CORDOBA PATIO FESTIVAL

It is that time again. This May will be just like any other in Cordoba. It will be busy with the first tourists of Spring, it will be eventful and it is sure to be a riot of colour. Later in the month those who go weak at the knees over the sight of a horse, myself included incidentally, will pack the streets for the traditional ferria. Flamenco dresses at the ready girls!

Before then those who love flowers will arrive in Cordoba. They come to enjoy the famous patio festival. Pretty town houses located in some of the oldest streets of the City come alive with colourful displays of geraniums, carnations and jasmines. Pots by the hundreds adorn window ledges, staircases and doors. In a very genteel manner, tourists wander from patio to patio to admire the work put in by the owners and to acquire ideas that would enliven their own Andalucian patios.

Homeowners compete for first prize. I don’t know how the judges decide who wins the top accolade. First off, the standard is so high. Secondly, so many of the entrants create patios which, how can I put this delicately?, are not altogether unlike the ones created by their neighbours! Déjà vu is alive and well when touring the patio displays. Or as one Spanish friend put it: "Seen one Cordoban patio, you have seen them all."

Not true, say I. Although I do hope that more originality is on show this time around compared to when I visited last year. Then it seemed to me that Geraniums were everywhere. Don’t get me wrong, for instant Spring colour you cannot beat a geranium, but Andalucians seem obsessed with them. When I try to grow trailing Jasmine from my pots on the front balconies the women of my village tell me off. It should, they insist, be geraniums on show to passers by.

Historically patios were used by Romans to hold meetings – and Cordoba is awash with both history and colour. In the pretty streets that are the venue for the competition, the crowds are growing much faster than the exhibits! By the very nature of the enclosed spaces, it can be difficult to be able to stand back and admire the hard work employed by the owners. I suggest you be patient. The crowds ebb and flow. Wait a while and there will be a lull between tour parties large and small.

The people who create these glorious corners in Cordoba have striven for months to ensure that they can present a patio fit to adorn the cover of a box of chocolates. The wet weather during April will not have helped their cause.
Many of the private, white washed homes in Cordoba are centuries old. They are among the most photographed properties in Andalucia. The scent of lemon and orange blossom fills the air and numerous fountains provide a backdrop of running water. I was pleasantly surprised at how peaceful these streets are, especially when one considers that the hustle and bustle of tourist attractions such as La Mezquita and the wider City are so close by.

At the beginning of each festival patio maps should be available to you via local businesses and in the Tourist Office. Don’t set off on the trail without one as you may not be able to distinguish whether or not you have already seen a particular patio. In Cordoba it really is possible to have too much of a good thing!

Entrance to the various courtyards and patios of the homeowners is free. However, there is always someone sat by the entrance with a gratuity box or hat on show. You are under no pressure to pay but I believe it is a small price to pay for enjoying such colourful displays. I doff my garden hat and salute them all. Their love of patios will ensure that at least one of the more pleasant on the eye of all Spanish traditions will live on and be enjoyed by generations to come.

GENERALIFE GARDENS, ALHAMBRA PALACE, GRANADA

In no other City that boasts a famous garden can such an attraction have its name pronounced incorrectly as often as that of the Generalife in Granada.

Walk around the most visited tourist attraction in Spain, the Alhambra Palace, and you will hear many visiting nationalities refer to its neighbouring gardens as the "General Life" (as in Wife). In truth it matters little that many visitors get the name wrong (for the record it should be pronounced "Heneral Liffy"). The sheer magic of the gardens is understandable in any language. This is the most serene garden in Spain. A truly splendid place.

As an experienced hands on gardener, I had read much about the Generalife (the Garden of the Architect). Sometimes books exaggerate and reality does not always live up to expectation. Thankfully, when it comes to the Generalife, the opposite is the case. In my experience this is quite possibly the finest garden in the whole of Europe. My first visit there was on a very quiet December day. The coach parties were noticeable by their absence and it felt as though the Generalife was my own garden – so peaceful was it to sit there and marvel at the surroundings. I only wish that it was my own garden and that I had such a superb team of gardeners to manage it!

Of course, the gardens were not at their most colourful on that winter day. Nevertheless the defined lines of the garden were impressive.

How much you enjoy a visit to the Alhambra Palace itself can be dependent on the time of year. In warmer weather, and at the height of the tourist season, it will not always be a pleasant experience. In such circumstances the Generalife manages to provide sanctuary. Despite the crowds and tour parties, the gardens are surprisingly peaceful. It remains a mystery to me how this can be.

