The dawning of a New Year tends to make us reflective; we look back but also, more excitingly, we look forward. Within the scheme of wishes and plans, most of us spare a thought or two for our gardens. Keen gardener or not, nearly all of us ‘dabble’ at it some time in our lives and some of us become happily obsessed with it! Scorching summers can be demoralising as we watch our gardens struggle to survive but those first thrusting buds of early spring are pure enchantment and we are washed along on a surge of springtime as our gardens explode into lush greens and colourful flowers.
There are many reasons for gardening. For some it is pure love; some do it as a pastime and source of exercise and fresh air; others want the satisfaction of growing their own produce and a few do it simply to make their plot look inviting and tidy. Whatever your reason, you can be sure that you are following a long line of history and tradition.
It’s interesting to note the differing forms of gardening within cultures. The Spanish, Italians and Greeks, in particular, still have a tradition of only growing edible crops, certainly amongst the country folk whereas the neighbouring Mediterranean countries of North Africa and the Middle East have a long and illustrious decorative gardening history. Prosperity – or lack of it – also paid a very large part in the evolution of gardens, the wealthy being able to afford decorative whimsies whereas the poorer people, logically, used land as a valuable food source.
The act of planting for a purpose, rather than just utilising wild plantings, is largely attributed to the ancient Egyptians and Mesopotamians. They planted trees and grapevines to give shade to their courtyards. Medicinal herbs and spices were grown for practical purposes in separate gardens whilst beautiful flowers adorned enclosed courtyards and patios. It is known that the Egyptians, by 1500BC, had large public gardens and leisure parks. The Assyrians, Babylonians and Persians, in particular, all created their own particular gardens of paradise with fountains, lakes and rills. Logically, in hotter climes, water played a large part in their design. Large hunting parks were also developed as a pastime for the wealthy. Around the same time, the Chinese were also developing gardens and became especially skilled in the usage of herbs for medicinal treatments and prevention of disease, a knowledge that continues to this day.
One of the earliest references we have to ancient gardens are the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, built around 600 BC, a fabulous creation built to the orders of King Nebuchadnezzar to please his wife who, in the sun-baked and barren flatness of Babylonia (modern day Iraq) yearned for the green tree covered mountains of her homeland, Media The magnificent green, leafy, artificial mountain was built and irrigated by a chain pump with buckets of water dipped into a reservoir. Water was dispersed through gated channels and streams meandering through the plants with slaves constantly turning the wheels to keep the gardens humid, lush and exotic.
The Greeks adopted this idea of shady courtyards but they were not great decorative gardeners. They preferred orchards, vineyards and vegetable gardens. The Romans were probably the first to form gardens next to their palaces and homes for the wealthy. They liked formal gardens with lots of statuary. Wherever they conquered they introduced a great range of plants – like roses, leeks, cabbages, turnips and plums to Britain for instance. After the fall of the Roman Empire, gardens in Western Europe largely went into decline and were only saved by monastery gardens where herbs, vegetables and fruit were grown alongside flowers for the decoration of churches. These monastery gardens evolved into physic gardens, such as the famous Chelsea Physic Garden opened in 1673. By the 18th century the grand landscaped gardens of the wealthy, epitomised by the designer Capability Brown, were spreading from England and France through most of Europe.
Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, the Incas were cultivating fruits, vegetables and other plants that produced medicines, poisons, dyes, love potions and even contraceptives! The Aztecs loved their ornamental plants and developed elaborate terraced and floating gardens. The US remained largely natural land until colonisers brought their horticultural techniques with them.
The Moors, of course, were the great gardeners of Spain, introducing and developing further in Spain many of the beautiful gardening ideas they’d seen in Persia. Islamic gardens were often walled and decorated with glazed tiles, divided by water channels and decorated with fountains. Some of our most traditional plants – citrus, pomegranate, mulberry, walnut, poplar, date, fig, almond, apricot, pear, quince, jasmine, hollyhocks and lilies were all introduced by the Moors. These beautiful gardens are a great inheritance and heritage for us. Peek through a wrought iron gate of a town garden and you’ll still see the heavy influence of Islamic gardens. They were peaceful places used as retreats, to recline, rest and ruminate away from the madding crowd.
On a cold wet winter’s day, that sounds like a good plan to me!
And talking of ancient roots, we have a great selection of bare-root fruit trees in stock – all at €6.50 each.
Lorraine Cavanagh has lived in Spain for 25 years; a mother, grandmother and hispanófila, her passions are plants, the environment, food and drink, and travelling within Spain. A landscape gardener and writer, she’s always happy to give advice. Call and see her at Viveros Florena, 2km from Cómpeta down the Sayalonga Road, or 15km up from the coastal motorway – have a free coffee in their tea-rooms. Her book Lorraine Cavanagh’s Mediterranean Garden Plants has been nicknamed ‘the bible’. The new edition at €24.90 is now generally available throughout Spain.
Viveros Florena: If you’d like to receive regular updates of what’s happening in the garden centre, new stock etc. let us have your email address or mobile number.
Summer Hours: June, July, September, 9 – 2, closed for August.
Winter Hours: October to May 10 – 4.
