Spain Has Several Bio Geographic Regions With Characteristic Gardens

8/3/2019 Spain Has Several Bio Geographic Regions With Characteristic Gardens

1/11

Spain has several biogeographic regions with characteristic gardens. These include theBaroque gardens of Central Spain, the Mediterranean gardens of the coastal region and theIslamic gardens of Southern Spain. Also, throughout Spain, there are wonderful examples of

courtyard gardens and cloister gardens. Spanish garden designers have been inventive inresponding to the Spanish climate.

In addition to these Spanish Garden Finder entries, please see Garden Tours in Spainpage forinformation on tours, self-guided visits tailor-made tours and gardens open to the public inSpain.

public in Spain.

Andalucia (19)

Aragon (2)

Canarias (1)

Cantabria (1)

Castilla y Leon (1)

Catalonia (25)

Comunidad Valenciana (2)

Extremadura (1)
http://www.gardenvisit.com/garden_tours/in/spainhttp://www.gardenvisit.com/garden_tours/in/spainhttp://www.gardenvisit.com/garden_tours/in/spain


2/11

Galicia (6)

Islas Baleares (2)

Madrid (10)

Navarra (1)

History and theory of garden design and landscape architecture> Garden and LandscapeBooks > History of Garden Art, by Marie- Luise Gothein > Spanish gardens

EUROPE:contentsAmericaBritainBOOKSHOP

Arab influence,Charles V,The Escorial, Madrid gardens,Buen Retiro, Portugese gardens

NextPreviousCopyright

CHAPTER VIII

SPAIN AND PORTUGAL IN THE TIMEOF THE RENAISSANCEJardines de las Reales Alcazares in Seville

What of Spanish style? Where, in what century, is there a school that can be called national? These questions occur in Carl JustisIntroduction to the History of Spanish Art, and he thus

answers them: "One might put forward certain prelates, grandees, magistrates, guilds as thefriends of art in the pastof art that proved their taste to be uncritical and unprogressivebutthey showed their enthusiasm rather as spectators than as artists, just as the Arabs were wontto take pleasure in the dance. [For background information on Pesian, Arab and Islamicgardens, see Chapter 5]

Arab influence on Spanish gardens

These words are more true of the world of gardening than of any other. During the wholeperiod when Spain was under the yoke of the Arab, she was so controlled by the manners andcustoms of his nation that the Oriental way of life was accepted everywhere as natural andinevitable: therefore gardens were open living-rooms, and in arrangement and ornament wereextremely like rooms or halls of houses, which contained fountains and flowers as decoration.

And Moorish customs had struck such deep roots that for a long time after the struggle forpower in Spain had ended in a victory for Christendom, the castles and pleasure houses ofSpain's Catholic kings and their nobles were with very few exceptions much the same as theMoorish ones. It is true that historians endeavour to distinguish separately a style calledMudejar, made use of by Christianised Spain until the sixteenth century; but what we reallyfind is that Arabian architects have discovered a way to combine their usual style of ornamentwith something from the Italian Renaissance, just as they had previously done in the case ofGothic structures. For the ground-plan of the house is Oriental-Arabian as it was before. Theliving-rooms are grouped around a central court to which a few side courts are attached bygreat towers, and on one sideoccasionally on twothere is a garden adjoining. It is as much

