel goes on to show the link between the water features of Islamic gardens and water devices used in agriculture. This talk is open to everyone.









Friday 20 June 2014

Talks about characteristic garden features

Water is omnipresent in Islamic gardens, either under the appearance of water channels called acequias, where the water is running as a lively rivulet, either as a joyful and refreshing fountain, or either as a nearly motionless water mirror...



"Water as a matter of poetry was the most significant contribution by the desert dwellers to garden design."
  by Derek Clifford, A History of Garden Art.



Wednesday 18 June 2014

The Rose Garden at Monserrate, Sintra  
by portugalresident.com


www.parquesdesintra.pt
By Gerald Luckhurst
During 2008/2009 the first 125 roses were planted: Chinas, Teas and Noisettes.
In the spring 2010, another 250 rose bushes were planted and in 2011 a further 500..
Standing on the great lawn at the head of the Rose Garden on a still warm day will bathe you completely in almost intoxicating scents. A fitting tribute to the Oriental atmosphere sought by previous occupants of this magical palace and its park.

Monday 16 June 2014

Tagus Linear Park – Topiaris Landscape Architecture from Joao Morgado on Vimeo. [Great Aerial Video taken with a drone]

The Tagus Linear Park is an area of 15 000 sq m that was conquered by the surrounding communities of the industrial private sector and was felt as a democratic intervention by those forever deprived of access to the River. For the first time, people of adjacent urban communities are given recreation and leisure opportunity in direct contact with the riverside, which was until recently blocked by large industrial lots. People of all ages, from different walks of life and cultural backgrounds are now invited to come and enjoy a diverse palette of equipment and activities: from sports, fishing, walking and cycling to environmental education, or simply to get an eyeful of the landscape.


Friday 21 March 2014

12x12 stood out as an inspiring exhibition of upcycling and repurposing....

http://www.coolhunting.com/design/12x12-wanteddesign-2012.php

The idea was simple—supply 12 designers with timber from 12 demolished New York City buildings to create a piece of furniture. While the work presented by a juried group of Big Apple-based designers made for an impressive collection, there were four that resonated strongly for us.





Interesting projects with recycled 

RAINFOREST HARDWOODS – 

IPE (TABEBUIA), CUMARU (DIPTERYX ODORATA), GREENHEART (CHLOROCARDIUM)


local architects, designers and fine woodworkers display the range of reclaimed woods - 


http://sawkil.com/tropical-hardwoods/#sthash.G8a8jYOW.gbpl



Wednesday 5 March 2014

March 18th at 6 pm Municipal Library Lagoa

with Isabel Blaser

organised by Algarve History Association    http://www.algarvehistoryassociation.com/

The presentation shows the link between the old water devices used in the agriculture 
of the Algarve and the characteristic water features in the Islamic gardens of Andalusia.











































Thursday 27 February 2014



Bee-Toxic Pesticides Found in “Bee-Friendly” Plants Sold at Garden Centers


Bees are essential to the production of one out of every three bites of food we eat. 
In fact, 71 of the 100 crops that provide 90 percent of the world’s food—
from almonds to tomatoes and strawberries—are pollinated by bees.


Recommendations for consumers:
Take action: 
Join the Friends of the Earth BeeAction campaign at 
and sign the petition to garden retailers 
asking that they stop selling neonicotinoid treated plants 
and products that contain neonicotinoids. 


















Tuesday 7 January 2014


é essencial para os arquitectos paisagistas saberem onde encontrar as plantas autóctones


http://sigmetum.blogspot.pt/p/plantas-autoctones-nos-jardins.html

SIGMETUM, empresa situada no Instituto Superior de Agronomia, que se dedica ao estudo, experimentação, produção, e comercialização de plantas autóctones em Portugal.






Sementes de Portugal foi lançado em 2013 .. muito interessante !  


projecto centrado na flora autóctone, nas suas sementes e em todo o seu potencial: ornamental, paisagístico, medicinal, aromático e condimentar. Disponibilizamos um catálogo de sementes colhidas por uma rede de colectores portugueses em locais seleccionados com garantia de origem e de qualidade germinativa.



Saturday 4 January 2014

Starting from the famous Patios of the Alhambra, the presentation intends to show the origins of this typical Mediterranean outdoor space as well as Patios in modern garden architecture of the last decades.


alfa literatur-salon Convento São José Lagoa, 10. Dezember 2013 19.30 Uhr