Gardens of Málaga

In Málaga, the oldest gardens are found on the outskirts of the town, such as El Retiro de Fray Alonso de Churriana, where the pond and Bishop´s Orchard date from 1669. However, the most interesting gardens in this park are the garden of La Sirena with a splendid avocado tree, the garden of La Cascada and the Ría, all dating from the 18th century, and the latter with a lovely avenue of cypresses.

These gardens are an excellent example of private gardening. Nearby lies La Cónsula, a 19th century garden, the most sober of all those in Málaga, which surrounds a recently restored building with lovely old trees. The Hacienda de San José is to be found on the road to Granada, dating from the end of the 18th century. It has an outstanding royal palm tree, Roystonea regia, brought from Cuba, in the middle of two large Norfolk Island Araucarias.

On the same road is La Concepción, with exuberant vegetation and an impressive collection of palm trees. The most remarkable one is the Chilean palm, Jubaea chilensis, because of its originality. There are also good specimens of Ficus, many sub-tropical flowering plants, including Strelitzia nicolai over four metres high and Alpima cerumbet with large flowers.

The Park of Málaga has the best collection of tropical and sub-tropical ornamental flowers in the peninsula, with spectacular palm trees, particularly the Washingtonias near the Customs House, excellent examples of large Kentias, Arcantophoenix and Caryota. Here, one will also find Araucaria, the best Encephaloartos laurentianus of the peninsula, Spathodea with large orange flowers, Pandanos with countless stilt-like roots, and the enormous Taxodios.

Not far away, in Muelle de Heredia, there is an example of that very rare tree, the "bottle tree", Chorisia insignis, beside the lovely Ficus retusa avenue of La Alameda, where there is a curious date palm with nine trunks. The gardens of La Alcazaba, Puerta Oscura (dark door) and Monte de Gibralfaro are also worth mentioning.

The private gardens in Málaga and the province may be considered the most spectacular in Spain, for their tropical and sub-tropical species. The Costa del Sol has countless examples of modern gardening, such as the gardens at Puente Romano or those of Marbella Club and, of course, myriad private ones. In the small towns of the province, it is easy to find small public gardens with attractive sub-tropical species.

In Ronda, the Alameda del Tajo over the gorge is remarkable, and the gardens of the Reina Victoria Hotel and the remains of the gardens of the Casa del Rey Moro, in which Forestier had a hand, are worth mentioning.