A journey through time and continents at the Roquer Gardens in Arbúcies, guided by the extraordinary Mireia from JardíTours
There are experiences that stay with you long after they end. Walking through the Roquer Gardens with Mireia from JardíTours was one of those rare moments when knowledge, nature, and storytelling come together in perfect harmony.
A Living Museum of Trees from Around the World
Hidden in the heart of Arbúcies, at the foot of the Montseny massif, lies one of Europe’s finest dendrological gardens—a secret paradise that most visitors to Catalonia never discover. What makes this experience truly special isn’t just the garden itself, but how Mireia brings it to life.
Mireia is that rare combination: a true expert in horticulture and a natural-born communicator. As she guides you through the winding paths, what could be a simple botanical tour transforms into a **forest bath among trees brought from the Americas, Mexico, California, and even Asia**—species rarely seen in Europe, each with its own story to tell.
The Queen of the Garden: Europe’s Largest Magnolia
The undisputed jewel of the Roquer is its **magnificent Magnolia grandiflora**, with an impressive circumference of nearly 4 meters (3.92m to be precise). Planted in 1873, this majestic tree holds the record as the **largest magnolia in Europe by girth**, competing only with historic specimens in Nantes, France.
The Nantes Connection: From Louisiana to Catalonia
The story of how the magnolia came to Europe is fascinating—and deeply intertwined with Catalan history. **Nantes was the first European city to successfully cultivate the Magnolia grandiflora**, which arrived there after a long and perilous journey from Louisiana in the southeastern United States. Nantes became known as “the city of magnolias,” and the species spread across Europe from there.
This connection to France runs deeper than botany. The wealthy *indianos*—Catalans who made their fortunes in Cuba and the Americas—didn’t just travel to the colonies; they also moved through French intellectual and commercial circles. **Eusebi Güell himself, the great patron of Gaudí, studied Law and Economics in France**, traveling extensively through Europe. His father, Joan Güell, had made the family fortune in Cuba through the sugar and textile trade.
The magnolia became a **quintessential symbol in the gardens of the *indianos***—alongside palm trees, bamboo, and persimmons—representing their transatlantic connections and worldly sophistication. When wealthy Catalan families like the Garoleras created their gardens in the late 19th century, the magnolia was the ultimate statement: a living link between the Americas, France, and Catalonia.
It’s no coincidence that the oldest magnolia in France still lives in the Jardin des Plantes of Nantes (planted in 1816 by director Hectot), while the largest by circumference grows here in Catalonia at the Roquer. Both are living testimonies to that era of transatlantic exchange and cultural ambition.
The Roquer’s magnolia has been declared a Monumental Tree by the Generalitat de Catalunya, and standing beneath its canopy, you understand why.
A Family Story Woven Through History
The garden’s history is as fascinating as its botanical collection. Mireia masterfully weaves the story of the Garolera family and the property:
– Origins: The estate dates back to the 14th century, originally belonging to the Roquer family, nobles of Arbúcies
– The Paris Connection: Around 1920, **Joan Garolera** acquired the property. He later married his niece **Lola** in 1930, and together they spent years in Paris, collecting antiques from the famous flea markets and the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona
– The Civil War Years: During the Spanish Civil War, the house was confiscated and became a refuge for **300 children fleeing from Madrid and the Basque Country**—a poignant chapter in its history
– The 1960s Transformation: When Lola passed away in 1996, her brother **Emili Garolera** inherited the property. It was Emili who had the vision to transform the gardens into the extraordinary dendrological collection we see today
– The Third Generation: The family had three children who continue to preserve this legacy
Dendrology: The Poetry of Trees
Mireia introduced us to the fascinating world of **dendrology**—the scientific study of trees and woody plants. With her guidance, we learned to see trees with new eyes:
Gymnosperms vs. Angiosperms
One of the most enlightening lessons was understanding the difference between these two major plant groups:
Gymnosperms(from Greek: “naked seed”)—plants whose seeds are exposed, not enclosed in a fruit. This includes:
– Pinaceae(pines, firs, spruces)
– Cupressaceae (cypresses, junipers)
-Angiosperms—flowering plants where seeds are protected within a fruit
The Conifer Collection
The garden boasts an impressive collection of conifers from around the world:
The Portuguese Cypress (*Cupressus lusitanica*)
Despite its name, this elegant cypress is actually native to Mexico—a perfect example of how plant names can be misleading.
