Orchids
In the front of the palace and under protection of cover from the sun and frost, orchids are grown. These are plants of singular beauty and diversity of shapes and colours.
They may be found in very different climatic conditions, owing to their great capacity to adapt. One of their characteristics is that the leaves have transformed into fleshly organs, authentic reservoirs of water, allowing for their survival during droughts.
The orchid belongs to the Orchidacea family, which is made up of 788 genders with around 19,000 species having been discovered, spread throughout the world, except in Antarctica.
Until the mid 17th century the orchid was used in medicine for the most part. It was their later cultivation in Europe which gave impetus to the decorative use, since when cultivated they adapt to a large variety of situations, with different growth habits, shapes and colours.