Buskett Gardens, Enjoying Malta in Winter
If you're looking for things to do in Malta in the winter, you don't really have to look far. As long as it's not raining, places like beaches, and the stunning Buskett Gardens are still perfect. In fact, I quite prefer them in winter as it's much more enjoyable when sweat isn't pouring down your face and everywhere is much more likely to be lush and green instead of brown and burnt.
Buskett Gardens are part of the grounds of Verdala Palace, which is the President of Malta's summer residence. The gardens are open to the public, but the palace isn't, except for occasional open days. Whether you live in Malta or are here on holiday, these gardens are somewhere you have to visit- whatever the time of year! It's a great place to visit in summer, as it manages to stay green even in the heat, however the heat can make walking around and really appreciating it a bit tough, which is why it's the perfect place in Malta to go when it's a little colder.
It always puts me in mind of A Mid Summer Nights Dream, with it's little stairways into the leaves, archways hidden in the undergrowth and the pretty little stream tinkling along wherever you go. It's quite magical.
There are so many different walks and pathways, that I think the best way to enjoy Buskett Gardens is to have no plan- just hop to it and see where your legs take you. Explore every little avenue. And the trees are so high that you should always remember to look up; there's a whole other world up there you know.
In Buskett Gardens in Malta, you'll find beautifully organised and regimented fields filled with orange, lemon and lime trees. They seem to flourish all year round, adding juicy splashes of orange and yellow into the fields of green. Look closely whilst admiring the citrus fruits, as you might just find a sneaky little chap camouflaged into the background!
In the almost 5 years that I've lived here, I've never seen a chameleon in the wild, so it was pretty exciting to spot this guy just chilling amongst the fruit. He was well snuggled in so it was hard to get a good picture, but he was absolutely huge!
As well as remembering to look up at the sky to be mesmerised by the tree tops, and into the bushes, to see what secrets you can find lurking, make sure you look down sometimes too and enjoy the delicate little flowers that push their way up through the crowd, simply to smile at you and remind you that life is so precious and colourful.
Explore every nook and cranny. Check behind trees, climb up staircases and look down into cavernous wells and ponds.
Follow the stream for a while and see if you can find the frogs- leave them be though, they're much happier in the wild than in a horrible cramped little jar. As friendly as they look, this stream is where they live, they don't want to come home with you. Stop and sit a while though, see how many you can count.
Buskett Gardens in the Verdala Palace grounds is the perfect place for a hike, a stroll, a picnic and an explore. It makes the perfect place to visit in the summer or in the winter in Malta- I'd just stay away during or right after the rain as it can get a little muddy and no one likes to slip in the sludge!