Gardening & Landscaping
Gardening
& Landscaping
My story
Bruno Raposo
CEO / Founder
Bruno Raposo | CEO / Founder
Degree in Biology
University of Évora
Degree in Biology | University of Évora
During my degree, I had 4 compulsory plant subjects. Despite being demanding in every sense, they were all extremely important and I enjoyed them immensely.
It was almost by accident that I ended up choosing a subject involving plants in my last semester. This was partly through my own curiosity and enjoyment of the area. However, it was also due to the awareness those compulsory subjects had awakened in me that a biologist, to be complete, must perceive, understand and know as much as possible about our primary producers. I decided to follow this lead before focusing on the subjects that would be fundamental to my future career: Ornithology and Genetics.
Relatively early on in the course, I realized that I didn’t see myself practicing biology in the most conventional way, as most of my fellow students aspired to do – research. However, I only knew what I didn’t want and, therefore, I finished the course without being sure how the knowledge and tools I’d acquired during my degree would serve me in a work context.
As I started working (while still a student), I felt the need to experience different sectors and did so. Through this, I soon realized that I enjoyed and had a certain ease dealing with the public, especially when this allowed for a two-way sharing of knowledge.
Furthermore, I also became aware that I would always feel limited when working for someone else.
Those 2 factors, combined with all the various skills I’d acquired, began to give concrete form to an idea that, from a very early age, had been in the back of my mind: running my own business.
There’d been a series of failed attempts (fortunately so, in retrospect) in different work areas associated with the range of highly diverse skills I had developed. These factors, as well as the knowledge acquired during my degree, created the conditions for me to not only realize what I really wanted to do, but also gave me the courage to start my entrepreneurial journey.
BLOG
In our blog section, we explore biodiversity and share gardening techniques and tips with you to create a healthier and more sustainable environment in your outdoor space in Portugal.
Here you will find a wide range of informative and inspiring articles about biodiversity, gardening and much more.
Our services
This is how Raposa dos Jardins came about…
This is how Raposa dos Jardins came about…
More than a gardening service provider, we offer a diverse set of services:
Gardening
Constructions
Optimizations
Biodiversity
Micro-Habitats
ACQUIRE OUR SERVICES
Raposa dos Jardins offers you the flexibility to acquire our gardening services in two convenient ways. Whether through a gift voucher or a subscription, we guarantee the transformation and maintenance of your green space with the quality and professionalism that define our services.
VOUCHERS
A great option to gift someone special or to enjoy a personalized service tailored to the needs of your garden. With our gift vouchers, you can choose the amount that best suits your gardening plans.
HOURLY PACKS
If you prefer continuous and flexible support, you can choose a subscription to hour packs. Select the pack that best suits your needs and let us take care of your garden with the attention and dedication it deserves.
Our Mission
Offer a range of gardening and maintenance services for green spaces that are based on respect for the environment and that, whenever possible, favor or stimulate biodiversity. Promote practices that respect the environment with particular emphasis on reducing the use of chemicals and practicing the 3 R’s (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle). To be more than a service provider, enhancing our relationship with our customers and followers by sharing information and knowledge.
Our Vision
We aim to be the largest gardening and green space maintenance company in the country.
Our Values
Professional pride, methodology, perfectionism, seriousness, humility and respect.
Reduce, Reuse and Recycle...
REDUCE,
making rational and regulated use of materials (use only what is necessary)
REUSE,
giving tools and utensils as much working life as possible. Carrying out regular maintenance, but also restoring and repairing whenever possible and for as long as is feasible (obviously not neglecting safety)
RECYCLE,
separating undifferentiated waste (conventional garbage) from compostable waste (plant matter) and transformable waste (paper, plastic/metal and glass)
REDUCE – making rational and regulated use of materials (use only what is necessary)
REUSE – giving tools and utensils as much working life as possible. Carrying out regular maintenance, but also restoring and repairing whenever possible and for as long as is feasible (obviously not neglecting safety)
RECYCLE – separating undifferentiated waste (conventional garbage) from compostable waste (plant matter) and transformable waste (paper, plastic/metal and glass)
The 4 pillars of our activity
We increasingly emphasize and try to educate our customers on the importance of:
WATER
In addition to the importance of reducing unnecessary consumption, it is vital to apply consumption optimization measures, such as rainwater and washing water collection and storage structures, in which no detergents or other chemicals were used, or the installation of efficient and automated irrigation systems. It’s also important to realize a body of water’s positive impact, even if very small in size.
