The Vanished Gardens of Cordoba

Cordoba is a place . . . a dream of itself, a once-real place in Andalusian Spain. Before Ferdinand and Isabella, it was ruled by the Caliphate of Cordoba, and before the Caliphate, the Romans.

Gardens from the time of the Caliphs still remain, terrace after terrace of pools, citrus trees, date palms, roses. The oldest walled garden in Europe is in Cordoba, an orange grove besides the mosque. In the garden of the Prince of Viana, in the most ancient part of all, is the Patio of the Lady where clipped cypresses arch over a statue of a woman.

I know this because of a piece of music that captured my imagination . . . a piece of music called The Vanished Gardens of Cordoba by the composer Ray Lynch. You can hear it here: http://www.last.fm/music/Ray+Lynch/_/The+Vanished+Gardens+Of+Córdoba