Marauding cattle and pesky, foraging pigs are very much part of the narrative at El Jaral de la Mira, a wedding and events venue northwest of Madrid that stands out for its excellent restaurant and exuberant gardens.<\/p>\n

\u00a9 Richard Bloom<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div>\n
On his first visit to the site, \u00c1lvaro was delighted to discover an old mill and dairy, both littered with old tools and bits of machinery, some of which he has creatively reconfigured as water spouts for a series of garden fountains. It\u2019s a way of linking the authenticity of the area\u2019s agricultural past with its revitalised productive present.<\/p>\n
The area\u2019s royal past \u2013 in the 16th century it was a hunting ground of Philip II \u2013 is also referenced in the geometrical layout of the central area in front of the restaurant. Here, a series of interconnected terraces is a nod to the nearby Monasterio del Escorial, a former royal residence built in Spain\u2019s geometric Herreriano style of architecture, popular in the late 16th and early 17th centuries.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
$\"""\"$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
\u00a9 Richard Bloom<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div>\nAt El Jaral de La Mira near Madrid, designer \u00c1lvaro Sampedro has created an atmospheric garden for all seasons. Soft mounds of grasses, including Miscanthus sinensis<\/em>, and resilient, drought-resistant<\/a> shrubs, such as Escallonia<\/em> \u2018Iveyi\u2019, mirror the contours of the surrounding forest<\/a> and offer a contrast to the vertical accents of a multi-stemmed Arbutus unedo<\/em> and iconic Italian cypresses.<\/p>\n
\n
$\"""\"$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
\u00a9 Richard Bloom<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div>\nStately granite steps cut through a wide border featuring striking clumps of grasses, including the silky Miscanthus sinensis<\/em><\/a> \u2018Graziella\u2019. These steps lead up from the lower terrace to a romantic pergola walkway, covered in fragrant star jasmine and a white rambling rose, which guides guests to the central outdoor bar.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n
In brief<\/p>\n
Name<\/strong> El Jaral de La Mira. What<\/strong> An exclusive event\nvenue with gardens set within a biodynamic farm. Where<\/strong> Central Spain. Soil<\/strong> Well-drained, poor soil. Size<\/strong> Roughly five acres. Climate<\/strong> Warm continental with low rainfall. Hot dry summers and cool winters with frequent frosts. Hardiness zone<\/strong> USDA 9.<\/p>\n
<\/p><\/div> <\/section>
$\"""\"$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> \u00a9 Richard Bloom<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Plumes of Stipa tenuissima<\/em> and Calamagrostis x acutiflora<\/em> \u2018Karl Foerster\u2019 combined with the bright-pink flowers of native Valeriana rubra<\/em> create a link\nto Miscanthus sinensis<\/em> and pink muhly grass, Muhlenbergia capillaris<\/em> on the other side of the terrace wall. A neat hedge<\/a> of Laurus nobilis<\/em> frames a series of woven planters filled with herbs, beside the restaurant and an old, cylindrical well. As well as introducing new trees to these terraces, \u00c1lvaro has also integrated several existing trees, including ancient Quercus ilex<\/em>, which not only offer shade from the scorching summer sun, but also give a sense of scale and create rich colour blocks during autumn, as well as connecting the garden to the surrounding forests.<\/p>\n
$\"""\"$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
\u00a9 Richard Bloom<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div>\n
Achillea millefolium<\/em> seedheads add an additional layer of interest to the buff-coloured grasses and evergreen shrubs that dominate the curved beds surrounding the formal terraces. Divided by paths of crushed granite, this low tapestry of generous perennial borders is punctuated by tall Italian cypresses, which \u00c1lvaro thinks of as a \u201clink between heaven and earth\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
$\"""\"$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
\u00a9 Richard Bloom<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Calendula officinalis<\/em> on the well-ordered slopes of El Jaral de La Mira\u2019s productive kitchen garden, which offers guests a direct link to the provenance of their food. Producing more than 30 varieties of heritage and local herbs and vegetables, the kitchen garden and wider biodynamic farm forges a link between the venue\u2019s metropolitan sophistication and the area\u2019s rich rural heritage.<\/p>\n
$\"""\"$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
\u00a9 Richard Bloom<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div>\n
Iberian black pigs munch on beetroot leaves and Swiss chard in the restaurant\u2019s kitchen garden. Normally, they are constrained on the farm but occasionally escape, which caused \u00c1lvaro headaches in the early days of establishing plants in the garden.<\/p>\n
$\"""\"$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
\u00a9 Richard Bloom<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div>\n
The airy flowers of the long-season perennial Oenothera lindheimeri<\/em> \u2018Siskiyou Pink\u2019 combine with a mix of grasses, including the distinctively upright Calamagrostis x acutiflora<\/em> \u2018Karl Foerster\u2019, groups of Panicum virgatum<\/em>, and the eye-catching, semi-transparent haze of pink Muhlenbergia capillaris<\/em>.<\/p>\n
USEFUL INFORMATION Address<\/strong> El Jaral de la Mira, M-600, 28209 Guadarrama, Madrid, Spain. Tel<\/strong> +34 618 66 68 78. Web<\/strong> jaraldelamira.com<\/a> Find out more about \u00c1lvaro\u2019s work at alvarosampedro.com<\/a><\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
The full feature appeared in Gardens Illustrated magazine. Subscribe here.\u00a0<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n
","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By Hannah Gardner Published: Tuesday, 27 December 2022 at 12:00 am Marauding cattle and pesky, foraging pigs are very much part of the narrative at El Jaral de la Mira, a wedding and events venue northwest of Madrid that stands out for its excellent restaurant and exuberant gardens. It\u2019s the vision of the celebrated Spanish […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":17982,"template":"","categories":[1],"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"5"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2022\/12\/a-rich-tapestry-of-planting-within-a-biodynamic-farm-in-spain-scaled.jpg",2560,1707,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2022\/12\/a-rich-tapestry-of-planting-within-a-biodynamic-farm-in-spain-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2022\/12\/a-rich-tapestry-of-planting-within-a-biodynamic-farm-in-spain-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2022\/12\/a-rich-tapestry-of-planting-within-a-biodynamic-farm-in-spain-768x512.jpg",768,512,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2022\/12\/a-rich-tapestry-of-planting-within-a-biodynamic-farm-in-spain-1024x683.jpg",800,534,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2022\/12\/a-rich-tapestry-of-planting-within-a-biodynamic-farm-in-spain-1536x1024.jpg",1536,1024,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2022\/12\/a-rich-tapestry-of-planting-within-a-biodynamic-farm-in-spain-2048x1365.jpg",2048,1365,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/gardensillustrated\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"By Hannah Gardner Published: Tuesday, 27 December 2022 at 12:00 am Marauding cattle and pesky, foraging pigs are very much part of the narrative at El Jaral de la Mira, a wedding and events venue northwest of Madrid that stands out for its excellent restaurant and exuberant gardens. It\u2019s the vision of the celebrated Spanish…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/gardensillustrated\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/17981"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/gardensillustrated\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/gardensillustrated\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/gardensillustrated\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/gardensillustrated\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17982"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/gardensillustrated\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17981"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/gardensillustrated\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17981"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}