The 10 Euro entrance fee that allows you to visit the Alhambra Palace and the Generalife is one of the best tourist bargains available in Europ. If you only want to visit the gardens it will cost you less. The gardens are a slice of horticultural history.

Planned as an agricultural estate and a place in which to relax, the land was originally divided into four large plots of vegetable gardens and orchards with hanging terraces. It actually predates the Nazari palace and was partially finished around 1319.

After the City of Granada was conquered in 1492, the Catholic Monarchs granted custody and use of the estate to a military governor. In 1631 it passed on to the Granada-Venegas family. Following a long legal battle the state won back the land as recently as 1921. The decision was made to incorporate new gardens with the Palace and ten years later work was underway. The Roses and Cypresses that are so prominent today were among the first additions to the new gardens.

In 1951 they were extended and an Islamic garden was created. It consists of a water channel in cruciform; cypress masked walls and passageways. A pergola offers an excellent view of the Palace and the City of Granada. The amphitheatre was added in 1952 and has been the venue for the International Festival of Music and Dance ever since. The "Patio de la Acequia" is a marvellous example of a Riadh, or North African garden. This is the heart of the palace grounds and, on a quiet day, it can prove to be one of the most tranquil places to sit and contemplate. This patio was once totally enclosed. A fire in 1958 destroyed the dwellings that were here and led to excavations that revealed the original, ancient water system that was comprised of twelve spouts. The existing system is a 19^th century creation and is the main artery of the hydraulic system in the gardens. Today the sound of the water that runs down the centre of the patio is very relaxing. The "Patio del Cipres de la Sultana" is named after the great Cypress tree that has now dried up and died. This is a garden for romantics, and has been throughout the history of the Generalife. Much loved by artists throughout the centuries, it is a very intimate patio garden that has a baroque feel to it. The ‘U’ shaped pond contains a Renaissance fountain between two islands that are lined with hedges of myrtle and surrounded by roses and the ever impressive oleander. Water is the driving force in the Generalife. It is everywhere. The water stairway, known as the staircase of the Lions, leads to the uppermost part of the Generalife. This unique staircase is divided into three flights with circular landings that are separated by small fountains. The balustrade consists of lime covered walls and dense vegetation. A mirador was built here in 1836.

Originally these gardens were home to olive groves but today visitors can enjoy a handsome esplanade with more modern gardening on show. For those of us who will never be able to buy a Carmen in Granada, this is as close as we shall get to experiencing the joy of owning such a garden. Parterres of box, magnolias and a variety of deciduous trees ensure that this area has a botanical feel and it is memorable at all times of the year.

Often the last thing a visitor sees before leaving the gardens for the Palace is the Oleander walk. Oleander can look splendid when in flower anywhere. Many of the motorways in the region have fine displays of Oleander in the central reservation – not that many motorists notice! In the gardens it provides an array of colour in spring and early summer. Those seeking shade from the often baking temperatures in Granada also love this sheltered walkway. Look out for one of my personal favourites, the black bamboo.

Walk through the Oleander passageway and it will lead you to the Cypress Walk. Mistaken by some for the more humble garden conifer, the tall and slender Cypress has been here for centuries and is, in my opinion, underrated.

Since that first visit, I have walked around the Generalife at different times of the year. All gardens offer new colour and a different perspective with the changing seasons and this is particularly true in the Generalife. Evening visits are very enjoyable. The sun has cooled off and the larger tour parties have left. The amphitheatre is a big draw each summer when live flamenco and plays are performed there. It is a location that is as designed for entertaining today as it was hundreds of years ago. Live theatre is a bonus. It brings the delights of the garden to a wider public.

Regardless of the weather, the Generalife is a joy. Climate is, of course, crucial to gardening in Spain. In Granada the summers are dry and torrid. The winters are cold and, at other times, torrential rain can fall for many hours. All this makes for frustrating gardening and those employed to care for the Generalife can, like all gardeners, be thrown by a sudden, overnight change in weather conditions. I admire their efforts.

It is beyond doubt that gardening in modern Spain has taken off. For so long land was only considered of use if it could produce food, which is still the case in many areas. However, the number of young Spanish who take time to study plants and trees in the Generalife proves that gardening in Spain is attracting a new generation of enthusiasts. Regardless of age, visitors to the Generalife return home and try to replicate one small detail of what they have seen there. They seek to create their own little slice of the Generalife.