as possible shut in from the outside by portions of other buildings, by galleries, and by highwallsand this moreover at a time when in Italy the outdoor country house has succeeded in
http://www.gardenvisit.com/history_theoryhttp://www.gardenvisit.com/history_theoryhttp://www.gardenvisit.com/history_theory/library_online_ebookshttp://www.gardenvisit.com/history_theory/library_online_ebookshttp://www.gardenvisit.com/history_theory/library_online_ebooks/ml_gothein_history_garden_art_designhttp://www.gardenvisit.com/history_theory/library_online_ebooks/ml_gothein_history_garden_art_design/contents_gotheins_history_garden_arthttp://www.gardenvisit.com/history_theory/library_online_ebooks/ml_gothein_history_garden_art_design/contents_gotheins_history_garden_arthttp://www.gardenvisit.com/history_theory/garden_landscape_design_articles/america/american_garden_design_2000http://www.gardenvisit.com/history_theory/library_online_ebooks/tom_turner_english_garden_design/contents_etext_web_ebook_onlinehttp://www.gardenvisit.com/history_theory/t/c01.htmlhttp://www.gardenvisit.com/history_theory/library_online_ebooks/ml_gothein_history_garden_art_design/spanish_gardens_renaissancehttp://www.gardenvisit.com/history_theory/library_online_ebooks/ml_gothein_history_garden_art_design/spanish_gardens_renaissancehttp://www.gardenvisit.com/history_theory/library_online_ebooks/ml_gothein_history_garden_art_design/charles_v_spanish_gardenshttp://www.gardenvisit.com/history_theory/library_online_ebooks/ml_gothein_history_garden_art_design/escorial_garden_madrid_renaissancehttp://www.gardenvisit.com/history_theory/library_online_ebooks/ml_gothein_history_garden_art_design/escorial_garden_madrid_renaissancehttp://www.gardenvisit.com/history_theory/library_online_ebooks/ml_gothein_history_garden_art_design/madrid_gardens_renaissancehttp://www.gardenvisit.com/history_theory/library_online_ebooks/ml_gothein_history_garden_art_design/buen_retiro_park_madridhttp://www.gardenvisit.com/history_theory/library_online_ebooks/ml_gothein_history_garden_art_design/portugal_gardens_renaissancehttp://www.gardenvisit.com/history_theory/library_online_ebooks/ml_gothein_history_garden_art_design/charles_v_spanish_gardenshttp://www.gardenvisit.com/history_theory/library_online_ebooks/ml_gothein_history_garden_art_design/baroque_italyhttp://www.gardenvisit.com/history_theory/library_online_ebooks/ml_gothein_history_garden_art_design/copyright_notice_revised_edition___tom_turner_2000http://www.gardenvisit.com/history_theory/library_online_ebooks/ml_gothein_history_garden_art_design/copyright_notice_revised_edition___tom_turner_2000http://www.gardenvisit.com/history_theory/library_online_ebooks/ml_gothein_history_garden_art_design/islamic_garden_design_historyhttp://www.gardenvisit.com/history_theoryhttp://www.gardenvisit.com/history_theory/library_online_ebookshttp://www.gardenvisit.com/history_theory/library_online_ebookshttp://www.gardenvisit.com/history_theory/library_online_ebooks/ml_gothein_history_garden_art_designhttp://www.gardenvisit.com/history_theory/library_online_ebooks/ml_gothein_history_garden_art_design/contents_gotheins_history_garden_arthttp://www.gardenvisit.com/history_theory/library_online_ebooks/ml_gothein_history_garden_art_design/contents_gotheins_history_garden_arthttp://www.gardenvisit.com/history_theory/garden_landscape_design_articles/america/american_garden_design_2000http://www.gardenvisit.com/history_theory/library_online_ebooks/tom_turner_english_garden_design/contents_etext_web_ebook_onlinehttp://www.gardenvisit.com/history_theory/t/c01.htmlhttp://www.gardenvisit.com/history_theory/library_online_ebooks/ml_gothein_history_garden_art_design/spanish_gardens_renaissancehttp://www.gardenvisit.com/history_theory/library_online_ebooks/ml_gothein_history_garden_art_design/charles_v_spanish_gardenshttp://www.gardenvisit.com/history_theory/library_online_ebooks/ml_gothein_history_garden_art_design/escorial_garden_madrid_renaissancehttp://www.gardenvisit.com/history_theory/library_online_ebooks/ml_gothein_history_garden_art_design/madrid_gardens_renaissancehttp://www.gardenvisit.com/history_theory/library_online_ebooks/ml_gothein_history_garden_art_design/buen_retiro_park_madridhttp://www.gardenvisit.com/history_theory/library_online_ebooks/ml_gothein_history_garden_art_design/portugal_gardens_renaissancehttp://www.gardenvisit.com/history_theory/library_online_ebooks/ml_gothein_history_garden_art_design/charles_v_spanish_gardenshttp://www.gardenvisit.com/history_theory/library_online_ebooks/ml_gothein_history_garden_art_design/baroque_italyhttp://www.gardenvisit.com/history_theory/library_online_ebooks/ml_gothein_history_garden_art_design/copyright_notice_revised_edition___tom_turner_2000http://www.gardenvisit.com/history_theory/library_online_ebooks/ml_gothein_history_garden_art_design/copyright_notice_revised_edition___tom_turner_2000http://www.gardenvisit.com/history_theory/library_online_ebooks/ml_gothein_history_garden_art_design/islamic_garden_design_history


