The Garden Against Time: Book Presentation at the Royal Botanical Garden

On December 12th, the Library of the Royal Botanical Garden-CSIC hosted an exceptional event as part of the IX Cycle The Written Garden. On this occasion, the book The Garden Against Time: In Search of a Common Paradise, by Olivia Laing, was presented. This work, published by Capitán Swing, explores, from a personal and analytical perspective, the restoration of a historic garden and its meaning in the contemporary world.

The event was introduced by Félix Alonso, head of the Library of the Royal Botanical Garden, a space that stands out as a driving force for cultural and scientific dissemination around botany and landscape. Initiatives like this, which combine literature, landscape, and social reflection, are essential for fostering interdisciplinary dialogue and highlighting the importance of gardens as an integral part of our heritage.

The event featured the participation of Josefina Maestre, director of the Reserva Natural program on Radio 5, and Daniel Valera, agronomist, landscape designer, and director of DSTUDIO. Daniel Valera delivered a brief but significant lecture on the symbolism of gardens throughout history, from their conception in classical antiquity to their social relevance in the 21st century. This analysis framed gardens as spaces rich in symbolism, both in their design and their capacity to represent cultural, social, and environmental values.

The book by Olivia Laing, the focal point of the event, offers a profound and reflective view of the process of restoring a garden and the challenges of researching and respecting its history. Through its chapters, the author reveals how gardens can be political and social spaces, as well as artistic and ecological ones, inviting us to rethink our relationship with them.

In his lecture, Valera also highlighted the role of gardens in our current society, analyzing their multiple functions as refuges, places of social interaction, and symbols of sustainability in modern cities. Along with Josefina Maestre, they discussed the importance of gardening in the 21st century, its impact on urban quality of life, and the need to preserve these spaces in the context of climate change and increasing urbanization.

For those who could not attend, this post includes the full video of the lecture, where the main insights from the book are discussed, and the topics covered during the event are further explored.
 

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the publishing house Capitán Swing for their work in promoting books like Olivia Laing's, and to Félix Alonso, Head of the Library of the Royal Botanical Garden, and his team for fostering these events that combine culture, science, and landscape. Undoubtedly, initiatives like this are crucial for continuing to build bridges between society and its natural heritage.

We invite you to watch the video and reflect on what a garden means in your daily life. Is it a space of memory, a place of encounter, or perhaps a refuge from time? Let the conversation keep growing.