The gardens are one of the most attractive features of the Park, with over 20.000 m2 of garden areas containing a representative selection of more than thirty species of Canarian endemic flora. This unique resource has allowed the creation of two routes related to botany and the Canary Islands: The Botanical Route and the Exportation Products Route.
BOTANICAL ROUTE
The Canary Islands have a high proportion of endemic species and plant communities that live only in the islands or are shared with other Atlantic islands, making up the Macaronesian region (Madeira, Cape Verde, Azores, Savage Islands and a small area in the coast of Africa). The volcanic nature, as well as the high altitudes of the islands, and the variety of climates, creates diverse landscapes and plant communities. Among the endemic Canary Islands species, the better known are the Canary Palm (Phoenix canariensis), the “Cardón” (Euphorbia canariensis), the “Guadyl” (Convolvulus floridus), the “Drago” (Dracaena draco) or the Canarian Pine (Pinus canariensis). The route offers a journey through our gardens, to see all these and other native plants. All plants have plaques with their scientific and common names, and the most representative species are supplemented with specific information panels.
EXPORTATION PRODUCTS ROUTE
The Exportation Products Route concentrates on the main products which have been exported from the Canary Islands since the time of the Spanish conquest, such as sugar cane, wine, cochineal, bananas or tomatoes. Apart from panels on each of these products, the information is supplemented with a number of photographs of the period. Additionally, each panel is located next to the plant to which the information refers. This visual fact helps to understand the importance of each of these elements in the Islands’ economy over the centuries.
CULTURAL ROUTE
The Cultural Route, comprises a new outdoor route, which offers information on many aspects of the culture, history and ethnography of the Canary Islands, during the 500 years since the conquest, such as: Agriculture, Craftsmanship, use of water in the Canaries, Traditional Costumes of the islands, “Gofio”, Mythology in the Canaries, Famous visitors, the Conquest of the archipelago, Emigration, Livestock and Fishing, Traditional Sports, Piracy and Corsairs, the Church in the Canaries.
VOLCANIC ROUTE
This new route explains the volcanic origin of the archipelago, showing the geologic formation of the Canary Islands over millions of years, as well as the volcanic activity in historic times. It also introduces the most common rocks and volcanic materials of Tenerife, and reveals how the geology affects the climate of the islands.