3/11

being entirely in the open.

FIG. 282. THE ALCAZAR, SEVILLEGROUND-PLAN OF THE GARDENS

The Alcazar in Seville is an excellent example (Fig. 282). When Peter the Cruel (135364)built his royal palace here, it was over the ruins of the old sultans castle, which covered amuch greater area, and with its garden reached as far as the Guadalquivir, though now onlyone of the old fortresses remains, the so-called Golden Tower. The king employed Moorishworkmen in rebuilding, and very probably he was able to utilise some of the Arabic remains,in any case as models. During the next five hundred years there was constant building andrestoration going on about this old kernel in the centre; but never did the Moorish feeling forcomplete seclusion, and dislike of the open, disappear. The beautiful chief faade wasregarded as a kind of faade to a court ; and this led to smaller spaces being grouped aroundthe central one, which was called the Patio de las Doncellas (Fig. 283).

FIG. 283. THE ALCAZAR. SEVILLEPATIO DE LAS DONCELLASThis is a paved court ; but there would be pots with plants in it just as there were in the courts
http://www.gardenvisit.com/garden/jardines_de_las_reales_alcazareshttp://www.gardenvisit.com/garden/jardines_de_las_reales_alcazares


4/11

of certain private houses, which are to be seen at the present day. There is no fountain in thePatio, but it may have been lost when Charles V.

FIG. 284. THE ALCZAR, SEVILLEVIEW OVER THE GARDENS

FIG. 285. THE ALCAZAR, SEVILLEANOTHER VIEW OVER THE GARDENS

rebuilt the place. Other courts, such as the Jardins de la Maria Padilla (the beloved lady ofPeter the Cruel) and the Patio de las Banderas, whose surroundings are certainly moderni were

perhaps always planted with oranges and palms as they are now.

The flower-garden proper lies south-east of the buildings (Figs. 284 and 285). Don Pedro(Peter the Cruel) first made it, but its present style dates from Charles V. in the sixteenth


5/11

century. Still the same thing is true of the garden as of the buildings, that in spite of changesand improvements made by later generations, the fundamental idea has never been obliteratedwhich shows it to be a near relation of the gardens of the Alhambra and the Generalife. Forthese also complete seclusion was asine qua non, and hence the high walls, which in Pedrostime had galleries all round (Fig. 286).

FIG. 286. THE ALCAZAR, SEVILLETHE GALLERY OF PEDRO I.

Now they are adorned with grotto-work in the baroque style, beneath which is concealed oldwork of many kinds. The entrance was at the side, without any architectural connection withthe house (A, Fig. 282), and into a sunk garden. From a large pond at the side (G) there was away down to the baths of Maria Padilla, before which lay a small parterre, the great garden

sinking to the west in several terraces. When Charles V. made a second entrance at the back,at the end of the middle walk, it was really a pavilion in Mudejar style (I), ornamented insidewith Azulejos, which means blue tiles (Fig. 287). At the end of the eastern gallery is a garden-house (F, Fig. 282) leading to the fruit-garden (E). Beside the pavilion of Charles V. wasanother large reservoir (H) which was named after his mother Joanna, called the Crazy.

