Monarch Butterfly

We drove, with an unexpected diversion into the outskirts of Santa Cruz, up and around the island to La Orotava.  After an interesting Google Maps directed drive through steep narrow streets, we were lucky to find a parking spot close to the garden.

Our main destination was a little garden recommended in a book we bought.  And it was a lovely garden.  Lots of monarch butterflies browsing on various flowers - mainly on shrubs.  Mid winter isn't the best time for flowering plants, but there were good numbers of flowers of various colours. 

There was also a good example of a dragon tree and an attractive variegated fig (see extras).  

It was definitely "our type" of garden, not too over controlled, with loads of interesting plants.

We could hear lots of birds, but only caught glimpses.  

After that, we popped in to a rather splendidly tacky Epiphany display (also in extras), had coffee and cake, and then visited another garden, more along the lines of a typical, formally laid out, municipal garden.  Some interesting plants, but very definitely not to our taste.

We finished with a long drive home through the mountains, and dinner at another local cafe.