The Seed Archive map was initiated in November 2024, when the first drawings were produced, and has since been continuously planned and developed through ongoing research, fieldwork, and collaboration.

Its origins can be traced back to earlier work developed for the Venice Biennale in 2023, within the framework of the Open Society Fellowship, where Mónica de Miranda’s research into urban gardens, ecological practices, and Afro-descendant agricultural knowledge first took shape. From that point onward, the map has evolved as part of a longer process of inquiry that continues to grow and unfold over time, rather than as a finished or fixed work.

Within the framework of the online Seed Archive, the map functions as both a point of departure and a pedagogical tool. Conceived as “Lesson nº1: Sowing,” it establishes the methodological and conceptual foundation for a broader series of mappings. More than a spatial representation, it operates as an ecological calendar, outlining seasonal cycles of planting and cultivation in relation to lunar phases. In doing so, it reconnects agricultural practice to temporal rhythms and ancestral knowledge systems that continue to inform Afro-diasporic gardening traditions.

By integrating this temporal knowledge with photographic documentation from urban gardens across the Lisbon metropolitan area—Quinta da Princesa (Seixal), Bela Vista (Lisbon), Santa Marta dos Corroios (Corroios), Paio Pires (Seixal), Bairro da Adroana (Alcabideche), Cova da Moura, 6 de Maio e Estrela de África (Amadora), Talude e Mira Loures ( Loures), Terras da Costa (Almada) and Bairro Quinta da Serra (Odivelas)—the map situates these practices within lived environments. It creates a visual and conceptual link between territory, knowledge, and everyday cultivation, foregrounding gardening as both a technical activity and a cultural practice embedded in community life. In this sense, the Seed Archive becomes a space for preserving and transmitting living knowledge, while making visible the resilience and agricultural intelligence of Afro-descendant communities.

The map was first presented in the exhibition Lugar de Estar: o legado Burle Marx (November 2025–April 2026), dedicated to the legacy of Roberto Burle Marx. Within this context—where drawings, archival materials, and contemporary works intersect—the map participates in a broader dialogue on landscape, urban space, and environmental engagement, extending these concerns into contemporary urban ecologies through a focus on collective knowledge, biodiversity, and the politics of cultivation.

plant details

Angel's Trumpet

usually of the genus Brugmansia

  • Time:
    • From seed to flowering: about 6 to 18 months, depending on conditions.
    • Fruit production (seed capsules) occurs after flowering, if pollination takes place.
  • Planting: Spring (March to May)
  • Climate:
    • Prefers: Warm and subtropical climate / temperatures between 15°C and 30°C / Does not tolerate frost well (may die below 0°C)
    • Likes: Full sun to partial shade / Rich, moist, well-drained soil
  • Botanical Family: Solanaceae

Banana

plant of the genus Musa

  • Producer: Ras
  • Time:
    • From seed to fruiting: may take several years and is uncommon.
    • From sucker (seedling): about 9 to 15 months to produce bananas.
  • Planting: Spring (April to June)
  • Climate:
    • Prefers: Cool temperate climate / temperatures between 10°C and 20°C / Tolerates some cold and light frost
    • Likes: Full sun / Well-drained soil rich in organic matter
  • Botanical Family: Fabaceae

Broad Bean

fava bean, genus Vicia

  • Producer: Dona Anastácia, Isabel Andrade, Simplício
  • Time:
    • From seed to harvest: about 3 to 5 months, depending on conditions.
    • Pods form after flowering and can be harvested while still green.
  • Planting: Autumn (October to November) or late winter/early spring (February to March)
  • Climate:
    • Prefers: Tropical or subtropical climate / temperatures between 20°C and 30°C / Does not tolerate cold below 10°C or frost
    • Likes: Full sun / Fertile, moist, well-drained soil / Protection from wind
  • Botanical Family: Musaceae

Chayote

genus Sechium

  • Producer: Isabel Andrade
  • Time:
    • From fruit/seed to harvest: about 4 to 6 months, depending on conditions.
    • Usually, the whole fruit is planted, which germinates and produces a climbing plant.
  • Planting: Spring (March to May)
  • Climate:
    • Prefers: Warm and subtropical climate / temperatures between 18°C and 30°C / Does not tolerate frost
    • Likes: Full sun / Fertile, moist, well-drained soil / Requires support (climber)
  • Botanical Family: Cucurbitaceae

Corn

maize, genus Zea

  • Producer: Ricardina, Margarida, Ras, Cecílio
  • Time:
    • From seed to harvest: about 2 to 4 months (60 to 100 days), depending on the variety.
    • Ears form after wind pollination.
  • Planting: Spring (April to June), after frost risk
  • Climate:
    • Prefers: Warm and temperate climate / temperatures between 18°C and 30°C / Sensitive to frost
    • Likes: Full sun / Fertile, well-drained, nutrient-rich soil / Regular watering
  • Botanical Family: Poaceae