FIG. 287. THE ALCZAR, SEVILLETHE PAVILION OF CARLOS V.

At the intersections of the tiled walks stand fountains with round seats about them, and in thesame way as at the Generalife little spurts of water spring up from unseen pipes to sprinkle the
http://www.gardenvisit.com/garden/alhambrahttp://www.gardenvisit.com/garden/generalife_gardenhttp://www.gardenvisit.com/garden/alhambrahttp://www.gardenvisit.com/garden/generalife_garden


6/11

unwary. The separate beds are laid out in geometrical figures and always bordered. A noveltywhich was probably unfamiliar to the Arabs, the labyrinth (K), was introduced by Charles. Itwas a very large one, and put on the lowest terrace so that it could be seen from above. In thesecond half of the sixteenth century the taste for the baroque had introduced all sorts oftiresome novelties, and dripping grottoes, and garden gates, but also had added many beautiful

fountains, such as the Mercury fountain in the Jardin del Estanque. But each of these thingswas really a foreign element in the picture.


7/11


8/11

Gardening

Spanish GardenThe Spanish garden follows the garden design elements and principles of the garden

precedents of the ancient Islamic and Persian gardens. These gardens also incorporatesome of the ideas of the Moorish garden which are seen in the Al Andalus period of theIberian Peninsula.

Spanish garden history:In 20th and 21st centuries, Spanish garden was introduced, developed, interpreted andthen departed from the traditional aesthetic garden beliefs and planning. The traditionalParadise gardens highly influenced the Spanish gardens. They followed the Paradisegarden design which was included with cross central axis seen in four cardinaldirections. The gardens were included with water channels and big ponds. These waterfeatures were mostly created in a courtyard covered with walls. In the other quadrants,the fragrant plants and fruit trees were often seen. Thus, the gardens aimed at sensory

aspects such as refreshing coolness, greenery, fragrance, sound and humidity. TheSpanish climate provides ample heat and sunlight. These types of gardens are easilycreated in such atmosphere.

The famous Historical Spanish gardens are created by the Christians of Spain in themedieval period, immigrants of Roman Empire, Islamic rulers, the land and businessowners of the Modern and Romantic period. During the 21st century in Spain, thelandscape designers, professional gardeners, architects, horticulturists, artists designedthese types of gardens. For example, for the Barcelona Olympics of 1992, the outdoor

public spaces were decorated with gardens following the Spanish garden architecture.

Designing a Spanish garden:

With proper efforts and creativity, beautiful Spanish garden can becreated. These gardens are created in order to receive the fulladvantage of the Mediterranean climate. These gardens are used towork in, walk around and within. The various fruits, vegetables, herbsand edible flowers can be grown in these gardens. The plants aregrown to provide the food throughout the year.

The plants grown in these gardens should be able to match with theoutdoor atmosphere. The gardens should have the provision for shadein the summer and shelter in the winter to protect the plants fromexcessive heat and cold.

In the Spanish garden, an interesting and attractive addition of paths

and terraces is seen. The terraces of various sizes grown with plantsserve for different purposes. These stunning sites can be used for

