Madrid...Gardens, Shade, and Bold Strokes of Green

The parks and some of the grand boulevards of Madrid are densely planted with trees..far more trees per square foot than I've experienced anywhere else in my travels. Moving from sunny spots to the shade of Madrid's urban forests, the microclimatic change is palpable. Though we visited during the pleasant weather of May, I can only imagine how welcome the green canopy is in the summer swelter.

A few more observations and thoughts: throughout the city the overall plant palette is narrow. Trees species include, Pinus, Platanus, Acacia, Aesculus, Cercis, Ligustrum, Prunus, Cedrus, Cyperus, and Morus. The ground plane rarely includes ground cover...but decomposed granite and the use of mulch is abundant. Shrubs include Pittosporum, various Viburnums, carpet roses, Buxus (the graphic planting of boxwood pictured below is on the roof of Rafael Moneo's addition to the Prado Museum), Lavandula, Rosmarinus, and Trachelospermum. Palms...especially Trachycarpus...are clustered throughout the parks. And the parks are amazing! Makes me think Los Angeles and other densifying cities will need to do a much better job of weaving them into the urban fabric...