A Mediterranean Mountain Garden

The Mediterranean shores of Andalucia are backed by an impressive range of mountains, the most prominent of which are the Sierra Nevada.  On the southern slopes of these mighty summits can be found the enchanting region known as The Alpujarras, where cultivation on ancient irrigated terraces has been an unchanging way of life for centuries. It is on these terraced slopes that you can find the garden project 'Jardín Alpujarra'. This initiative embraces the challenges of gardening at high altitude (1250 metres above sea level) along with the distinctly contrasting seasons that can be found here, it seeks to create a controlled landscape with a wide and varied flora, using both native and ornamental species that can adapt to the conditions.

 

 

Established in the grounds of Cortijo Opazo, it is a challenging place to start a garden, with temperatures well below freezing at night in winter and reaching the 34 degrees centigrade in summer.  It has about 4/5 months of complete drought in the hot summer months, and the winters can be quite dry too.  The growing seasons are short, but when the conditions are right, then grow it does!  As with all gardens, Jardin Alpujarra is a developing process.

 

Jardín Alpujarra has been formed into a non profit making organisation so that visitors can come and enjoy what has been achieved and hopefully support its development, whether in the form of leaving a monetary donation as an entry fee, or by giving time to help work in the garden as a volunteer.

 

 

The garden is laid out over 8,000 square metres of land and is divided up into specific and contrasting areas or garden rooms.  These range from formal areas close to the main house that are bordered with clipped hedges of box, pyrocantha and olive, to areas of loosely structured serpentine planting with the accent on drought tolerant plants; from a range of ornamental trees and shrubs to a wildlife mountainside garden stocked with native spieces.  Within this there is a vegatable garden and areas planted with gorgeous flowering perennials that change with every season.  In addition there are a number of moments of eccentricity to delight the visitor.  

 

The garden is arranged in the form of a circuit so that visitors can enjoy each separate area as they stroll around the terrain.  There are many reasons to stop and pause, to admire a certain bloom or marvel at the overall impact of the planting scheeme.  And there are, of course, those fabulous views of the valleys of the Alpujarras at every turn.

 

To complete the visit to the garden we have a small cafeteria open to garden visitors where we serve a tasty selection of homemade cakes, sandwiches snacks and drinks.

 

Jardín de la Alpujarra

Entrance €3,50 - all proceeds to the garden association.

 

Entrada €3,50 - Todos los ingresos a la asociación.

 

Not for profit association registered with the Diputación of Granada no. 7123

 

Asociación sin ánimo de lucro, registrado con la Diputación de Granada número 7123

 

Contacto/Contact

Jardín de la Alpujarra
Cortijo Opazo, Ctra Atalbeitar 0.2km
18415 Portugos

 

Correo electrónico/email: info@jardinalpujarra.com


Tlf: +34  646430656 646430656 

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