TRANQUIL: Al Barari will include expansive gardens, waterways, an alternative medicine village and cultural village.

MOHAMMED BIN ZAAL: Environmental quality is a priority.

Water is a key theme of the development, with plans to develop the world’s longest man-made waterway at 14.6km.

Plant species never seen previously in the UAE will be introduced and used in 15 themed botanical gardens.

Al Barari’s villas will be handed over in four phases.

Al Barari says its 50,000m² nursery is the ME’s largest.

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Talking of greenery, Zaal is keen to show off the Al Barari nursery. His annoyance at his prized golf buggy's inability to start is swiftly put aside by pride in the nursery itself. Covering 50,000m², Zaal says it is the largest in the Middle East.

"We have devoted $38.1 million towards our themed gardens, woodlands, waterways, streams and water bodies. We will be planting 4.6 million trees, shrubbery and ground cover. Our array of gardens will introduce new species of plants to the UAE, as well as encourage outdoor living.
The gardens will contain 800 types of plants and flowers from 20 different countries across six continents."

The nursery is an oasis in the desert, and marks the culmination of years of work, with plants carefully selected and tested to ensure they can adapt to the harsh Gulf climate. As Zaal puts it: "And they say that money can't grow on trees. Well, it can."

So the villas are impressive. But who is going to live in a house like this? "We looked initially at whether it would be a certain geographic market, or certain groups of individuals, but it doesn't work that way.

The people have to be affluent, obviously, and be able to afford the property, but other than that, it's people who enjoy space, enjoy gardens, and want a home.

"We are not catering to investors. We are looking for home owners, which 90% of our clients are. I personally know every single one of our clients who has bought with us."

Al Barari is an ambitious development. Those involved are trying to work out a new way to define luxury, despite these being somewhat trying times for the construction industry.

In fact, Zaal is a relaxed character, who comes across as a man who has grown accustomed to things working out. Just don't mention his golf buggy.

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