The Botanical Garden of Detunda (Nerja Cave) can be found next to the Cueva de Nerja, in Maro, a small village close to the town of Nerja.
Located right on the edge of the Sierras de Tejeda, Almijara and Alhama Natural Park, which includes the mountains of the southwestern area of Granada and the eastern area of Malaga.
This is a natural space of great beauty with an intermediate location between the mountains and the coast. The area holds a great geological variety that together with the unique climatic characteristics provides a large variety of habitats. This allows the presence of a varied flora including some endemic species.
The garden aims to represent the flora and plant landscape of the mountains of Tejeda, Almijara, Alhama, Huétor, Arana, mountains of Malaga, the limestone-dolomitic border of Sierra Nevada (Trevenque peak) and coastal areas between Malaga and Motril.
It contains a great diversity of species and ecologies, but if one must be highlighted above the others, it may be the abundance of exclusive plants of dolomitic sands (dolomithophilic species), almost all of them rare and many exclusive to these mountains.
A visit to the Botanical Garden Detunda (Nerja Cave)
From the start point there are fantastic views down to the coast and of the surrounding scenery. The garden is organized into different areas such as traditional crops, vegetation linked to the climate and vegetation linked to special soils, ecosystems, habitat (rock formations), taxonomic (taxonomic families) and singularity (rare and threatened), etc.
Following the entrance path you cross the area of traditional crops such as almond and olive tree and also other more modern ones that have adapted to the subtropical climate of the area (custard apples, avocados and mangoes.) Included in this area are the typical muscat grape vines of the region and other crops such as sugar cane.
Once past the crops, the path descends towards the “sea”. The natural ecosystems have been represented starting with the most mountainous and, as one descends, ending in the coastal and sandy beaches.
My favorite part of the garden is at the lowest point by the lagoon and the “sands of the beach” area where you can find the starry sea daisy (Asteriscus maritimus), the sea lily (Pancratium maritimus) or the exclusive saladilla endemic to Malaga province (Limonium malacitanum).
Continuing you will come to the garden area dedicated to the plant communities that depend on certain soil and microclimatic characteristics This area represents beach sand, salt marshes, gypsum areas, rock communities, ponds and banks. An extensive representation of those species typical of dolomitic substrates, and other ecosystems typical of soils free of lime (calcium carbonate) such as cork oaks, holm oaks and oak forests.
The route through the garden is circular so you will arrive back at the cultivation area. Continue in the direction of the classroom-workshop to find the collection of endemic and threatened species of the area such as Maytenus senegalensis or the olive Cneorum tricoccon
Opening times
Tuesdays to Sundays 9am to 3pm
Closed on Mondays and the 24th, 25th and 31st of December
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I’ve been living in this lovely area of Western Andalucia for the last 20 years or so and dedicate most of my time to the running of English language tourist information websites for the towns of Cádiz, Ronda, Grazalema, the famous or infamous Caminito del Rey, and also Wildside Holidays, which promotes sustainable and eco-friendly businesses running wildlife and walking holidays in Spain.
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