Botanic gardens are important components of many national parks in Spain. These gardens serve as valuable resources for education, conservation, and research, as well as providing visitors with a unique opportunity to explore the diverse flora of Spain’s protected areas.
In some cases, botanic gardens are established within national parks to protect and preserve rare or endangered plant species. For example, the Tejeda, Almijara and Alhama Natural Park in southern Spain has a botanic garden that showcases the park’s unique flora, including endemic species such as the Sierra Nevada violet and the Granada viper’s bugloss. The garden also serves as a conservation site for some of the park’s endangered plant species, providing a safe environment for them to grow and thrive.
These collections in national parks also play an important role in education and research. Many gardens offer guided tours and educational programs for visitors, providing opportunities to learn about the importance of plant conservation and the role of botanic gardens in preserving biodiversity. In addition, botanic gardens can serve as living laboratories for scientific research, providing researchers with access to diverse plant species and ecosystems for studying topics such as plant physiology, ecology, and evolution.
Finally, collections of plants in national parks can also be important attractions for tourists, providing an opportunity to experience the beauty and diversity of Spain’s flora. Visitors can explore themed gardens, such as medicinal plant gardens or historical gardens that showcase traditional plant uses. Many botanic gardens also offer activities such as workshops and nature walks, providing visitors with a deeper understanding of the plants and ecosystems of the park.
Overall, botanic gardens in national parks in Spain are valuable resources for conservation, education, research, and tourism. They play an important role in preserving Spain’s unique flora and providing visitors with a deeper understanding and appreciation of the natural world.
The Torre de Vinagre Botanical Gardens (Jardin Botánico Torre del Vinagre) is located on the Tranco reservoir road (A – 319) at km. 48, Coto Ríos (Santiago-Pontones) and is opposite the main visitor centre for the Sierra de Cazorla, Seguras y las Villas natural park. The Sierra de Cazorla, Seguras y las Villas natural park … Read more
The Hoya de Pedraza and La Cortijuela botanic gardens in the Sierra Nevada National Park and both are well worth a visit. Between them they contain a large amount of endemic plants and also hold collections of many of the endangered and rarer plantlife of the Sierra Nevada, Sierra de los Filabres, Sierra de Gádor … Read more
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 … Read more
Part of a network of Botanic Gardens in Andalusia and aimed at preserving the local endemic flora, El Aljibe Botanic Gardens in Alcalá de los Gazules specialises in the plant-life within the Los Alcornocales Natural Park. This is a small but very informative botanic garden covering about one hectare on the western edge of the … Read more