In the Jardí Botànic, Barcelona Botanical Gardenscovers a total area of 14 hectares.
The magnificent park between the Montjüic castle and the Olympic Stadium includes forests and shrubs typical of southern Australia, South Africa, Chile, California, the Canary Islands and the three Mediterranean zones.
Today, I'm taking you with me to discover the plants found here.
Botanical Gardens in Barcelona: article summary
A visit to Barcelona's botanical gardens
The aim of the park, which opened in 1999, is to conserve rare plant species. Around 1,500 plant species grow in the Jardí Botànic. As the park is still fairly new, most of the plants are relatively young. Some areas have not yet been planted, in order to maintain a mixture of old and young plants. Nevertheless, the park is very splendid and there's a lot to discover.
The park was designed by an interdisciplinary team led by architect Carles Ferrater. Temporary plant-related exhibitions are held at the Botanical Institute within the garden.
The different Mediterranean zones represented at the botanical garden
As I said in the introduction, most of the plants come from zones with a very different Mediterranean climate.
The Mediterranean climate of southern Australia
Australia's Mediterranean zone is the second largest after the Mediterranean itself. It comprises two sectors in southern and south-western Australia.
In this climate zone, some 8,000 endemic plant species are known, of which 75 % are widespread, the remaining 25 % growing sporadically. The climate with monsoon rains influenced by the tropics.
Cooler Mediterranean climate along the Chilean coast
In Chile, a narrow zone along the coast has a Mediterranean climate. As it's close to the Pacific Ocean, it's a little cooler and there's often fog near the coast. There are 2,400 endemic species here.
Characteristic plants along the coast are fire-resistant shrubs, as natural fires almost never occur in Chile's Mediterranean zone.
California's contrasting climate
The coastal area of California, with its rainy winter climate, stretches from Cape Blanco in the USA to Punta Baja in Mexico. San Francisco is the center of the area. There are 43,000 known endemic species.
California's climate is typically Mediterranean. Plants like the yucca palm adapt to dry summer periods and can store water for long periods.
Plants from South Africa
The smallest zone with a Mediterranean climate is South Africa, with 8,500 known species.
It rains mainly in winter, but due to the monsoon, the region is never entirely dry in summer either. Vegetation in South Africa consists mainly of shrubs and bushes.
A selection from the Mediterranean basin
The land around the Mediterranean is called the Mediterranean Basin. In all, there are more than more than 25,000 species endemic to Europe, Asia and Africa.
The plants - vigorous trees, shrubs and bushes - have developed remarkable regeneration capacities. They resist fire or regenerate rapidly after fires, storms and extreme drought. A small selection of this plant can also be found in Barcelona's Botanical Gardens.
Barcelona Botanic Garden: how to get there?
There are several means of transport that can take you to Barcelona's Botanical Gardens. You can take :
- Visit metro by stopping at the Espanya station (L1, L3)
- the tourist bus taking advantage of Joan Miró stop 400 m from the botanical garden
What are the opening hours?
The site remains open:
- Monday to Sunday 10 am to 6 pm October to March
- Monday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in April, May and September
- Monday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. in June, July and August
The park is closed to visitors on January 1ᵉʳ, May 1ᵉʳ, June 24 and December 25.
Visiting Barcelona's Botanical Park is a great way to discover plants from all over the world. If you're a lover of greenery, the place to be in Barcelona.
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