The Viera y Clavijo Botanical Gardens

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria · Category: Leisure · Subcategory: Green spaces

The so called Jardín Canario, or Canary Garden, is just seven kilometres from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, and is an area set aside for the collection, cultivation, study and preservation of some quite extraordinary Canary flora. It holds around 2000 species, of which over 500 are indigenous to the Canaries. In a way, the islands constitute a kind of land for plant relics. In comparative terms, it can be pointed out that on the British Isles (34 times bigger than the Canaries) there are around 1600 plants, of which only around fifteen can be considered indigenous to those islands. This unique situation can clearly be seen, as if through a time tunnel, here at the Botanical Gardens, the largest in Spain covering some 27 hectares.

The entrance to the gardens is at the small square called Viera y Clavijo, presided in the middle by the bust of the illustrious 18th century naturalist and historian. This entrance leads to another square with palm trees and the garden with thick plants; around a central lawn there are some rockeries with different plant species grouped together from other islands. Following these are the Cactus Gardens, numbering around 2000, the Macaronesia Garden and Hidden Garden, the latter consisting of a small greenhouse with a high concentration of humidity recreating a tropical environment. Another highlight is the stone bridge, a reproduction of the one that years ago used to join the neighbourhoods of Vegueta and Triana down at the capital city. Likewise, one of the most pleasant spots in the Botanical Gardens is the Plaza de los Nenúfares, where open air concerts and dances are regularly held, and is considered the garden's main focal point. 

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