The
Alameda Gardens, Gibraltar
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.
For further reading about
the gardens and Gibraltar's natural history visit their website
at Alameda
Gardens or Gibraltar Ornithological and Natural History Society
at GONHS
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