susana tornero

Some years ago in Latvia, a friend told me that she was surprised to see that in my country, people seemed not to know well the name of their trees. This comment made me think about it: I considered myself more rural than urban, I could distinguish between oak, pine and olive tree. How could she meant that we did not know the name of the trees? After travelling a bit and visiting communities more closely linked with their environment, I noticed how wrong I was. I began to see and listen to the trees from another perspective, to wonder at any little detail they offered me, and to feel in company with them. No wonder the Maori people talk about them as «our biggest brothers»; we are just a young and inexperienced branch.

Next Sunday 2nd April, we celebrate the spring festival at the Barcelona Botanic Garden, a wonderful place where you can find trees and plants of Mediterranean climate from far and near regions of the world. Under the motto Planta’t al botànic! («plant yourself» at the botanic), you will be able to enjoy many free activities for knowing better and taking care of this little paradise of urban nature. I will be there telling stories of different cultures that know well the names of their big brothers, in the company of some trees I have met during my walks.

And talking about walking:  on that day the El Corte Inglés race will be also held in the city. This will affect the access to the Botanic Garden some hours. If you are coming with public transport, a good option would be to take the metro to Plaça Espanya, or to take the funicular from metro Paral·lel to Parc de Montjuïc: from there you just have a nice walk, and I challenge you to guess the names of the trees you will find on your way to the garden.

Planta’t al botànic!
Spring festival at the Barcelona Botanic Garden
C/ Dr. Font i Quer, 2,
Parc de Montjuïc, Barcelona
Metro: Plaça Espanya (L1), Parc de Montjuïc (Funicular, access from metro Paral·lel, L2 and L3)
Bus: 55 (traffic incidents due to the race of El Corte Inglés).
Check the race circuit here.

Stories under the trees of Australia, at 11h
Duration: 20 min.
Audience: families with kids from 5 years
Capacity: 25 people
Come to listen some stories told and sung in Australia about our biggest brothers, the trees.

Stories under the trees of California, at 11:30h
Duration: 20 min.
Audience: families with kids from 5 years
Capacity: 25 people
Come to listen some stories told and sung in America about our biggest brothers, the trees.

Stories under the trees of South Africa, at 11:30h
Duration: 20 min.
Audience: families with kids from 5 years
Capacity: 25 people
Come to listen some stories told and sung in Africa about our biggest brothers, the trees.

Stories under the trees of Eastern Mediterranean, at 11:30h
Duration: 20 min.
Audience: families with kids from 5 years
Capacity: 25 people
Come to listen some stories told and sung in Europe and Asia about our biggest brothers, the trees.

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