Casa Alegria – Constructing the First Terraces.
In April 2014, we took the leap and bought our dream home in Vilaflor, Tenerife, along with 5,000 m² of land.
However, Thom was still finishing high school, so we had a 15-month waiting period before we could make our move.
During this time, we kept the house’s previous owners in place to maintain the property while I flew in every 5-6 weeks to oversee the garden design and execution.
When we first saw the land, it was an intimidating sight – 90% of it was practically unusable.
The steep slope was littered with rocks and building debris, and the soil was too shallow and barren to support much growth.
The challenge was clear: we needed to transform this harsh terrain.
Our first project was tackling the area in front of the house, a big, bare area with a sharp downward slope.
It was so steep that walking on it felt like skiing without poles, and we often found ourselves sliding and tumbling.
Our mission: clear the debris, create three long terraces to stabilize the slope, and build a large circle structure to become Vered’s American Indian medicine plant sanctuary.
Enter Drew – our larger-than-life Welsh friend, artist, and builder.
He was a key player in this transformation.
Drew, along with his crew, spent weeks meticulously clearing the slope, constructing stunning terrace walls from concrete covered in red stone, and filling the terraces with soil brought in by dozens of trucks.
Our vision was to shape the terraces to follow the mountain’s contour, with the grand fig tree anchoring one end and a circular structure at the other.
The circle, envisioned as an American Indian medicine wheel, would be divided into four sections, each corresponding to a different color and plants, expressing spiritual significance.
Watching the process unfold was captivating.
Although Vered saw only photos, I witnessed the transformation firsthand.
From a bare, uninviting slope, it evolved into a beautiful, meaningful space – an expression of our values of beauty and spiritual connection.
Drew’s artistic and imaginative touch left a permanent mark on our property, turning a concrete skeleton into a lush, purposeful garden.
The photo captures the early stages of this ambitious project, showing the raw determination and creativity that set the stage for the garden’s transformation.