After all, when it comes to gardening, hard work and the pleasure derived from that effort are more important than correctly pronouncing the name of the garden.

I will never tire of walking around the Generalife and should I ever find myself locked in there – accidentally, of course – I will not complain. The charming book "The Alhambra as told to the Children" sums up my feelings about the Generalife. It concludes by saying: "I must go back! I must go back!"

Believe me, I shall.

CORDOBA GARDENS

Every May those who love flowers go to Cordoba to enjoy the famous patio festival. Pretty town houses in the Jewish quarter come alive with colourful displays of geraniums, carnations and jasmines. Pots by the hundreds adorn window ledges, staircases and doors. In a very genteel manner, tourists wander from patio to patio to admire the work put in by the owners and to acquire ideas that would enliven their own Andalucian patios. Homeowners compete for top prizes.

The gardens of the Alcazar de los Reyes Cristianos are a delight. The Christian King Alfonso XI built the fortress palace in 1328. It is undeniably impressive and the royal Moorish bathhouse, the Banos-Califales, is worth seeing. However, it is the exterior grounds which are, in my opinion, a must see. All 55.000 square metres of them.

Although they originate from the Christian era, these gardens are typically Moorish in design with ponds, fountains and aromatic plants vying for your attention. It is an exceedingly relaxing place to walk through and peaceful place to sit. Inevitably, at the height of tourist season, this can be difficult to do. One advantage of visiting these gardens in May is that the flower aficionados are busy elsewhere in town and the gardens are much quieter.

The gardens boast one of the largest variety of plants in Spain. Palm trees are prominent along with the statuesque cypresses. In the oldest section of the gardens orange and lemon trees are plentiful. The box-edged beds are home to Clivia, Zantedeschia and – my own personal favourite – the Agapanthus. Perfumed jasmine grows on the walls alongside blue Plumbago. Nearby various roses ensure that the harem garden smells wonderful for much of the year.

The gardens alongside the much photographed long pool were laid out as recently as the 1950’s. Here formal beds with box plants sit happily with pansies and petunias. The lay out of the garden is distinctive and statues of Catholic Kings Ferdinand and Isabella – who lived here for eight years – keep a watching eye on proceedings. As with the Generalife in Granada, these gardens play host to performances of music, theatre and dance. The water in the garden was originally brought in by an aqueduct from the Sierra Morena and the great Albolafia waterwheel in the Guadalquivir, the river that runs through the province of Cordoba. The larger ponds were added in the 19th century.

Close to the gardens you will come across the Royal Stables, which extend to encompass the Gardens of the Campo Santo de los Márties. Adjacent to the most visited site in Cordoba, La Mezquita, is the Patio de los Naranjos. This is believed to be the oldest living garden in Europe. Today where pomegranates and palms once dominated there is now little decoration. Today the water comes from three stunning Renaissance fountains and the water channels cut through the cobbles for irrigation. The fountains date from the 16^th century. While inside La Mezquita it is the ancient columns that dominate, outside 98 mop-head orange trees planted in straight rows are equally impressive.

The Patio de los Naranjos is small at only 120 by 60 metres but it is magnificent. It is proof positive of how much the Arabs who created it knew about gardening. They loved their gardens. Islamic gardens, with their cultivated garden beds and water channels, are traditionally regarded as an early reflection of paradise. They learned all about how best to use water in gardens from the Persian world. The water starved Spain of today would benefit from their knowledge.

The founder of the Omiad Dynasty in Spain, Abd-ur-Rahman I, brought plants from Syria, most notably the Palm tree. Like the ruler himself the palm had previously been a stranger in the West. Abd-ur-Rahman I had been exiled for many years and wrote poems describing his longing to be back in Spain and, in one poem, his love of the palm tree:-

Oh lovely Palm, a stranger thou,
Like me in foreign land,
Here in the West dost languish now,
Far from thy native strand.

The Viana Palace in Cordoba boasts truly delightful gardens and the odd patio. Guide books disagree about how many patios there are in this remarkable palace. Some say 11, others say 14. Frankly once you are engrossed in the beauty of the interconnected patios, any attempt to keep count will fail. The Palace is home to many works of art but for a keen gardener and lover of patios it is not the paintings or collection of leatherwork that excites.

