Marquesa Garden

The Marquesa Garden is a magnificent garden, also known as Jardin de la Marquesa and Garden of the Marchioness. It is located in Arucas, town, and the municipality of Las Palmas province on Gran Canaria island. With its unique flora, Jardin de la Marquesa remains one of the most versatile shelters for many plant species and the colony of peacocks!

The Marquesa Garden was constructed in 1880, when the first Marquiss of Arucas, named Don Ramón Madam y Uriondo, started to collect plants of all kinds from all over the world. The location of the garden is picturesque, with bursting colors and marvelous landscapes, since it spreads out at the foot of the Mountain of Arucas, not far from the sea.

There is also a summer palace hidden in the heart of the garden, like a pearl in the shell, with its front made out of basalt, indigenous to Arucas area. Designed according to French landscape projects, with romantic alleys, ideal for walking and covered with lava, the garden is a perfect example of how the overseas architectural technique was conquered to some extent by nature. Also, there are nominally two parts here, old and new ones, where the old is represented by original architectural decisions and the newer section was renovated later.

The flora of the Marquesa Garden can be described as very heterogenous due to over than 2,500 plant species stored there. The Marquiss himself was a botanist who left after himself the collection of araucarias, sheltering the palace. Also, there are endemic plants, as well as examples from all 5 continents, especially of tropical and subtropical species. One of the iconic plants cultivated here is, of course, banana trees and a rare dragon tree, Dracaena draco. One of them is over 200 years old and has a legendary background, which states that dragon trees sprang up from the blood of the dragon Ladon, killed by titan Atlas. Indeed, under the bark, there's a deep red liquid, reminiscent of blood. The dragon tree is sacred for native residents of Arucas and remains the symbol of the Canary archipelago.

Speaking about legends, the whole Marquesa Garden got encompassed by them due to it being compared to Eden and having another name of Las Hesperides. And once you're there, it is really easy to believe that somehow Jardin de la Marquesa stands like an 8-hectare Paradise. So, if you are the nature lover or just enjoy miraculous gardens and parks, head for the Marquesa Garden and it will certainly not disappoint!