LA CONCEPCION AND MANZANETA GARDENS
The Gardens of La Concepción and Manzaneta are one of those places where time seems to have stopped. Walking along its paths allows us to peer into a window from which we can observe a past time, in which aristocrats and upper classes settled in the fields of Alicante seeking calm and tranquility, getting away from the bustling capital. The park is made up of two very different structures. One to the north of the Sant Joan path, which originally corresponded to the gardens of the La Concepción estate, the other area located to the south of the path, which belonged to the gardens of the Manzaneta estate.
La Concepción Estate. Sant Joan Tourism Photography.
Manzaneta Estate. Sant Joan Tourism Photography.
The gardens of La Concepción are characterized by a series of original polygonal flower beds to which new ones have been added, surrounding the pine forests, olive groves and cypresses, along with some specimens of eucalyptus and horse chestnut.
On the edge of this sector, in front of the Manzaneta farm and on Hernán Cortes street, we found a specimen of ficus macrophylla that is more than a century old. This variety is native to the east coast of Australia, its common name is Moreton Bay Fig. It is characterized by its solid trunk and prominent buttresses at the base. This species lets its roots fall from the branches, generating an additional trunk that helps support its heavy branches. It is evergreen, reaching 60 meters in height.
The Manzaneta gardens are made up of flower beds of various sizes, highlighting numerous centenary tree specimens, some of them protected, such as the impressively large ficus elastica and its dragon tree, along with various yuccas and palm hearts. Ficus elastica are an evergreen species that comes from northeastern India and southern Indonesia. They are characterized by a solid trunk that can reach 2 meters in diameter, and a height of 30 to 40 meters. Like ficus macrophylla, it develops roots that help support its heavy, strongly horizontal branches. The spectacular dragon tree also deserves mention. Dragon trees belong to the genus Dracanea. They are a very common subtropical species in the Canary Islands and west of Morocco. They are a very common subtropical species in the Canary Islands and west of Morocco…. It is the only plant in the world whose sap is red. It is crowned by a dense umbrella-shaped crown, with thick leaves, and can reach more than 12 m in height.
In addition to the important vegetation in the park, the solid benches and flower pots made with tiles from the 19th century stand out. Formerly there was a fountain of green frogs and benches on the La Concepción farm, which are today relocated to the gardens of the neighboring El Reloj farm.
The “Salvador Gosálbez Alberola” Municipal Senior Center has recently been built on San Miguel de Tarazona Street, and nearby there are some urban gardens managed by the City Council.
The Gardens of La Concepción and Manzaneta are currently an intergenerational meeting point, numerous young people spend the afternoon here, some relaxing, while others practice gymnastic exercises outdoors, under the gaze of older people who come to enjoy their afternoons. on vacation and contemplate the sunsets in one of the most fascinating places in Sant Joan d’Alacant.
Municipal Senior Center. Sant Joan Tourism Photography.
Urban garden. Sant Joan Tourism Photography.