The Yew Tree (*Taxus baccata*)
Perhaps no tree in the garden carries more mystical weight. The yew’s characteristics make it a symbol of immortality:
– Evergreen leaves that never fall
– Both male and female specimens in the garden, with the female producing distinctive red fruits
– Deeply venerated by the **Druids** as a sacred tree
– Used by ancient Egyptians for making sarcophagi
– The Romans (*Romani*) crafted their spears from yew wood
– **A note of caution**: While its bark contains taxol, a compound used in cancer treatment, removing bark from living trees kills them
The Podocarpus from China (*Podocarpus macrophyllus*)
A curious specimen whose name literally means “foot fruit” in Greek (*podos* = foot, *karpos* = fruit)—and when you see the peculiar shape of its fleshy, berry-like fruits, you’ll understand why: they really do look like little feet!
Firs, Sequoias, Bunya Pines and Spruces** (*Abies* spp. / *Sequoia* spp. / *Araucaria* spp. / *Picea* spp.)
Mireia shared a wonderful trick for identification: **pine cones hang downward, while fir cones (and those of sequoias, bunya pines and spruces) stand upright on the branches**—a simple observation that changes how you see these trees forever.
The Atlas Cedar** (*Cedrus atlantica*)
With its distinctive blue-green needles and majestic spreading form, the Atlas Cedar is one of the garden’s most photogenic specimens.
The Morrisonica Pine** (*Pinus morrisonicola*)
A rare Taiwanese species, adding an Asian accent to the collection.
Giants of the Plant Kingdom
The Sequoias (*Sequoiadendron giganteum* / *Sequoia sempervirens*)
Standing before the garden’s sequoias—reaching nearly 50 meters in height—Mireia reminded us that their relatives in California are the **tallest living things on Earth**, reaching an astonishing 120 meters. These ancient beings put our human timescales into humbling perspective.
The Chilean Wine Palm (*Jubaea chilensis*)
One of the garden’s most impressive specimens, with a trunk circumference of 4 meters. These slow-growing palms can live for over 1,000 years.
The Sacred and the Protected
**The Holly** (*Ilex aquifolium*)
Now a protected species, the holly in the garden grows surrounded by carpets of moss, creating a fairy-tale atmosphere that speaks to its ancient associations with winter celebrations and protection.
More Than a Tour: A Sensory Awakening
What makes Mireia’s tours exceptional is her ability to engage all your senses. This isn’t a lecture—it’s a **forest bath** (*shinrin-yoku*), a meditative immersion in nature where you learn to see, smell, touch, and truly feel the presence of these magnificent beings.
She explains not just the what, but the why: why certain trees from California and Mexico thrive here, how the unique microclimate of the Montseny creates conditions for species from five continents to coexist, and how the passion of the Garolera family transformed a noble estate into a living laboratory of world botany.
Species Checklist: What We Discovered
Here’s a summary of the remarkable species we encountered during our visit with Mireia:
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Origin |
|————-|—————–|——–|
| **Southern Magnolia** | *Magnolia grandiflora* | SE United States |
| **Yew Tree** | *Taxus baccata* | Europe, N. Africa, W. Asia |
| **Holly** | *Ilex aquifolium* | Europe (Protected) |
| **Portuguese Cypress** | *Cupressus lusitanica* | Mexico (not Portugal!) |
| **Atlas Cedar** | *Cedrus atlantica* | Atlas Mountains, Morocco |
| **Himalayan Cedar** | *Cedrus deodara* | Himalayas |
| **Chilean Wine Palm** | *Jubaea chilensis* | Chile |
| **Giant Sequoia** | *Sequoiadendron giganteum* | California |
| **Coast Redwood** | *Sequoia sempervirens* | California |
| **Chinese Podocarpus** | *Podocarpus macrophyllus* | China, Japan |
| **Taiwan Pine** | *Pinus morrisonicola* | Taiwan |
| **European Silver Fir** | *Abies alba* | Central Europe |
| **Bunya Pine** | *Araucaria bidwillii* | Australia |
| **Sago Palm** | *Cycas revoluta* | Japan (not a true palm) |
| **Ginkgo** | *Ginkgo biloba* | China (living fossil) |
Practical Information
The Roquer Gardens are privately owned and can only be visited through guided tours. **JardíTours** offers expertly led experiences that reveal the gardens’ secrets. The visit lasts approximately 2 hours—time that passes in what feels like minutes.
Why This Experience Matters
In an age of virtual experiences and fleeting attention spans, standing beneath a 150-year-old magnolia while learning about Druid tree worship and Civil War refugees creates a connection that no screen can replicate.
The Roquer Gardens remind us that Catalonia’s treasures extend far beyond the Gothic Quarter and the Costa Brava. Sometimes the most extraordinary discoveries are hidden in plain sight, waiting for the right guide to reveal them.
Thank you, Mireia, for opening our eyes to a world of wonder.
—
Barcelona Art of Travel specializes in discovering Catalonia’s hidden gems. Contact us to arrange your own botanical journey with expert guides who transform visits into unforgettable experiences.
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