Jacaranda Garden

Category: Nature > Garden

District: Lisboa > Lisboa > Parque das Nações

Location

The Jacarandá Garden is located in the urban area of Quinta das Laranjeiras, a modern and vibrant part of Parque das Nações, in Lisbon. This green space is integrated into a contemporary residential area, which developed around the time of EXPO’98. It stretches between the bustling Alameda dos Oceanos and Rua de Moscavide, offering a place of tranquility and beauty in the heart of this dynamic Lisbon parish.

A Legacy of EXPO’98

This garden is one of the legacies of the 1998 World Exposition, which transformed the entire Parque das Nações area. It was conceived as an urban leisure space, intended to harmonize with the residential buildings that emerged on the site. Its name evokes a strong connection to botany and, symbolically, aligns with the theme of the Oceans, central to EXPO’98, which also brought new species and knowledge from around the world to Portugal.

Design and Aesthetics

With an area of two thousand five hundred square meters, the Jacarandá Garden stands out for its composition. Most of the pavement is Portuguese cobblestone, with undulating patterns that evoke the ocean waters. At its center, a peculiar circular flowerbed, carefully bordered by boxwood, stands out, creating an effect of isolation and inviting discovery through its two entrances. A yellow wall, punctuated by benches facing each other, separates the garden from Alameda dos Oceanos, and a second, more discreet flowerbed concentrates shrubs and some trees near Rua de Moscavide. It is also possible to observe an art installation, by Carsten Höller, titled Caminho (Path), dated from the year of the exhibition.

The Magic of Jacarandás

The garden's name celebrates the striking presence of jacarandás, exotic trees originating from South America. These specimens of the species Jacaranda mimosifolia were introduced to Lisbon in the early 19th century and quickly adapted to the city's climate. Their blooming, which usually occurs between May and June, is a visual spectacle, painting the tree canopies with an explosion of lilac and bluish flowers. When the flowers fall, they form a violet carpet on the ground, a phenomenon that beautifies the urban landscape and invites contemplation of the natural beauty these trees provide to Lisbon.

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt