The Mediterranean garden is a subject of great interest to more and more people - not only avid gardeners looking for ideas for their own gardens but also tourists who find being surrounded by the peace and tranquillity of the well maintained garden enjoyable in its own right.
This large square is located close to the "Mushrooms", or Metropol Parasol, heading towards Plaza Ponce de Leon. It stretches from Plaza San Pedro and Calle Almirante Apodaca, south to calle Descalzos in the Alfalfa district.
A botanical garden with a growing collection of flora collected from five continents. It was opened in 1993 and the expedition was to result in an important herbarium of more than 20,000 species and a collection of 6,000 slides were sent to the Royal Botanical Garden of Madrid.
From the outside of the Orquidario, the state of the art building complete with three glass domes is eye catching, and from the inside it is pretty impressive too. There is much to catch your eye from the moment you step inside, from the 30m high central glass dome (the other two domes are 6m and 16m high) to the stunning display of plants.
Just outside Malaga, "La Concepción Jardín Botánico-Historico de Málaga." is a magnificent botanical garden. There are regular guided tours of the gardens which pass through exotic trees and plants, Roman sculptures and a waterfall. There is also a beautiful mansion that once belonged to the creators of the gardens, the Marquis of Casa Loring and his wife, and several panoramic view points to enjoy.
If you are a botany buff, or wishing to become one, you can easily incorporate educational experiences into your Andalusian holiday. There are also world-renowned natural parks in Andalucía, where you can make the world your classroom. The local publishing company Santana sells a useful guide in English to some of the wildflowers you will meet with in these parks.
Most of the famous beautiful gardens in Seville, such as the Reales Alcazares and Patio de Los Naranjos are found in the city itself.
Málaga, Ronda, La Costa del sol have spectacular gardens.
In Jaen province there are beautil parks such as Parque del Seminario, Parque de la Alameda de Calvo Sotelo, etc.
The garden of Villa Onuba, at Fuenteheridos, stands out with its fine examples of Spanish fir and Sequoia.
In Granada province the most emblematic gardens in Granada are those of the Alhambra and Generalife.
The diversity of types and styles of gardens in Córdoba and province is the most remarkable in Andalucia.
In the ancient walled City of Cadiz, the gardens to visit are the Parque Genoves and the Alameda Apodaca, a large avenue laid out with gardens with sections in the romantic style. In the oldest part of town there are also beautiful patios. In the Faculty of Medicine there is a remarkable specimen of a Dragon Tree (Dracaena draco).
The main park in Almeria itself is the Parque Nicolas Salmeron, in the city centre. It is named after the Almerian politician and philosopher who served (albeit briefly - a month and a half) as the president of the First Republic in 1873. The large, landscaped park is made up of two parts: the Parque Viejo (Paseo de San Luis and los Jardines del Malecon), with lots of ficus and terebinth trees; and the Parque Nuevo, built when the port was extended in 1924, with palms and ornamental plants. The two parts are separated by a pillared fountain called La Fuente de los Peces, on calle Real.
Back in Columbus' time the river here would be crowded with boats, nowadays the occasional tourist steamer chugs by or pedal boat. But it is still the most charming paseo which during the weekends is thronging with strolling lovers and Spanish families dressed in their Sunday best. The view across the river is quite beautiful with a row of typical Andaluz houses with wrought iron balconies.
This botanical garden is full of species donated by countries in the Americas for Expo 92, and is divided into different areas, including palms, cacti (look out for the prickly pear, with its yellow flowers and reddish-yellow fruit), tropical and sub-tropical plants. Many succulents and other plants.
Built more as a traditional park, this is very close to the Jardin Americano, but you need to know exactly how to get there, it’s not signposted (which means it’s quiet and little-visited): leave through the gate at the lake end, turn left walk and along next to the cycle lane.
This massive building is Seville's most impressive after the cathedral, for its sheer scale and grandeur. Love it or hate it - fabulous or fussy, magnificent or overblown, depending on your point of view - you shouldn't miss it when visiting the city.
Seville has some of the most beautiful city parks in Europe, the Parque de Maria Luisa and the Plaza de España, as well as numerous plazas and open spaces where you can happily people watch for hours. For a leisurely stroll, it's hard to beat the Paseo de Colon on the banks of the Guadalquivir river which stretches from the bridge leading to the characterful area of Triana to the magnificent Toro de Oro.
El Jardín Del Retiro is a botanical-ornithological garden situated in Churriana, just outside Málaga city centre. The estate is almost 350 years old. It spans a huge 140,000 m2 and contains around 6,000 animals of 400 different species, including birds, reptiles, mammals and fish, in both freshwater and saltwater ponds. It has been called one of the most beautiful gardens in all of Spain.
