A Grand Tour of Gardens: Traveling in Beauty through Western Europe and the United States

Part 7: Iberia: The Moorish Influence

Part 7 Iberia THE MOORISH INFLUENCE This page intentionally left blank The gardens of southern Spain reflect their Moorish influence, aridity, and the imaginative use of water. The gardens of the island of Madeira evoke its yearround temperate climate and its remoteness in the Atlantic Ocean from the Iberian peninsula and the African continent. The gardens of southern Portugal share the successes of the gardens of the Southern Spain, France, and Italy which have overcome the difficult problems of aridity and occasionally strong sea breezes. Water is a key element in these gardens. It is used for ornamentation and for its life-giving qualities that were so essential in these early communities. In the Alhambra, featured in the first essay, water is abundant in fountains and quiet pools. It reflects the exquisite buildings and the sky in all its daytime and evening beauty. Water is also there for its splashing and tinkling sounds. The garden of Alfabia on Majorca abounds in a rich and diverse use of water. Another common factor in many of the featured gardens is the unique topography. The islands are mountainous , with hillside gardens predominating in Majorca and in Madeira. In Spanish and Portuguese gardens there is great emphasis on the use of shrubs and flowers to create separate and private enclosures. Madeira has a climate that permits trees and shrubs from faraway temperate places such as South America and New Zealand to flourish. Quinta do Palheiro, a garden on Madeira, has small topiary , as well as a fine array of tree ferns, camellias, and rhododendrons. One of my favorite Madeira gardens is the Jardim Botanico da Madeira, with its stunning color schemes and amazing vista of the Atlantic Ocean over the city of Funchal. We based at Reid’s Palace Hotel. There we enjoyed its fruitful and orchid-filled garden, which provided the perfect setting for discovering the plants and flowers of this exotic island.
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