Having researched the gardens of the Alhambra while studying Garden Design, at 10am on a warm (27 °C) and sunny June morning I finally found myself standing at the entrance to the Alhambra in anticipation of what lay beyond. Walking down the hill, through the Alhambra woods, catching glimpses of the palaces over the wall only heightened the excitement before turning round the corner to start the tour at the Palace of Charles V.

The Alhambra woodlands and entrance

Wandering (well it was more of a whistle stop tour, even in three hours and another hour to revisit some of the gardens I still didn’t see all of it, it is an amazing place) through each of the palaces the craftsmanship that went into the designs was truly exquisite, walking into the Court of the Lions from the traditional Islamic design with geometric patterns in the tiles, to the intricate carved detail of nature (flowers, leaves and trees) in the arches and up to the ceiling and before reaching the centre with a rill running from each side into the spouting lions in the centre.

Intricate designs

Each courtyard and garden had its own character, going from the dazzling sunlit Courtyard of the Lions to the dappled light of the Court of Lindaraja with the cypresses laid out within the geometric box hedging and quiet trickle of the fountain in the middle.

Palace of the Lions and Courtyard of the Lindaraja

After visiting the palaces we wandered through the green spaces in between, looking down on the gardens of the Partal, with the intricate geometric box hedging – a star within a diamond within a square juxtaposed with the looseness of the planting within, pinks, oranges and blues all billowing over the box, roses to marigolds. Then on through the cypress grove, to the General Life, originally designed around orchards and hunting grounds, as a space for relaxation and sports. Now there are more water features (water jets spraying into long rectangular ponds and fountains in the middle of courtyards) and parterres over flowing with roses and cosmos. It is a calmer, more relaxed space with trees and roses arching over paths to create shade and the quiet trickle of water, than the Alcazaba and Nasrid Palaces. Having taken hundreds of photos for inspiration I will definitely be back to soak in more of the atmosphere, visit the areas I missed and take more photos.

General Life