Nestled within the green and leafy Montjuic area of Barcelona (where the Olympic Stadium/Estadi Olimpic is also found) is the city's still rather obscure botanical garden. There are no glasshouses here, which makes it unique from many other botanical gardens we have visited before but instead the plants are all growing out in the open in designated areas such as Australia, California, South Africa, Canary Islands, and Chile.
Flowering Aloes in the South Africa Garden
Dasylirion serratifolium
There are no rainforest, tropical, or even plants that need cold winters to trigger growth in this botanical garden. But rather only plants coming from areas that share a similar climate to that of Barcelona hence all the plants in their collection are grown outside (apart from what they are propagating of course).
Love the winding and geometric pathways of this botanical garden!
A taste of Australia! Pathway flanked with various Eucalyptus tree
View across to the 1992 Olympic Stadium
The rusting steel retaining walls impart an industrial and contemporary feel to the place
This botanical garden is still rather obscure, rarely mentioned nor emphasised in travel guides but at least marked on every map we managed to get hold of. When we visited it felt like we had the entire place to ourselves during the length of our stay.
Puya berteroniana
Aloe thraskii
Kalanchoe sp.
Euphorbia resinifera
We wouldn't mind having one of these in our garden! One can wish! - Macrozamia moorei
Another Macrozamia moorei duo
Most of the acacias were in bloom when we visited, like this one - Acacia dealbata
Ten years ago it looked like it was still under construction and was not even sure if it was open to the public (it probably was) hence we didn't bother to visit, only being founded in 1999. This time however, we checked before we flew in to the country hence our visit was planned in advance.
Aloe arborescens
Dasylirion serratifolium
Agave salmiana with smaller Agave parryi surrounding it
The garden has meandering angular and geometric concrete pathways with raised areas supported with rusting steel retaining walls, both imparting a modern and industrial feel to the place, another unique point for this botanical garden.
I wonder how many hundreds of years old their Olea europaea trees are...
As expected, they had plenty of mature and stunning specimens to please plant lovers who are keen on native and endemic plants coming from the above areas. Some of their cycads, palms, agaves, and yuccas are particularly outstanding.
This arid border made us giggle, it could do with a make over!
This one was much better!
Agave salmiana duo
with Furcraea parmentieri behind them
Agave striata
We immediately recognised this one and love how purple the leaves are!
Pretty don't you think so?
Yucca desmettiana (syn. Yucca aloifolia 'Purpurea')
In some areas though the planting is still sparse and in need of more plants to be introduced there. Whilst in other parts the planting just needs to mature and should fill up their space nicely in time. Some areas are still under construction altogether, a testament on how relatively young this botanical garden actually is.
Yucca schidigera patch growing at the base of Washingtonia robusta palms
Agave eduardi (syn. Agave vilmoriniana)
Xanthorrhoea glauca
Puya alpestris that was given a haircut - like or loathe?
Conifer love at first sight! - Podocarpus henkelii
A patch of Melianthus major
Thamnocortus insignis left and Thamnocortus fraternus right
If you ever find yourself in Barcelona and you love plants, take the time to visit their botanical garden, perhaps lump it in with a visit to their Olympic stadium. The garden is still young and actively evolving but it will just get better in time. Will definitely check it out again next time we come back to this city!
Mark :-)
