Walking through a Renaissance orchard in Alicante: "Whoever has the sensitivity to sacrifice a morning of their free time to visit a garden is already someone special"

Dialoguing with someone who is at peace with himself, and with what surrounds him, gives a fresh and renewed vision of the world.

This is the case with Enrique Montoliu, for whom doing things for the benefit of nature and society has become his day-to-day.

In 1990 he decided not to let time go by without creating his own garden, and managed to establish a beautiful and impressive orchard of five hectares called L'Albarda.

We can find it in Pedreguer (Alicante), very close to Jávea.

Later, his energy and passion also led him to start a very special foundation, Fundem, with which he wants to give back to nature what humanity denies it on too many occasions: dignity and respect.

Ask.

When was the first time she thought of building a garden?

Response.

Practically since I was a child, although it took me a few more years (smiles), because he had neither time nor money.

When I turned forty is when I seriously considered making my dream come true.

At first I thought of buying an old, ready-made garden.

But the ones I saw I didn't like: either they had a road next to them or horrible buildings.

So in the end I thought of going back to the area where I spent the summer as a child, in Jávea.

I looked for a piece of land inland, with views of the Montgó.

That's how I started my house, surrounded by orange trees and a garden.

Q.

And where does that early interest in gardening and plants come from?

R.

My father liked to fish with a rod.

Every weekend of the year we went to areas where there was water: rivers, reservoirs, any place was good.

I was bored while my father enjoyed looking at the cork.

He didn't mind spending eight hours without catching anything, because for him that was therapy.

But I, with the vitality of a child, dedicated myself to exploring the surroundings.

I was amazed to see the life that was in a river or in a pond.

I even once caught a snake thinking it was an eel, and proudly showed it to my mother, who gave a huge cry of fright.

The love that I took to nature then accompanies me all my life.

P.

To create your garden, which is more of a garden of gardens, what references did you take into account to design it?

R.

Well, I didn't have a specific reference, but I was clear that I wanted to make a formal garden around the house, and then merge it with the landscape.

Later I found out that this was what the Renaissance garden consisted of.

So, it can be said that L'Albarda is a Renaissance garden, although later I added other parts inspired by the Valencian and Arab garden.

The greenhouse is articulated as a botanical theater.Jardín de L'Albarda

The shade house shelters species from various continents.Jardín de L'Albarda

In L'Albarda there is also a place for wilder gardening.Jardín de L'Albarda

The beauty of the frescoes is adorned by the green of the leaves.Jardín de L'Albarda

Fountains and citrus trees dot the garden.Jardín de L'Albarda

Palm trees, like the Bismarckia on the right, grow throughout the garden.Jardín de L'Albarda

A copy of Giambologna's famous Mercury looks towards the house.Jardín de L'Albarda

Enrique Montoliu in L'Albarda. Garden of L'Albarda

P.

It is striking that you decided to open the garden to anyone who wanted to visit it.

R.

Practically from the first moment I wanted the garden to be something shared.

Shortly after starting it, I already started doing free guided tours, so that people could see it.

I did not think of making a totally private garden.

I have always liked to share;

The visits don't bother me, on the contrary, they enrich me.

So I have met wonderful people.

I believe that whoever has the sensitivity to sacrifice a morning of their free time to visit a garden is already someone special.

Q.

The construction of your garden led you to think about other projects.

R.

That is curious, because at first the land of the future garden was a scree.

After three or four years, nature had built wonderful corners in those forgotten places.

That is when I became aware that if I bought land that had an important ecological value, and let nature be the only creator, something beautiful could be done.

Q.

And that's how the Fundem foundation was born.

A.

That's right.

The idea arose of buying territory and giving it in custody to environmental groups in that area, so that they would have a place to experience their hobbies and increase biodiversity.

Little by little we have already obtained more than 1,000 hectares bought by more than 50 spaces.

With that we are sowing little seeds so that the local people realize that they have jewels in their town that are worth preserving.

Not everything has to be natural or national parks, but in each place there can be a place by and for nature.

Enrique Montoliu in L'Albarda. Garden of L'Albarda

Q.

The roots of your foundation are the partners.

R.

Making partners has the advantage that anyone who has the illusion of fighting deforestation or climate change has an opportunity to do so with little money.

We make partners with 50 euros a year, which are also deductible in the income statement, and with that we buy 100 square meters of land a year.

A partner who spends ten years with us will save 1,000 square meters from the depredation of man.

We are buying land throughout Spain, including the islands.

P.

Because a contract is made so that this land cannot have another type of use.

R.

That is, neither sell nor build.

The idea is that this land is for nature and no kind of benefit is taken from it: neither agricultural, nor touristic, nor of any kind.

Q.

Let's go back to your garden, which also seems to be full of music.

A.

We do cultural activities to raise funds, but also because we love listening to music in the garden while the birds are singing and we feel the aromas of the plants.

You can not ask for more.

Q.

What do you think a good gardener should have?

A.

What a good gardener has to do is create the habitat for the plant and nature to finish it.

Nature will always do better than you.

Therefore, a good gardener must observe nature.

The best plants are those that are born there in your garden, spontaneous.

What I never do is remove a tree where it was born, because that will be the most beautiful of all.

50% off

Subscribe to continue reading

read without limits

Keep reading

I'm already a subscriber