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Botanical Gardens of Madrid

Everyone Needs a Day in Madrid's Botanical Gardens

Although the Real Jardín Botánico (Royal Botanic Gardens) may sound like a destination for those who travel by horse-drawn carriage and not sleek, modern jet, it shouldn’t be overlooked when...

Real Jardín Botánico

Although the Real Jardín Botánico (Royal Botanic Gardens) may sound like a destination for those who travel by horse-drawn carriage and not sleek, modern jet, it shouldn’t be overlooked when planning your itinerary. In our “steel and concrete” age, we need such gardens more than ever.

The gardens were, in fact, created in a horse-and-buggy era: commissioned by Fernando VI in October of 1755 and housed in La Huertas de Migas Calientes, near Puerta de Hierro (now Northern Madrid). Two decades later Carlos III moved the grounds to their current location in central Madrid as part of the Parque Del Retiro. Here the gardens have thrived for nearly 250 years with the rare exception of wars and tornadoes.

While the gardens may not supply the punch of a flamenco performance or the thrill of a night celebrating the Madrid marcha (nightlife), they supply something that has fallen by the wayside in our nano-second, multi-talking culture: peace and quiet.

The good news is that this "peace and quiet" doesn't have to replace other activities. Located literally meters from the Prado and down the street from the Reina Sofia, the Thyssen-Bornemisza, and the Caixa Forum, they are a perfect complement to a day of culture. They also happen to be across the street from one of the most festive nightlife areas, Huertas, with historic sites like Jazz Bar.

One reason the gardens have withstood the test of time is because they accommodate nearly every type of visitor: children can run wild, grandparents can rest on benches, lovers can snuggle, club-kids can recuperate from hang-overs, and everybody can get a break from that vortex of activity known as Madrid.

According to the information at the entrance, the sprawling grounds are divided into four sections: terraza (terrace) de los cuadros, terraza de las escuelas botánicas, terraza del plano de la flor, and the invernaderos (greenhouses). The bonsai area, however, stands apart from the rest both physically and conceptually and should be considered a fifth area.

Each area has its foci ranging from medicinal plants to ornamental flowers to exotic trees. The entire garden is meticulously organized in accordance with scientific principles, but, let’s be honest, for most of us this isn’t a course in botany, it’s a day to enjoy the splendor of nature. The scenic beauty massages the senses which are desperately in need of care after days or weeks of urban overload. The benches and shade provide an opportunity to relax and soak it all in.

Apart from the outdoor sections of the garden, the greenhouses are fascinating, taking you through the world’s climactic zones. The tour starts with the desert environments: this parched installation showcases an array of cacti with their thick skins and bulbous, water-conserving forms. Through the next set of doors you are hit by the humid air of subtropical flora; here, prickly cactus spines are traded in for lush green leaves and creeping vines. The next section takes you further into the tropics where the proliferation of biomass causes the plants to manically grow every which way as they compete for light. Here, the atmosphere is saturated with humidity; in fact, many plants are rootless and take water directly from the air. The final section of the greenhouse, a collection of palm trees, is equally intense and you may feel like you need a machete just to make your way through.

Emerging from this whirlwind tour of the earth’s biodiversity, you move onto the final portion of the gardens: the bonsais. The elevated path on which they are placed contrasts with the rest of the garden: they are displayed in minimalist fashion like small works of art.

As you are leaving the gardens, you may want to stop by the small gift shop to buy seeds, ceramic pots or related books. This, however, is for the serious horticulturist. As noted above, this level of devotion is not necessary to enjoy this corner of the park. In the end, the Botanical Gardens are a great way to partake in that nearly forgotten art of relaxation. Whether you spend your day flirting with a special friend, doing a crossword in the sun, or photographing flowers, the Gardens shouldn’t be missed.