… is the best way to begin?
In my opinion… because starting from zero gives us the chance to learn how to fix any problem that comes up in the future… we have to become experts—otherwise, the chances of failure increase… the project becomes a part of you… it’s way more fun… and when it works, it’s incredibly rewarding!
After finishing university, until 2005, before starting my web development business, I tried family-related businesses. I worked in landscaping and managed hundreds of workers. I was involved in everything from engineering to irrigation and construction. The last project I did with my father was Quinta dos Coqueiros, a 12,000 Queen Palm plantation in Portugal. It’s hard to start something new, but it’s so rewarding to see it grow!
I’ll try to describe the feeling of being under these strong palm trees, with the wind passing over the top. For some reason, in the middle, we just feel the slow motion of the air gently touching us. The sound of the leaves is so calming, and the temperature is always pleasant. When it’s cool, we feel warmer, and in the summer, we feel fresh. The shade protects us from the sun. This photo was taken in 2019… thinking that 15 years before, nothing was here, reminds us that we have the power to create, change, and improve. And when we do, things take care of us.
It all started in the summer of 2005… After clearing 100,000 m² of orange trees and landscaping everything, we installed kilometers of irrigation pipes, setting up numerous sectors for automatic watering. Then, the trucks—one after another—began arriving, loaded with small palm trees.
Teams of 10 men worked in 50 to 100-meter columns, following a three-step process: dig the hole, place the plant, and cover it. Behind them, others followed, watering each tree manually to ensure the roots immediately started hydrating and adapting to the soil.
… and half of the work is done. Some rows have already been planted, carefully spaced so the leaves have enough room to grow, allowing light and nutrients to reach all of them. On the left side of the photo, you can see the workers in motion, preparing another row of palms—the beginning of the story.
Today, after 20 years, thousands of these palm trees are living outside their original growing area. Some were sent to villas in Quinta do Lago, Vale do Lobo, and the entire Golden Triangle. Others went to the hills or beachfront areas in the Algarve. Some decorate the Vilamoura boulevard, while others are now in Albufeira, Portimão, Lagos, and Tavira. Many were transported by truck to northern Portugal—and even to France and Spain. Like everything we create, they eventually need to live on their own!