Closed 1st and 6th January.
he dawning of a New Year tends to make us reflective; we look back but also, more excitingly, we look forward. Within the scheme of wishes and plans, most of us spare a thought or two for our gardens. Keen gardener or not, nearly all of us ‘dabble’ at it some time in our lives and some of us become happily obsessed with it! Scorching summers can be demoralising as we watch our gardens struggle to survive but those first thrusting buds of early spring are pure enchantment and we are washed along on a surge of springtime as our gardens explode into lush greens and colourful flowers.
There are many reasons for gardening. For some it is pure love; some do it as a pastime and source of exercise and fresh air; others want the satisfaction of growing their own produce and a few do it simply to make their plot look inviting and tidy. Whatever your reason, you can be sure that you are following a long line of history and tradition.
It’s interesting to note the differing forms of gardening within cultures. The Spanish, Italians and Greeks, in particular, still have a tradition of only growing edible crops, certainly amongst the country folk whereas the neighbouring Mediterranean countries of North Africa and the Middle East have a long and illustrious decorative gardening history. Prosperity – or lack of it – also paid a very large part in the evolution of gardens, the wealthy being able to afford decorative whimsies whereas the poorer people, logically, used land as a valuable food source.
The act of planting for a purpose, rather than just utilising wild plantings, is largely attributed to the ancient Egyptians and Mesopotamians. They planted trees and grapevines to give shade to their courtyards. Medicinal herbs and spices were grown for practical purposes in separate gardens whilst beautiful flowers adorned enclosed courtyards and patios. It is known that the Egyptians, by 1500BC, had large public gardens and leisure parks. The Assyrians, Babylonians and Persians, in particular, all created their own particular gardens of paradise with fountains, lakes and rills. Logically, in hotter climes, water played a large part in their design. Large hunting parks were also developed as a pastime for the wealthy. Around the same time, the Chinese were also developing gardens and became especially skilled in the usage of herbs for medicinal treatments and prevention of disease, a knowledge that continues to this day.
One of the earliest references we have to ancient gardens are the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, built around 600 BC, a fabulous creation built to the orders of King Nebuchadnezzar to please his wife who, in the sun-baked and barren flatness of Babylonia (modern day Iraq) yearned for the green tree covered mountains of her homeland, Media The magnificent green, leafy, artificial mountain was built and irrigated by a chain pump with buckets of water dipped into a reservoir. Water was dispersed through gated channels and streams meandering through the plants with slaves constantly turning the wheels to keep the gardens humid, lush and exotic.
The Greeks adopted this idea of shady courtyards but they were not great decorative gardeners. They preferred orchards, vineyards and vegetable gardens. The Romans were probably the first to form gardens next to their palaces and homes for the wealthy. They liked formal gardens with lots of statuary. Wherever they conquered they introduced a great range of plants – like roses, leeks, cabbages, turnips and plums to Britain for instance. After the fall of the Roman Empire, gardens in Western Europe largely went into decline and were only saved by monastery gardens where herbs, vegetables and fruit were grown alongside flowers for the decoration of churches. These monastery gardens evolved into physic gardens, such as the famous Chelsea Physic Garden opened in 1673. By the 18th century the grand landscaped gardens of the wealthy, epitomised by the designer Capability Brown, were spreading from England and France through most of Europe.
Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, the Incas were cultivating fruits, vegetables and other plants that produced medicines, poisons, dyes, love potions and even contraceptives! The Aztecs loved their ornamental plants and developed elaborate terraced and floating gardens. The US remained largely natural land until colonisers brought their horticultural techniques with them.
The Moors, of course, were the great gardeners of Spain, introducing and developing further in Spain many of the beautiful gardening ideas they’d seen in Persia. Islamic gardens were often walled and decorated with glazed tiles, divided by water channels and decorated with fountains. Some of our most traditional plants – citrus, pomegranate, mulberry, walnut, poplar, date, fig, almond, apricot, pear, quince, jasmine, hollyhocks and lilies were all introduced by the Moors. These beautiful gardens are a great inheritance and heritage for us. Peek through a wrought iron gate of a town garden and you’ll still see the heavy influence of Islamic gardens. They were peaceful places used as retreats, to recline, rest and ruminate away from the madding crowd.
On a cold wet winter’s day, that sounds like a good plan to me!
And talking of ancient roots, we have a great selection of bare-root fruit trees in stock – all at €6.50 each.
Lorraine Cavanagh has lived in Spain for 25 years; a mother, grandmother and hispanófila, her passions are plants, the environment, food and drink, and travelling within Spain. A landscape gardener and writer, she’s always happy to give advice. Call and see her at Viveros Florena, 2km from Cómpeta down the Sayalonga Road, or 15km up from the coastal motorway – have a free coffee in their tea-rooms. Her book Lorraine Cavanagh’s Mediterranean Garden Plants has been nicknamed ‘the bible’. The new edition at €24.90 is now generally available throughout Spain.
Viveros Florena: If you’d like to receive regular updates of what’s happening in the garden centre, new stock etc. let us have your email address or mobile number.
Summer Hours: June, July, September, 9 – 2, closed for August.
Winter Hours: October to May 10 – 4.
Closed 1st and 6th January.