The "Patio del Archivo" which is decorated in a baroque style. A fountain, tiled pond, square flowerbeds lined with box hedges and several mandarin trees are on show. Violets, a popular ground cover in Roman times, are used as groundcover. Proceed to the chapel patio and you will witness Seville orange trees that are over 100 years old.

In the so called Gardeners’ patio you can see the bright blue plumbago that covers the long wall and smell the basil that surrounds you. Whatever you do make sure you sample Patio de la Madama, or Madame’s courtyard. The garden is named after the statue of a woman holding a water jug. Here, and in the Patio de las Rejas, it is possible to view the contents of each through wrought iron grilles from the street nearby but that would be akin to seeing your favourite bar of chocolate through the glass door of a closed sweet shop!

At the end of this journey of the Viana Palace you will be in a courtyard that reproduces the traditional Andalucian patio with many flower filled pots. The centrepiece of the gardens cover an area of 1200 metres. A fountain sits in the centre and is accompanied by climbing rose bushes, arums, gorgeous lilies and citric fruit trees. Two vast date palms, a Washingtonia and a Holm Oak, are magnificent.

Enjoying the gardens of Cordoba is very easy. Be sure to take plenty of time as you tour the various locations. Breathe in the sensuous smells and sit a while. Listen to the relaxing sound of running water. Enjoy the array of plants and trees that have the "wow" factor on a monumental scale. There is no need to look at Cordoba through rose coloured spectacles. It is certain that we owe a debt to those who originally created these gardens, but those who tend the areas today are to be applauded in equal measure.

In life some things are black and white and one of those is that the gardens of Cordoba are there for you to enjoy in glorious colour.

MALAGA GARDENS

Malaga is famous for many things. The August Ferria that thousands recently enjoyed. The fish restaurants along the coast near El Palo are always tasty. Watersport participants like the beaches and then, of course, there is the airport. Of which, at present, the less said the better.

Gardeners would not make Malaga their first port of call but I strongly recommend they do take time to enjoy the greenery that is on offer. Malaga has some serene outdoor spaces and parks. Its gardens are, more often than not, spectacular and contain the unique and the unusual. For example, the very rare bottle shaped tree commonly known as the White Silk Floss (Chorisia Insignis) can be found in the Muelle de Heredia, which itself is not far from the lovely Ficus Retusa in the Avenue of La Alameda. Here you can also see a curious date palm with nine trunks. Clearly the authorities care about the appearance of green spaces in the City, as even the briefest wander along Paseo del Parque will confirm.

This vast botanical garden is divided into two and is separated by the main road that runs from Calle Larios to the plaza del General Torrijos.
Built in 1897 on land reclaimed from the sea, the Paseo del Parque is now home to plants from all four corners of the globe. 30,000 square metres of land containing exotic palms alongside oriental banana and Ficus trees. Nearby are some of the most historic buildings in Malaga. These include the Gardener’s House that is now the Tourist Information Office. It is worth stopping off here not only to enjoy the surroundings but also to ask for precise directions that will enable you to get to the highlight of any gardening tour of Malaga.

It is possible that one day somebody will compile a book of the worst signposted attractions in Spain. It would be a hefty volume! El Chorro would be in there but so would the Finca de la Concepción gardens that are located at the point where three motorways meet, just outside the City. A Spanish friend once told me that the tourism authorities don’t actually want us to go to any of the many attractions on offer in Spain. I think he may have a point. You can actually see the 250.000 square metre garden from all three motorways. Then the fun begins. Two hours after first setting my eyes on Finca de la Concepción, I arrived in their car park. Not surprisingly only four other cars were there in the middle of the day. There are no tourist signs on the motorway directing you towards the gardens and directions given on official websites are misleading. Once you do get inside though, the gardens themselves are amazing.

They were created in 1850 at the request of the Marquis of Casa Loring, Jorge Loring Oyarzabal, and his wife Maria Amaiia Heredia Livermoore. She was the granddaughter of an English consul. He was the man who founded the newspaper "El Correo de Andalucía (The Andalucian Post) and inspired the construction of the railway line between Malaga and Cordoba. They named the gardens after one of their daughters. They were 19^th century collectors of plants and their wish was to have an English style garden in Malaga. In 1943 "La Concepción" was declared a garden of historic and artistic merit. In 1990 it ceased to be private property and passed into the hands of Málaga City Council. It officially opened to the public just 12 years ago and a marketing campaign has brought its delights to a wider public.