Green Pea

genus Pisum

  • Time:
    • From seed to harvest: about 2 to 3 months (60 to 90 days), depending on the variety.
    • Pods form quickly after flowering and should be harvested while tender.
  • Planting: Late winter and early spring (January to March) or autumn in mild climates
  • Climate:
    • Prefers: Cool temperate climate / temperatures between 10°C and 20°C / Tolerates cold and light frost / Does not like intense heat
    • Likes: Full sun to partial shade / Well-drained soil rich in organic matter
  • Botanical Family: Fabaceae

Guava

genus Psidium

  • Time:
    • From seed to fruiting: about 2 to 4 years.
    • From grafted plant: 1 to 2 years.
  • Planting: Spring (March to May)
  • Climate:
    • Prefers: Tropical and subtropical climate / temperatures between 20°C and 30°C / Sensitive to frost
    • Likes: Full sun / Fertile, well-drained soil
  • Botanical Family: Myrtaceae

Mint

genus Mentha

  • Time:
    • From seed to harvest: about 2 to 3 months.
    • Can be harvested continuously once established.
  • Planting: Spring (March to May)
  • Climate:
    • Prefers: Temperate climate / temperatures between 15°C and 25°C / Tolerates moderate cold
    • Likes: Partial shade to sun / Moist, well-drained soil
  • Botanical Family: Lamiaceae

Orange

genus Citrus

  • Time:
    • From seed to fruiting: 5 to 10 years.
    • From grafted tree: 2 to 4 years.
  • Planting: Spring or autumn
  • Climate:
    • Prefers: Subtropical and Mediterranean climate / temperatures between 15°C and 30°C / Sensitive to strong frost
    • Likes: Full sun / Well-drained soil
  • Botanical Family: Rutaceae

Passion Fruit

genus Passiflora

  • Time:
    • From seed to fruiting: 6 to 12 months.
  • Planting: Spring
  • Climate:
    • Prefers: Tropical and subtropical climate / temperatures between 20°C and 30°C / Sensitive to cold
    • Likes: Full sun / Fertile, well-drained soil / Requires support
  • Botanical Family: Passifloraceae

Piri-Piri

chili pepper, genus Capsicum

  • Producer: Maria Teresa, Rosa Yanga, Simplício, Isabel Andrade, Yeki
  • Time:
    • From seed to harvest: about 3 to 5 months.
  • Planting: Spring (March to May)
  • Climate:
    • Prefers: Warm climate / temperatures between 18°C and 30°C / Sensitive to cold
    • Likes: Full sun / Fertile, well-drained soil
  • Botanical Family: Solanaceae

Pumpkin

genus Cucurbita

  • Producer: Simplício, Isabel Andrade, Ricardina
  • Time:
    • From seed to harvest: about 3 to 5 months.
  • Planting: Spring (April to June)
  • Climate:
    • Prefers: Warm climate / temperatures between 20°C and 30°C / Sensitive to frost
    • Likes: Full sun / Fertile, moist, well-drained soil
  • Botanical Family: Cucurbitaceae

Rue

genus Ruta

  • Time:
    • From seed to mature plant: about 3 to 6 months.
    • Main use is for leaves, not fruit.
  • Planting: Spring
  • Climate:
    • Prefers: Temperate climate / tolerates heat and drought
    • Full sun / Poor to moderately fertile, well-drained soil
  • Botanical Family: Rutaceae

Suculbembe

  • Producer: Maria Teresa, Yeki, Rosa Yanga
  • Time:
    • From seed to fruit: 6–18 months, with an average of 8–12 months for initial fruiting.
  • Planting: Early in the rainy season, specifically March to May/June.
  • Climate:
    • Tropical to subtropical, warm, and humid, with temperatures consistently above 21ºC-29ºC for optimal growth.
  • Botanical Family: Passifloraceae

Sugarcane

genus Saccharum

  • Producer: Cecílio, Ras
  • Time:
    • Propagated by cuttings / harvest in 9 to 18 months.
  • Planting: Spring
  • Climate:
    • Prefers: Tropical climate / temperatures between 20°C and 30°C / Does not tolerate cold
    • Likes: Full sun / Fertile, moist soil
  • Botanical Family: Poaceae

Sweet Potato

genus Ipomoea

  • Producer: António
  • Time:
    • From cuttings to harvest: about 3 to 5 months.
  • Planting: Spring (April to June)
  • Climate:
    • Prefers: Warm climate / temperatures between 20°C and 30°C / Sensitive to cold
    • Likes: Full sun / Light, well-drained soil
  • Botanical Family: Convolvulaceae

Tomato

genus Solanum

  • Producer: Ricardina, Simplício, Funa
  • Time:
    • From seed to harvest: about 3 to 4 months.
  • Planting: Spring (March to May)
  • Climate:
    • Prefers: Warm climate / temperatures between 18°C and 28°C / Sensitive to frost
    • Likes: Full sun / Fertile, well-drained soil / Regular watering
  • Botanical Family: Solanaceae