Acclimatisation Garden

Santa Cruz de Tenerife · Category: Memory · Subcategory: Sites of memory · Year: 1811

In Santa Cruz there was, for much of the 19th century, a space dedicated to the cultivation and acclimatisation of tropical plant species from America, Asia and Oceania. It was much visited by travellers interested in admiring species uncommon in these parts, but which, after acclimatisation, spread throughout the rest of the islands.

This garden was located at the upper end of what was then called Calle de Santa Rita, today Viera y Clavijo, at the corner with Paseo de los Coches, now Rambla de Santa Cruz. Its area covered approximately the space now occupied by the Hotel Colón Rambla and the Colegio Hispano Inglés. It was a slightly sloping plot enclosed by walls on all four sides.

It was founded in 1811 by Francisco Mandillo, so it was initially known as "Huerta de Mandillo". From 1840 it became the property of the wealthy merchant Juan Manuel Foronda, and was then called "Jardín de Foronda".

Nearly fifty different species were cultivated there, such as: cherimoyas, Japanese medlars, Indian tamarinds, papayas, various types of tropical walnuts, Brazilian pitanga, guavas, mangoes, avocados, magnolias, araucarias, various types of palms, etc. From a botanical point of view it was a notable place in the Santa Cruz of that time. 

This interesting space disappeared at the beginning of the 20th century due to the expansion of the new urban extension planned for the Barrio de los Hoteles.

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