For a break from the city while staying local, the Jardi Botanic de Barcelona in Montjuïc Park has an assortment of interesting and rare mediterranean-climate plants from five world regions, along with a special exhibit on pollinators.

Nine in ten plant species on the planet need pollinators – insects, bees, bats, or reptiles – to reproduce, but the planet’s pollinators are in trouble.

Speaking of trouble, the City of Barcelona has declared a drought pre-emergency, as have other areas of Spain, which sets water restrictions and acts as a warning system when drought threatens the area like it did in 2007. We learned about the climate impacts to olive production earlier this trip, and saw Southern Spain’s depleted reservoirs first-hand.

Walking the garden and exhibits makes me excited to continue improving the pollinator garden in Portland, Oregon that I had so much help planning and planting last fall (thanks Nadia and neighbors).

Here are just a few incredible plants and flowers from the botanical garden, and it’s winter mind you…