Gardening

ardensGarden

g Tools

of Garden

ant Diseases

ests

Weeds

ng

s

s

n

redators

ers

l

tal Plants

sery

uit Plants

od

g Shrubs
http://www.mightygarden.com/types-of-gardening.htmlhttp://www.mightygarden.com/ancient-gardens.htmlhttp://www.mightygarden.com/types-of-gardens.htmlhttp://www.mightygarden.com/gardening-tools.htmlhttp://www.mightygarden.com/elements-of-garden.htmlhttp://www.mightygarden.com/garden-plant-diseases.htmlhttp://www.mightygarden.com/garden-pests.htmlhttp://www.mightygarden.com/garden-weeds.htmlhttp://www.mightygarden.com/beekeeping.htmlhttp://www.mightygarden.com/perennials.htmlhttp://www.mightygarden.com/fertilizers.htmlhttp://www.mightygarden.com/pollination.htmlhttp://www.mightygarden.com/garden-predators.htmlhttp://www.mightygarden.com/wildflowers.htmlhttp://www.mightygarden.com/biocontrol-methods.htmlhttp://www.mightygarden.com/ornamental-plants.htmlhttp://www.mightygarden.com/plant-nursery.htmlhttp://www.mightygarden.com/exotic-fruit-plants.htmlhttp://www.mightygarden.com/organic-food.htmlhttp://www.mightygarden.com/flowering-shrubs.htmlhttp://www.mightygarden.com/http://www.mightygarden.com/http://www.mightygarden.com/types-of-gardening.htmlhttp://www.mightygarden.com/ancient-gardens.htmlhttp://www.mightygarden.com/types-of-gardens.htmlhttp://www.mightygarden.com/gardening-tools.htmlhttp://www.mightygarden.com/elements-of-garden.htmlhttp://www.mightygarden.com/garden-plant-diseases.htmlhttp://www.mightygarden.com/garden-pests.htmlhttp://www.mightygarden.com/garden-weeds.htmlhttp://www.mightygarden.com/beekeeping.htmlhttp://www.mightygarden.com/perennials.htmlhttp://www.mightygarden.com/fertilizers.htmlhttp://www.mightygarden.com/pollination.htmlhttp://www.mightygarden.com/garden-predators.htmlhttp://www.mightygarden.com/wildflowers.htmlhttp://www.mightygarden.com/biocontrol-methods.htmlhttp://www.mightygarden.com/ornamental-plants.htmlhttp://www.mightygarden.com/plant-nursery.htmlhttp://www.mightygarden.com/exotic-fruit-plants.htmlhttp://www.mightygarden.com/organic-food.htmlhttp://www.mightygarden.com/flowering-shrubs.html


9/11

entertaining and cooking activities. The pathways in these gardenslead us from one beautiful garden area to the other. The variety ofgarden surfaces and curved paths instead of straight paths add thegardens with the art and magic.

Many garden corners, patios or the poolside areas are grown with thedifferent trees.

These gardens include the garden furniture. The benches are keptunder the garden trees. A round and big swimming pool is a focalpoint in these gardens. The pool is added with a planting box at thecentre. The box is planted with the tropical plants. Placing thetraditional Spanish water fountains gives classical touch to thegarden. The water running from the different water features reallysounds therapeutic. These gardens feel refreshing during the hotdays. The sound of the running water is mixed with the traffic noiseand reduces the intensity of the traffic noise.

A wide range of flowers, vegetables and fruits is available for thesegardens. The only thing to be kept in mind while growing the plants isthat the proper grouping of the plants should be done. The soil needsto be improved before planting the plants. Various color schemesshould be properly chosen for the garden. The different plants withnice foliage and texture are available for these gardens.

The popular Spanish garden plants include rose, jasmine,honeysuckle, mock orange, lilies, passion flowers, citrus trees, sweetpeas, various medicinal herbs and more. The perfume is an essentialcomponent of these gardens that is considered to be present in thegarden all the year through and reach the entrance gate of the

garden. The various herbs grown in the gardens are used for the cooking or

medicinal purposes. Many seasonal vegetables can be grown andharvested in these gardens. The plants in these gardens are grownusing interesting shapes and architecture. Some other plant groupsfor these gardens contain cacti, cordylines, aloes, palm trees,aeoniums with purple or green leaves.

Privacy Policy | About Us | Contact Us | Sitemap

Copyright 2009 Mighty Garden. All Rights Reserved.

