At the heart of Desert Springs is its 18-hole USGA Indiana golf course, which was designed by former Great Britain and Ireland Golf Team Captain Peter McEvoy.

Taking inspiration from the desert courses of Arizona and California, the fairways are set in landscape of cactus and rock and irrigated by water drawn from artesian wells underground.

In recognition of its unique setting and advances, the resort was awarded the UK's New Homes Garden Award 2007 in the category 'best garden/landscape - overseas development'.

One of the elements highlighted was the fact that resort's developer, the AngloSpanish Almanzora Bay Group, has planted around 200 species on the golf course and in the gardens of the apartments, townhouses, cottages, villas and country houses in the 300--hectare (750 acre) resort.

As a result of the initiatives wildlife has flourished in the previously barren area.

Desert Springs' resident chief naturalist, Joel Lode, has created and managed one of the largest collections of cacti in Europe, which he has propagated in the nursery using seeds collected from locations from South America and the Middle East.

Already more than 300 apartments, townhouses, cottages, villas and country houses have been sold at Desert Springs and new phases are in development.

For further information contact Property Partners Ltd Galway 091735 850; www. propertypartners. ie