The Alhambra is a mighty fortress high atop a hill in southern Spain, built over centuries by the Moors. Behind the imposing battlements lies an intricate maze of lush gardens and delicate architecture. It is a mystical and legendary place, famed both for its lasting magnificence as well as palace intrigue throughout the ages.
Last summer, while traveling through Spain and Portugal to source handmade tile, Heather passed through Granada, the Andalusian city that surrounds the Alhambra. She examined first hand these regal gardens which are so foundational to Mediterranean garden style – the Moors were masters of irrigation and water features. Also of interest to Heather was their emphasis on geometric design and ornament, both simple and elaborate. As the climates of Granada and Los Angeles are very similar, many of these ideas are easily applicable to landscape design in Southern California. in fact, they’ve already found their way into two separate projects…
The last photo above is what you see from the parapets of the Alhambra: the thousand-year-old Moorish neighborhood of the Albaicín. Our graphic designer wistfully notes that his former apartment can be seen in the lower right-hand corner!