Head to the top of Gibraltar's Main Street, past the shops
and bars, the Governor's Residence, the Trafalgar Cemetary, and the Cable Car
station you will come to an oasis of peace and tranquility in the heart of
Gibraltar's bustling city - the Alameda Botanical Gardens.
The
Alameda Gardens were founded in 1816 at the instigation of the then Governor,
General George Don in order to provide a recreation area for the residents of
Gibraltar - The word alameda is Spanish for a tree-lined boulevard. For many
years they served this purpose but in the 1970s fell into a state of disrepair
and neglect.
It wasn't until 1991, when Wildlife (Gibraltar) Limited, a
firm of Environmental Consultants and Managers was contracted by the Government
of Gibraltar to manage the gardens and convert them into the Gibraltar Botanic
Gardens. The aim is to develop the gardens in ways that will enhance enjoyment,
conservation and education, so that its future will be even richer than its
past.
There has been a programme of collaboration with Kew
gardens to restore and develop the Alameda's potential and there are plans for
many improvements over the coming years, including a palm grove. The Alameda
Botanic Gardens also house a part of Kew's Aloe and Euphorbia collections.
The gardens were originally laid out with numerous
interconnecting paths and terraced beds, set out mainly with native Jurassic
limestone rock, much of it tinted by the local red sand. Dry stone walls and
retaining walls were also made out of the local rock.
The Dell
One of the highlights of the Alameda Gardens is the Dell laid out by a Genoese gardener in 1842 this Italian style garden was restored in 1992. Notable are the two fountains dating from early in the 20th Century and the waterfall and pond with a selection of lilies and marginal plants including Papyrus. Goldfish, frogs and terrapins share the pond. Plants of note are Hibiscus, Bougainvillea, Jasmine. Jessamine, Wisteria and palms. Plants traditionally grown indoors, like several species of tropical ferns are perfectly at home in the rockeries alongside the stream.
Opening times
The Alameda Gardens are open from 8.00 am until dusk daily
and entrance is free. Guided tours are available once a month on a Saturday
morning at 10.30. Call 9567 72639 for more information.
