Dialogue with someone who is at peace with themselves and their surroundings gives a fresh and renewed perspective on the world. This is also the case with Enrique Montoliu, for whom doing things for the benefit of nature and society has become part of everyday life. In 1990 he decided not to pass the time without creating his own garden and managed to create a beautiful and impressive five hectares orchard called L’Albarda. We find it in Pedreguer (Alicante), very close to Jávea. His energy and passion later led him to set up a very special foundation, Fundem, with which he wants to give back to nature what humanity too often denies: dignity and respect.
Questions. When did you first think of building a garden?
Answer. Practically since I was a kid, although it took me a few more years (smiles) because I had neither time nor money. When I turned forty, I seriously thought about pursuing my dream. First I thought of buying an old prefab garden. But I didn’t like the ones I saw: either they had a road next to them or horrible buildings. So in the end I thought about going back to the area where I spent my summers as a kid, in Jávea. I was looking for a piece of land inland with a view of the Montgó. That’s how I started my house surrounded by orange trees and a garden.
P And where did such an early interest in gardening and plants come from?
R My father liked to fish with a rod. Every weekend of the year we went to areas where there was water: rivers, reservoirs, any place was good. I was bored while my father enjoyed looking at the cork. He didn’t mind spending eight hours not catching anything because that was therapy for him. But I devoted myself to exploring the surroundings with the vitality of a child. I was amazed to see life in a river or in a pond. I even once caught a snake thinking it was an eel and proudly showed it to my mother, who let out a loud cry of terror. The love that I developed for nature then accompanies me throughout my life.
P What references did you take into account when designing your garden, which is more of a garden of gardens?
R Well I didn’t have a specific reference but I knew I wanted to create a formal garden around the house and then blend it into the landscape. I found out later that this was what the Renaissance garden was made of. So it can be said that L’Albarda is a Renaissance garden, although I later added other parts inspired by the Valencian and Arabic garden.
P It is noteworthy that he decided to open the garden to anyone who wanted to visit.
R Practically from the first moment I wanted the garden to be shared. Shortly after I started doing this, I already started doing free tours for people to see. I didn’t think of creating a completely private garden. I’ve always loved sharing; The visits don’t bother me, on the contrary, they enrich me. That’s how I met wonderful people. I think anyone who has the sensitivity to sacrifice a morning of their free time to visit a garden is something special.
P Building his garden made him think of other projects.
R This is strange, because at first the land of the future garden was a scree field. After three or four years nature had built wonderful corners in these forgotten places. That’s when I realized that if I buy land that has an important ecological value and let nature be the only creator, something beautiful could happen.
P And this is how the Fundem Foundation came into being.
R That’s the way it is. The idea came up to buy land and give it to environmental groups in this area so they have a place to pursue their hobbies and increase biodiversity. Gradually we have already bought more than 1,000 hectares of more than 50 plots. With this we are sowing small seeds so that local people will recognize that they have gems worth preserving in their city. Not everything has to be a nature or national park, but in every place there can be a place by and for nature.
Enrique Montoliu in L’Albarda Garden of L’Albarda
P The roots of their establishment are the partners.
R The advantage of making partners is that anyone who imagines fighting deforestation or climate change has the opportunity to do so with little money. We make partners with 50 euros a year, which is also deductible in the profit and loss account, and buy 100 square meters of land a year with it. A partner who spends ten years with us saves 1,000 square meters from human devastation. We buy land all over Spain including the islands.
P Because a contract is made so that this land cannot be used for other purposes.
R That means neither selling nor building. The idea is that this land is for nature and has no benefit: neither agricultural nor touristic or any kind.
P Let’s go back to his garden, which also seems to be full of music.
R We do cultural activities to raise funds but also because we love listening to music in the garden while the birds sing and we feel the scents of the plants. You can not ask for more.
P What do you think a good gardener should have?
R What a good gardener needs to do is create the habitat for the plant and nature to complete it. Nature will always do better than you. Therefore, a good gardener must observe nature. The best plants are those that are born spontaneously in your garden. What I never do is remove a tree where it was born because that will be the most beautiful of all.
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