The gardens extend through the monastery's main cloister, known as the Evangelists' Courtyard (Patio de los Evangelistas), as well as through the southern and eastern forecourts. They are in a sheltered location and receive the best sunlight, making them an ideal place for a pleasant stroll, even in the dead of winter. Philip II, who loved gardens, took a personal interest in these, bringing in specialised gardeners, so that the beds of brightly-coloured flowers bordered by box hedges looked like "fine rugs from Damascus". Today, in these same beds, the hedges interweave designs without flowers. You can enjoy this incomparable place in the different gardens surrounding the monastery: the private King's Garden, the Friars' Garden and the Convalescents' Gallery.