Jardin de la Marquesa de Arucas

Jardín de la Marquesa de Arucas is a historic botanical garden located in the town of Arucas, in the northern part of Gran Canaria, about 8 km west of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. It ranks among the island's most valuable garden estates — a private plant collection that eventually grew into one of the region's most visited natural attractions.

Who founded the garden, and when?

The garden was created around 1880 on the initiative of the first Marquis of Arucas, Ramón Madan y Uriondo, together with his wife, María del Rosario González y Fernández del Campo. The Marquis was a passionate botany enthusiast who, over the years, brought plants from all five continents to his estate, shaping a spacious, irregularly laid-out garden with a distinctly romantic character.

Why was this particular spot chosen?

The location at the foot of the Arucas mountain, combined with its proximity to the coast, created an unusually favorable microclimate. Natural shelter from the wind and mild temperatures allowed tropical and subtropical plants to thrive here almost without restriction — a factor that directly explains the garden's remarkable botanical richness today.

What can visitors see in the garden?

Spread across roughly five hectares, the garden holds more than 2,500 plants belonging to nearly 400 tropical and subtropical species, though some sources now put the figure at around 500 classified species. Palms occupy a special place in the collection — one of its most distinctive features, the result of decades of dedicated work by the founders and their successors.

The garden's symbol is an impressive dragon tree (Dracaena draco), estimated to be between 400 and 500 years old. It is the most recognizable specimen in the entire collection and one of the main reasons botany enthusiasts from across the island come to visit.

A colony of peacocks also roams freely throughout the grounds, adding a picturesque, exotic touch that makes a walk along the garden's paths even more enjoyable, especially for visitors traveling with children.

When was the garden opened to the public?

For decades, Jardín de la Marquesa remained a private estate, closed to outside visitors. That changed in November 1985, when the founder's granddaughter opened the garden to the public. Since then, it has become one of the key tourist attractions in Arucas and in northern Gran Canaria as a whole.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is the garden located? In Arucas, in the northern part of Gran Canaria, about 8 km west of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

Who founded Jardín de la Marquesa? The first Marquis of Arucas, Ramón Madan y Uriondo, together with his wife María del Rosario González y Fernández del Campo, around 1880.

What is the garden's main highlight? A dragon tree (Dracaena draco) over 400 years old, regarded as the symbol of the entire estate, along with an extensive collection of palms and other tropical plants.

Since when has the garden been open to visitors? Since November 1985, when the founder's granddaughter opened it to the public.

How many plant species grow in the garden? Estimates vary between roughly 400 and 500 tropical and subtropical species, depending on the source, all growing across the garden's five hectares.