In total there are over 800 tropical and subtropical species. There are 100 varieties of palm tree, including an impressive Chilean Wine Palm (Jubaea Chilensis). This is the hardiest feather leafed palm, tolerating a temperature as low as minus 15c when mature. This, and the Blue Palm from Mexico, are particular favourites with palm aficionados. For me it is the black bamboo (Phyllostachys Nigra) that makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Never on my travels of gardens have I seen black bamboo reach such a height as at Finca de la Concepción. In a nice touch, some steps in the gardens have been made out of old bamboo.

I was also impressed by the bark of the Kentia (Howea Forsteriana). It is very distinctive with its brown rings on a green bark. Smaller varieties than the one I saw on show are now bought as houseplants in the UK. As long as you can block out the noise from the motorways, the audio backdrop to these gardens is one of running water. There is a fountain around almost every corner. A small Neo-classical temple is home to the valuable archaeological collection of Jorge and Maria.

Weddings are now held in the gardens and your celebration party can enjoy lunch under the large Wisteria walk that was used by the previous owners as an outside dining room. I was told that the Wisteria can be viewed in full bloom at the end of March and in early April. That I must see!

The tallest tree in the entire province of Malaga stands at 45 metres high. It is the Araucaria Bidwilli Hook - or monkey puzzle tree to you and I. It is a native species of the Island of Norfolk in South East Queensland. Admiring its full splendour is guaranteed to give you a stiff neck. However, the upside is that the alcoholic extract taken from its leaf has anti-inflammatory properties and has been used as a medicine. A shame then that the monkey puzzle is under threat. Fires, climatic change and the use of its strong trunk for building purposes are all contributing to making this unique tree a rare species. The country of Chile was very wise to forbid the logging of the tree by making it a national monument. I hope other countries follow suit. There are some fine specimens of Ficus on show at Finca de la Concepción. These include the Ficus de Hoja de Magnolio from Australia and the Ficus Laurel from India.

There are many sub-tropical flowering plants including the distinctive Strelitzia Nicolai, which stands over four metres high. More commonly known as the Natal Wild Banana tree its seeds are black and its flower resembles the head of a bird. Of course it is not just humans who are attracted to this home of tropical and subtropical plants. Look out for many and varied birds who relish the luscious surroundings. It is possible to pick up a map and wander around the gardens yourself. I suggest you do this only after you have been on the guided tour. The enthusiastic Carmina showed me around in a very relaxed manner and she was willing to chat about the garden at length.

Unlike the gardens themselves, the plants are well signposted. It is easy to know exactly what you are admiring at any one time. There are native plants from Mexico, India, Java, China, Japan, Formosa and Australia – from where the Moraces originates. Look out for its distinctive trunk and the roots that hang down from the branches and promptly take root in the soil. From China comes the beautiful orange blossom while South Africa provides the much loved bird of paradise (Strelitzia Reginae). Smaller in size but equally impressive is the dwarf date from South East Asia and, standing tall and proud, is the Sagu tree from Japan (Cycas Revoluta Thun).

Before leaving this area of tranquillity for the madness of the neighbouring autovia, be sure to stroll around the Paseo de las Palmeras de Canarias (the Canarian Palm Tree Walk). It takes you to the viewing area from which you can take in panoramic views of Malaga. Located outside the botanical garden is a route called "Around the World in 80 Trees". The trees are arranged according to their country of origin. There are 25 from the continent of America, 8 from Africa, 18 from Europe, 17 from Asia, and 12 from Oceania

The Concepción Gardens are not just for show. Much studying takes place here by environmentalists, teachers and plant experts from around the globe. It was also good to discover that there is a workshop where young people can learn basic gardening and nursery skills as well as how to create watering systems. It is clear to me that in Finca de la Concepción the Malaga authorities have the Spanish equivalent of Kew Gardens. It is just a pity that they don’t make it easy for people to get there and have inadequate facilities for when they do arrive. For example, it is disappointing to note that the only form of refreshments on offer come via vending machines. There appeared to be no shortage of staff on duty so why no cafeteria to water and feed the horticultural hikers?

It is understandable why tourists take too little time to enjoy the gardens that are in the busy City Centre of Malaga. There is so much else to do and negotiating the traffic can be daunting. In Finca de la Concepción, the City of Malaga has a gem of a garden. It is a safe haven for plants and provides sanctuary for people escaping motorway madness. Eventually!