The Orchard of Flavours: A Living Edible Garden Shaping the Future of the Algarve

Just a short distance from Villa Lage, in Belmonte, lies one of the Algarve’s most inspiring ecological projects: The Orchard of Flavours – Pomar dos Sabores.

Created and managed as a non-profit botanical garden dedicated to edible plants, this remarkable project invites visitors to experience a new vision of Mediterranean agriculture — one rooted in science, resilience, and respect for nature.

An Edible Botanical Garden With Purpose

Accredited by Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) in 2022, The Orchard of Flavours is far more than a garden. It is a living laboratory, bringing together biodiversity conservation, climate adaptation, and regenerative agriculture.

More than 400 species of fruit trees and edible plants are carefully studied and documented, forming an extensive open-access database that benefits farmers, researchers, and visitors.

Two Ideas That Marked Our First Visit and inspired us

During our first encounter with the Orchard of Flavours, two concepts stood out as especially powerful — both simple, elegant and transformative.

1. The Power of Nitrogen-Fixing Plants

One of the Orchard’s most striking lessons is the intelligent use of nitrogen-fixing species.
These special plants — such as certain legumes, acacias and pioneer shrubs — naturally enrich the soil, reducing the need for fertilisers and creating a healthier, more self-sustaining ecosystem.

Walking through the orchard, you witness how these plants:

• Improve soil fertility naturally

• Support neighbouring fruit trees

• Reduce dependency on external inputs

• Create resilience in low-water, Mediterranean conditions

It is a beautifully orchestrated cooperation between species — a masterclass in working with nature rather than against it.

2. The Miyawaki Forest: A Pocket of Regeneration

Another unforgettable feature is the Miyawaki micro-forest, a dense planting technique that accelerates natural forest growth using native species.

In the Orchard of Flavours, the Miyawaki forest:

• Creates shade and cools the surrounding land

• Boosts biodiversity

• Stores carbon

• Demonstrates how degraded soils can recover quickly

• Provides habitat for birds, insects and microorganisms

This miniature forest is living proof that regeneration can happen faster than we imagine when ecological intelligence guides the design.

These two principles — nitrogen-fixing plants and the Miyawaki forest — capture the essence of the Orchard: practical, hopeful, innovative solutions for a changing climate.

A Regenerative Vision for the Future

Throughout the site, visitors can observe:

• Contour-based planting to harvest and hold rainwater

• Deep mulching and permanent ground cover

• A thriving Food Forest Lab

• A pioneering Dry Orchard Experiment

• Research plots testing climate-resilient fruit varieties

Every detail reflects a commitment to rebuilding landscapes for future generations.

Villa Lage’s Commitment to Water-Wise Gardening

At Villa Lage, we deeply resonate with the Orchard’s mission.
The Algarve faces growing water stress, and preserving this resource has guided our own landscape design.

Our gardens at Villa Lage were intentionally planted with:

• Native and Mediterranean species that thrive with minimal water

• Drought-tolerant shrubs, aromatic herbs and trees

• Low-irrigation practices and soil-care techniques that protect water and promote resilience

A Visit That Inspires

For guests of Villa Lage, a visit to the Orchard of Flavours is a rare opportunity to walk inside a living experiment.
It is beautiful, educational and deeply inspiring.

Here, you feel the meeting point between:

• Taste and ecology; 

• Science and tradition;

• Local heritage and global sustainability.