Pazo de Gandarón was built by Archbishop Sebastián Malvar Pinto in the late 18th century, and in the second half of the 19th century it was inherited by Jerónimo Malvar Taboada, who enlarged the building and created the garden. This traditional manor house has been the headquarters of Biological Mission of Galicia since 1928, and the original forest, the gardens and the farmland used for growing crops and research are still preserved. The garden has been restored several times since its creation and it was completely renovated between 2005 and 2009. The original design was preserved, as well as the key elements from the Romantic period when it was created, such as the fences, arbour, fountain and ponds. The oldest camellias date from the last quarter of the 19th century, when they were planted by Jerónimo Malvar, and years later Cruz Gallástegui (founder of Biological Mission of Galicia) increased the collection. During the second half of the 20th century, Antonio Odriozola, a librarian at Biological Mission of Galicia, contributed greatly to the cultivation and dissemination of the camellia.