“Many Things Grow in The Garden That Were Never Sown There”

The Real Alcázar Palace gardens in Seville, Spain, one of Europe's oldest and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, offer a unique ecological insight. Despite their historical significance, these gardens exhibit spontaneous plant growth that was not intentionally cultivated. This phenomenon is highlighted by the 1910 paintings of artist Joaquin Sorolla y Bastida, commissioned during his stay in Seville while awaiting King Alfonso XIII's arrival for a portrait session. Sorolla's works, including 'Court of the Dances,' depict the garden's diverse flora, showcasing its rich biodiversity and the interplay between human-designed landscapes and natural growth patterns.

Breedlove, B. (2109). “Many Things Grow in The Garden That Were Never Sown There”. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 25(11). https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2511.ac2511