Tag Archives: container gardening

A Stunning and Ornate Andalusian Courtyard in Cordoba, Spain

February 24, 2023 Globetrotting Gardener Leave a comment

Cordoba is famous for its beautiful patios and courtyards, and even has a Patio Festival every year, where many private residences will open their doors to the public to show off their blooming patios. It is a source of pride to many of the people in Cordoba, and the door of many buildings are left open during the day so passerbys can admire the may courtyards dotting the historic old town.

The patios of Cordoba and Andalusia in general, show the strong influence of the Moorish occupation that lasted in Spain until 1492, when Granada was the last city to fall back to the Catholic rulers Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain. That influence is obvious in the designs of the interior courtyards and in the use of the many water features, tiles and statuary to create green retreats.

This particular patio on Calle Encarnacion is actually two courtyards opening one into the other. The first one is a bit more formal:

The second one offers covered areas and is more an extension of the living space:

Container gardens, Patios & Courtyards

More Patios and Courtyards of Cordoba, Spain

October 20, 2016 Globetrotting Gardener Leave a comment

Beautiful patios can be found throughout Andalusia, influenced bytthe Moors that ruled in Southern Spain until a final defeat in 1492. Cordoba embraced this heritage in its patio tradition perhaps more than any other Spanish city and has been celebrating with its famous Patio Festival in May since 1933. Here are a few of the many patios to be found throughout Cordoba’s old town, showcasing the use of fountains and water features, pebble patio designs typical of the region, and of course great container gardening ideas..

A craftsman’s workshop

Private residences:

A convent courtyard:

Cordoba bus station:

Other gardens, Theme gardens

Container Gardening Ideas: Flowered Bridges of Quimper

March 21, 2016 Globetrotting Gardener Leave a comment

The Odet river goes right by the cathedral and through the old town in Quimper, Brittany. The bridges are absolutely covered in the lushest, most elaborate flower box arrangements throughout all the historic neighborhoods.

Patios & Courtyards

More Pebble Designs & Patio Flooring Ideas from the Courtyards of Spain

March 6, 2016 Globetrotting Gardener Leave a comment

Found throughout the south of Spain is the use of intricate pebble designs not only in the patios and courtyards, but also in many public areas and city squares. I am featuring here some of the many designs I came across, in particular in Granada , Cordoba and Sevilla.

Container gardens, Patios & Courtyards

Patios and Courtyards of Cordoba, Spain

February 21, 2016 Globetrotting Gardener Leave a comment

The Archbishop’s Building:

Hotel courtyards:

Private residences:

Cordoba’s film museum:

Renowned Caballo Rojo restaurant:

The University of Cordoba:

Container gardens, Patios & Courtyards, Vertical gardens

Casa del Patio in Cordoba: Vertical & Container Gardening Ideas

August 10, 2015 Globetrotting Gardener Leave a comment

Nothing distinguishes the Casa del Patio from any of the other houses tucked away in a quiet side street of this old Cordoba neighborhood. It is only when stepping inside that one is transported to this unexpected green oasis. The building itself is only a series of meandering little cottages, quite modest on their own, but the residents, many of them artists and craftsmen have transformed them into a wild and lush haven of greenery.

Cordoba is famed for, and prides itself in, its patios and courtyards. It hold a Fiesta de los Patios once a year in May, during which prizes are awarded for the best patios, and many private buildings open their doors for visits once a year on that occasion. Case del Patio is one such venue, and never fails to garner top rankings in the Festival.

The residents rival in ingenuity to create the most creative visual displays in container gardening and vertical gardening, with mass groupings of containers hanging from every wall and filling every patio with bougainvilleas and other climber, perennials, flowering plants, cacti, succulents and even palms.

In this second post on the Casa del Patio, I am featuring more great vertical and container ideas.

Botanical gardens, Container gardens, Patios & Courtyards, Theme gardens

Cordoba Botanical Gardens: The Andalusian Patio

August 4, 2015 Globetrotting Gardener Leave a comment

The Botanical Gardens in Cordoba, Spain opened in 1887 and were designed for primarily educational and scientific purposes. They are laid out along a wide central alley leading on one side to the Collections, species native to Spain arranged in borders edges by low growing rosemary or hackberry, and on the other side the Agricultural School with a large collection of citrus trees as well as an extensive vegetable garden. In the center are greenhouses dedicated to species from the Canary Islands, Balearic Islands and Andalusia, as well as a lovely area featured here, dedicated to the Andalusian patio.

The patio is emblematic of Cordoba, where the Festival of the Patios has been taking place every year in May since 1933. Its origins go back many centuries to the Moorish rule in Andalusia. In this are of the garden is nor a literal rendition of the Cordoban patio architecturally speaking, but rather a display of the many varieties of plants found in them, as many as 300 here, and many suitable to container gardening.

Botanical gardens, Conservatories and greenhouses, Historic gardens

Madrid’s Royal Botanical Gardens: The Succulents Greenhouse

July 29, 2015 Globetrotting Gardener Leave a comment

The Royal Botanical Gardens in Madrid cover eight hectares in the heart of the city, next to the world famous Prado museum. They were designed in the 18th century (1781) during the age of Enlightenment as part of a remodeling plan for the Prado area under Carlos III.

The gardens boast an amazing 30,000 plants, divided amongst smaller themed gardens such as the rose garden, the vegetable garden, the fruit garden, all laid out in squares along the central intersecting alleys. There is also a fantastic complex of greenhouses at one end, as well as a large pavilion and a long arbor covered in many varieties of grapevines. It is laid out on four terraced levels.

With such large and varied gardens, it would be impossible to cover it all in one post. In this post, I am featuring one of the more modern greenhouses, housing the gardens’ succulents collection. Note the use of vertical gardening on the very tall interior walls, as well as the catwalk along the top joining this greenhouse with the subtropical/tropical one.

Botanical gardens, Kitchen gardens, Theme gardens

Cordoba Botanical Gardens: Sustainable Gardening & the Kitchen Garden

July 11, 2015 Globetrotting Gardener Leave a comment

The Botanical Gardens in Cordoba, Spain opened in 1887 and were designed for primarily educational and scientific purposes. They are laid out along a wide central alley leading on one side to the Collections, species native to Spain arranged in borders edges by low growing rosemary or hackberry, and on the other side the Agricultural School, featured in this post, with a large collection of citrus trees as well as an extensive vegetable and kitchen garden. In the center are greenhouses dedicated to species from the Canary Islands, Balearic Islands and Andalusia, as well as a lovely area dedicated to the Andalusian patio.

In the School of Agriculture, the emphasis is on sustainability and diversity, with sustainability and organic gardening on the forefront. Plants grown are those for human or animal consumption as well as any plants offering benefits or use to people. Many different methods of cultivation are used and in those collection one can observe the different cycless of plants through the seasons.

Botanical gardens, Container gardens, Patios & Courtyards, Theme gardens

Cordoba Botanical Gardens: the Scientific Garden

July 7, 2015 Globetrotting Gardener Leave a comment

The Botanical Gardens in Cordoba, Spain opened in 1887 and were designed for primarily educational and scientific purposes. They are laid out along a wide central alley leading on one side to the Collections, featured in this post, species native to Spain arranged in borders edges by low growing rosemary or hackberry, and on the other side the Agricultural School with a large collection of citrus trees as well as an extensive vegetable garden. In the center are greenhouses dedicated to species from the Canary Islands, Balearic Islands and Andalusia, as well as a lovely area dedicated to the Andalusian patio.

he Collections are arranged scientifically along a central alley, by species and variety. All the plants included in the collections are autochtone to Spain.