A walk among the roses

On the slopes of Sant Pere Màrtir, between the Ronda de Dalt and the Diagonal in its last section, the Cervantes Park provides a green counterpoint to the intense traffic on both urban arteries. Its gardens contain lush and spectacular vegetation, but the most characteristic element is the incredible collection of rosebushes that, from spring to autumn, complement the green of the space with their colours, practically of all ranges, and their fragrances.

Built in 1965 and designed by the architects Lluís Riudor and Joaquim Maria Casamor, the Cervantes Park is home to 10,000 rosebushes, which belong to 2,000 different species and varieties, representative of the history of these plants. Its enormous diversity of shapes, colours and origins surprises everyone, largely due to a tradition that dates back to the last century: the holding of an international rose competition that was held at the Palau de Pedralbes until 1936. Today, the International Competition of New Roses takes over from that initiative, challenging each year to obtain new varieties of these flowers. The roses that have won prizes in the different editions are grown in the Perfume Garden, where you can also find a collection of the plants with the most aromatic flowers. But they are a small part of the extensive collection of roses, where there are wild ones, obtained through hybridization or even climbing specimens.

The park also has many other plants typical from the Mediterranean environment and other places in the world. A total of 27 species of trees can be found, some of them majestic, which together with some architectural elements such as a long pergola covered with vegetation, creates ideal environments for resting and breathing the fresh air. A green space that never ceases to surprise; a place to disconnect from the frenetic rhythm of the city and to discover a true museum of roses that will not leave you unmoved.

More information about Cervantes Park in this link.