Home » Plants & Animals » International Gardens » The Generalife Garden of the Alhambra: A Moorish Delight

The Generalife Garden of the Alhambra: A Moorish Delight

© Howard Deutch

Exotic gardens are those that are dramatically different from the ones you are accustomed to next to your home. They may be in your same village (we have several such gardens here) or partway around the world. We experienced one in Spain. Distance does give an extra kick to exotica. A mandatory stop was for the Alhambra and the garden of Generalife in Granada. This definitely was not our village.

We were forced to drive through the city of Granada on our way to the gardens and the Alhambra. Our map was sorely lacking in detail and as I approached a traffic policeman I stopped at his side for directions. His English beat my Spanish and I proceeded with cocky confidence. Many minutes later, my self-esteem destroyed, I drove by the same traffic policeman with my face averted. A narrow alley-like road was unbelievably actually the way to go. We reached our hotel opposite the Alhambra without further mishap.

The Moorish Kings built the Alhambra first as a fortress then added a palace. The fortress was built on a hill in the 9th-century, within view of the Sierra Nevada mountains. The gardens of Generalife were built next to the Alhambra in the 14th-century. (How long has your garden been growing?). Tall, columnar cypress trees line the entrance path and lead to the new gardens. I don't know how new but suspect it is measured in hundreds of years. Stretched before you are a long, narrow pool and fountains in line, flanked by two tall cypress trees, flowers, oleanders and edged with vertically sheared, towering living walls. Kay also appreciated the benches along the sides. Water and fountains are an integral part of Arabic palaces and gardens, most likely a refreshing change from desert surroundings. There were pools and fountains scattered throughout the garden and palace.

We then came to the Long Pond. It was a magnificent sight. Waterspouts lined the pond along with roses, orange trees, cypresses and more. The long row of Moorish arches, with intricately carved designs and flowing Arabic script, was definitely not home. Exotica abounded. There is no garden in North America that holds anything that can compare with these "garden ornaments". For a guy who enjoys new and exciting things, this was superb. I did not take notes and my memory is indeed leaky so I can not describe the entire varied flora. I brought out the photo album and can see a profusion of red flowers, tall cypress trees, carefully carved fifteen-foot tall hedges and arches of some unknown plant and a tree that escaped from Jurassic Park.