Talhambra

Talhambra is a gardening paradise. Home to many temperate and subtropical plants including over 50 varieties of fruit and nut trees and over 25 varieties of palms with a rich variety of herbs, greens, native wild plants, flowers and medicinal plants growing in the mix. It is set up to provide for a varied organic diet and lifestyle in a stunning setting. Through intuitively using permaculture principles, soil health and fertility has seen gradual improvement for over two decades now.

The surrounding cork oak forest also freely provides a variety of edible mushrooms in season. It is also abundant in wood for heating, heather for rustic frame building and fencing, etc. and stones for terrace building, dry stone walling and stone paths etc.

Fruit and nut varieties (v) include:
Almond(2v), apple (5v), avocado (2v) , apricot (2v), banana
carob, custard apple, chinese date, feijoa, fig (3v),
guava (3v), grapefruit, hazelnut, kiwi (2v), jelly palm,
kumquat, lemon, lime, loquat, macadamia,
mango (2v), natal plum, olive (2v), orange (4v), pear(2v),
pecan, pistachio, tangerine, mandarin, nectarine,
passion fruit, peach (2v), persimmon (2v), plum (3v),
pomegranate, quince, sapote, strawberry tree, walnut.

A unique organic, eco permaculture paradise occupying an area of 1.17 hectares and situated on the edge of the Parque de los Alcornocales within 25 min walk or drive from the local village of El Colmenar.

Reached by a forest track, the unpaved portion of the track consists of 2.9 kms which is maintained annually for cork harvesting by large landowners. The remaining 0.5 km section is maintained by us and occasionally the local neighbors by clearing the ditches and culverts at the start of the rainy season.

Accommodation is comprised of the main house ( approx. 100m2 and fully furnished) which consists of 2 self contained units each consisting of bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and living room, There is a dividing door which can be closed or open as one chooses.

There is also a casita with storeroom ( approx.40 m2) on the other end of the property, suitable for a couple or a small family. Power for all the houses is from solar panels and batteries located in the main house.

The gazebo (15m2), Almacen (50m2) and Alberca (11m3) are all situated near the main house

There are 2 sources of water. A spring which is shared between us and a neighbouring finca. The other source is a 90m deep borehole which produces around 10m3 per day using an independently powered solar pump.

The exquisite, mature forest garden provides self sufficiency for the majority of the year and includes a diversity of fruit trees, palms, ornamentals, vegetables, herbs and medicinal plants.