Machine generated alternative text: Spanish gardens in their historical

background, by John H. Harvey

Spain is a continent rather than a country - Quien dice Espa1a dice todo

and our tour was necessarily limited to one of its realms, Andalusia. We

saw Spanish gardening in concentrated form, and in a few days combined visits

to some of the finest modern gardens with a serious study of the worlds old

est living garden, that of the Generalife at Granada. Among ghosts, we even
http://www.mightygarden.com/privacy-policy.htmlhttp://www.mightygarden.com/about-us.htmlhttp://www.mightygarden.com/contact-us.htmlhttp://www.mightygarden.com/sitemap.htmlhttp://www.mightygarden.com/privacy-policy.htmlhttp://www.mightygarden.com/about-us.htmlhttp://www.mightygarden.com/contact-us.htmlhttp://www.mightygarden.com/sitemap.html


10/11

went to a Moorish garden three centuries older, of A.D. 950, at the palace-

city ruin of Medina Azahara.

In ten days we penetrated through the outer growing layers of horticulture

to its heart; at leisure we can now turn round and consider chronological

development in normal order. The history of aesthetic horticulture as opposed

to the production of fruit, vegetables and medicinal herbs begins, in Spain as

in England, with the introduction of ancient concepts from the Near East.

Whereas with us the impulse came indirectly through the Normans with their

simultaneous conquest of Sicily, renforced by returning Crusaders a generation

later, in Spain there had been a direct oriental invasion early in the eighth

century. The Peninsula became a province subject to Damascus just after the

Muslim tide had appropriated the Garden-Idea of the ancient Near East, as

found in Persia and Iraq, and spread it throughout the Mediterranean world.

Later political developments gave to Spain a special pre-eninence as the seat

of the Western Caliphate (756-1031) of Cordova.

Arab chroniclers record that, while we in England were still in the Dark

Ages, Moorish Spain had reached a pitch of luxury in which gardens had a pri

mary position. What was said by Al-Makkari of the pleasure grounds of Murcia

by the tenth century: filled with scented flowers, singing birds and watpr

wheels with rumorous sound, sets the keynote of this paradisial culture. A

century later a list of the plants cultivated at Seville was compiled and

shows that there has been a decided advance beyond what was known to the

Greeks and Romans. The gardens have disappeared but their tradition lived on

to be exemplified at Granada when, from 121,8 to 11,92, it was the only

surviving

Moorish Court in Europe. The two old gardens of the Generalife - Jennat al

Arif (Paradise of the Architect) upper and lower, remain to exemplify the

main types which have profoundly affected Spanish gardening. The lower garden

(late thirteenth century)1 and the Court of the Myrtles in the Alhambra Cc.


11/11

1334-54) are domestic and inward-looking. A walled courtyard or patio, with

open arcaded galleries to give shade, has as its central feature a rectangular

pool, alberca, surrounded by low plants in beds or by borders of clipped

myrtles or other aromatic shrubs. Such gardens are an integral part of the

house and, even of minimal scale, survive in many Andalusian houses such as

those in the Calleja de Flores (de la Encarnaci6n) descending towards the

Mezquita at Cordova.

The second sort of garden is external what we regard as the only gar

den1 - with trees and large shrubs and brightly coloured flowers with pene

trating perfumes. The upper garden of the Generalife, perhaps formed when the

buildings were redecorated in 1319, used the cypress as its principal tree: the

last of the original planting lived for over 600 years. There were also orange

trees, sweet bay and possibly palms. The ordinary houses of Granada seen by

the Venetian traveller Andrea Navagero (1483-1529) were noted for gardens

with

pools of water, planted with myrtles, roses and musk roses, the mosquetas

celebrated through Spanish literature as in Persian. In the Generalife upper

7

Spain Has Several Bio Geographic Regions With Characteristic Gardens

Documents

Transcript of Spain Has Several Bio Geographic Regions With Characteristic Gardens