Stimulating biodiversity
We promote the diversification of plant species, especially native species, that attract pollinating agents (especially insects), and set up structures that help them in their life cycle (insect hotel, etc.). In addition, creating a body of water, which not only attracts birds but also encourages the emergence of other types of predatory insects, is another measure that significantly improves the area’s health and productivity by making biological interactions more complex. This improves the area’s resilience, through a mechanism called redundancy: there is more than one species performing the same function, thus increasing the area’s capacity to react and adapt to any changes arising in the system.
Stimulating biodiversity
We promote the diversification of plant species, especially native species, that attract pollinating agents (especially insects), and set up structures that help them in their life cycle (insect hotel, etc.). In addition, creating a body of water, which not only attracts birds but also encourages the emergence of other types of predatory insects, is another measure that significantly improves the area’s health and productivity by making biological interactions more complex. This improves the area’s resilience, through a mechanism called redundancy: there is more than one species performing the same function, thus increasing the area’s capacity to react and adapt to any changes arising in the system.
Composting
Recycling is not something that only applies to materials created by man. Nature has its own version of recycling, transforming organic matter through physical, chemical and biological action in the environment, which allows nutrients to circulate in the system. When, in a box in our garden, we create certain conditions for this process to occur, we call it a composter. We can and should look at it as an Ecopoint (like the brown Ecopoint dustbin, for example), where we must place all our feeding process “waste”, so it can be transformed into soil with nutrients that can be absorbed again by plants and lead to an improvement in soil quality. According to research, composting even has health benefits.
Zero chemicals
The improvement of a green space through the implementation of previously indicated measures, such as composting and its use to fertilize our soil, both stimulate the biodiversity of that space and significantly and permanently reduce the need to use chemicals, whether in the form of synthetic fertilizers or pesticides.
Zero chemicals
The improvement of a green space through the implementation of previously indicated measures, such as composting and its use to fertilize our soil, both stimulate the biodiversity of that space and significantly and permanently reduce the need to use chemicals, whether in the form of synthetic fertilizers or pesticides.
The Pruning
Pruning of trees and shrubs is essential to maintain the health and vitality of your garden, improving plant structure and preventing diseases. There are different types of pruning, each serving specific purposes:
FORMATIVE PRUNING: Guides the plant’s growth from an early stage.
MAINTENANCE PRUNING: Removes damaged or diseased branches.
FRUITING PRUNING: Optimizes fruit production.
REJUVENATION PRUNING: Revitalizes older plants, stimulating new growth.
When and Why to Prune?
In Portugal, the ideal pruning period occurs between October and March, during the vegetative rest phase, when plants grow less and are less vulnerable to pests and diseases. The cooler temperatures and the absence of the bird nesting season help maintain the ecosystem’s balance.
Pruning outside this period, when the plant is in active growth, weakens it by removing branches where it has invested energy. This increases its exposure to parasites such as fungi and insects, which can harm the plant and even nearby species.
When and Why to Prune?
In Portugal, the ideal pruning period occurs between October and March, during the vegetative rest phase, when plants grow less and are less vulnerable to pests and diseases. The cooler temperatures and the
Pruning outside this period, when the plant is in active growth, weakens it by removing branches where it has invested energy. This increases its exposure to parasites such as fungi and insects, which can harm the plant and even nearby species.
Benefits of Pruning for Plant and Garden Health
Pruning enhances air circulation within the canopies, reducing humidity and, consequently, the occurrence of fungal diseases such as powdery mildew and downy mildew. Additionally, allowing more light to enter promotes photosynthesis and improves fruit quality. Removing crossed or overlapping branches prevents wounds that could serve as entry points for pests.
Among the main diseases that pruning helps to prevent are:
TREE CANCER: Caused by fungi, this disease gradually leads to the death of branches.
RUST: Affects foliage and hampers growth.
ROTS: Caused by excessive humidity and poor ventilation.
Even in gardens that appear more natural or “wild,” cultivated plants require regular care to prevent diseases, enhance production, and ensure safety by avoiding branch drop. Regular pruning not only beautifies the space but also prolongs plant life by strengthening them and making them more resilient.
Our gardening specialists ensure that your trees and shrubs receive meticulous care with integrated knowledge of the ecosystem.
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