The
Mediterranean Garden Society

The Greek Branch of the MGS

Barbara Diamantides
John Rendall writes:
Those who have been lucky enough to be in Greece and benefit from Barbara's stewardship as Head of the Greek Branch will be sorry to see her stand down. Barbara is a dedicated supporter of the MGS – for many years she served as its General Secretary – and has been a wonderful Branch Head. She will no doubt be able to tell you how many years she has been in the job and it is perhaps understandable that she is anxious to be relieved. Barbara always produced varied and interesting programmes for the Branch and I have fond memories of the expeditions she arranged for us. We've scrambled over mountains, visited amazing gardens, listened to illustrated talks on Greek flora and of course enjoyed her hospitality, whether in her own home or at Sparoza. One of her great assets was her ability to remember everyone's name – something I have always envied. Her Newsletters in English and Greek reflected her personality and were a pleasure to read. If Barbara asked you to help her it was impossible to refuse and she gathered about her members who were always willing to work with her. She professed to be bad at maths and inefficient in money matters, but the regular accounts she produced showed that she had a good head for finance and the Branch was always in the black. There was a dreadful time when Barbara was threatening to sell her house in Kifissia and return to England. Fortunately for the Society, she decided that Greece was her home and she remained as Branch Head to give pleasure to us all. The MGS in its Charter has a copious list of worthy objectives but one that is not listed is the companionship and friendship that is afforded to its members. Barbara is a treasured friend and I am sure she has won many friends and admirers in the Society she has worked for since it was established some sixteen years ago. We wish her good health, a long life and happiness.

Past events

June 2010
A chestnut forest and gardens on Evia

An early start to catch the ferry to the island of Evia was worth the effort. After coffee and cake at the friendly Galaxias Hotel we set off by car for Mount Ochi, led by our guides James Brown and Lilian Lorenz. The off-road vehicles had the best of it as we climbed higher up the slopes, finally leaving the tarmac to head off on foot for our destination, the last remaining ancient chestnut forest on Evia.

The area, called Kastanalongos, lies within easy reach of the Mount Ochi climbing refuge, discreetly built from local stone and blending happily into the hillside. The forest must inspire wonder at any time of the year but in early summer it was magnificent. Enormous ancient trunks, many gnarled and bent by the storms of centuries, provided shelter from the summer sun, not just for us but for the herds of black and brown goats, coats shining with health and horns twisting skywards. Many wore bells and some wore very large bells indeed. A small herd of sheep was browsing quietly until our arrival and must have been very glad when we left after admiring the wonderful views down to the distant coast.

We were a little too early to see the chestnut trees in full bloom, though a few branches offered some early flowers as a sign of what was to come. The vegetation in June consisted mostly of goat-proof mounds of Euphorbia acanthothamnos and E. spinosa, the mounds joining one to another in a brilliant green spread over the hillside. It was with delight we found Viola arborescens pushing through the mounds, studding them with delicate mauve and white flowers.

After a picnic under the trees, Lilian led us to the delightful garden of a member who had prepared home-made lemonade and caper-studded nasturtium flowers to revive us. The garden did not seem to be large but the stone path cleverly wound around beds of flowers and shrubs so that at no point was more than one section visible. We especially admired a Duranta erecta with its delicate blue flowers and yellow berries.

We then moved on to Lilian's two gardens where everything was flowering in glorious profusion. We admired her imaginative way of dealing with difficult slopes by the use of terracing and varied planting. She told us that many of her highly successful mediterranean plants such as Euphorbia characias and E. dendroides, Ruellia britoniana and Echium candicans came from Sparoza's plant and seed exchanges, as well as Verbascum olympicum, Salvia guaranitica and S. farinacea, Billbergia nutans, (Queen's tears), Phlomis fruticosa, Ptilostemon chamaepeuce and Iris germanica. The flourishing plants covered the ground to such an extent that the irrigation system was completely hidden. Lilian's advice to those who have not yet embarked on a garden of their own in this harsh summer climate is that ground cover is everything. Where there are spaces between plants there are pine chippings, and every path has a black weed suppressant underneath its pine chippings or Karystos stone.

With her garden so thoughtfully planned and successfully established, we hope that its owner can now take advantage of the charming sitting area she has created beneath a palm tree on one of the terraces, where a huge urn, a wooden bench flanked by large leaved plants such as Strelitzia, Cotyledon coruscans and spiky cacti, combine to create a calm oasis for reading and contemplation. It is almost impossible to weed a cactus garden. Lilian solved the problem of bindweed by digging a trench around the edge of the bed and sinking local stones set into concrete as an edge. The surface of the bed has a thin layer of concrete, leaving holes with the pots in place for the plants to go into the earth. The concrete was then covered in gravel and now the area is weed free and survives without water.

Barbara Diamantides

Evia from Mount Ochi
Photo by Vina Michaelides

Viola arborescens growing through Euphorbia spinosa
Photo by Barbara Diamantides

"That shady place" in the cactus garden
Photo by Lilian Lorenz

May 2010
Visit to a mature garden overlooking the Gulf of Corinth

Greece has many wonderful lesser-known corners. This visit was to a beautiful area overlooking the Gulf of Corinth to see an environmentally friendly home with a lovely garden, thoughtfully created from plants suited to mediterranean conditions. The garden has evolved over thirty years of trial and error, and has regenerated wonderfully since it was devastated by fires that swept through the area ten years ago. We received serious warnings of the inflammable properties of rosemary.

Plants tried and tested for suitability and endurance include the well-known herbs such as lavender, thyme, oregano and rosemary, which featured prominently in the garden. Convolvulus sabatius, Gaura, Tulbaghia violacea and Oenothera (evening primrose), lantana and oleanders provide contrast and colour, sometimes planted in pots and containers rather than in the ground.

A well-planted gravel garden is being developed and it was interesting to see how well foliage and flowers were displayed against the gravel background. Weeds and grasses are not discouraged by a light layer of gravel, but they will be deterred if an impermeable layer is laid first. Much hard work and careful consideration has gone into creating this continuously evolving garden, which blends beautifully into the hillside.

A drive into the mountains led us to a plateau where we walked through drying grasses, threaded with echiums and thistles, to the 11th century church of Aghios Nikolaos. The views were stunning.

On our last day we set out for the emerald green Lake Tsivlou, a tiny lake on the side of Mount Tsivlo, formed in 1912 after a landslide stopped part of the flow of the river Krathis. Pushing through the sweet-scented Spartium junceum (Spanish broom) that frames the lake was not easy until we stumbled on the main track, prettily fringed by Clematis flammula, Cornus sanguinea (dogwood), Nigella (love-in-a-mist), cistus, ferns, and unusually dark pink pyramid orchids, Anacamptis pyramidalis.

We all took home happy memories of this beautiful area and are extremely grateful to our hosts for their generous invitation to visit them and their mediterranean garden.

Text and photos by Barbara Diamantides

Convolvulus sabatius and oleander

The gravel garden

A stunning view over the Gulf of Corinth

Spartium junceum framing Lake Tsivlou

May 2010
Flowers of Cape Matapan

Members of the Peloponnese group met on a sunny May morning in Areopolis to drive to the very end of the road in deepest Mani, 40km further south. This was the start of a 2km walk to the tip of Cape Matapan (also known as Tenaro) and the working but unmanned lighthouse at the southernmost point of mainland Greece.

We parked alongside Agioi Asomatoi, a ruined chapel constructed from the remains of a temple to Poseidon and the Death Oracle. Just below, in Porto Kisternes, is a cave reputed to be where Cerberus was brought up from Hades by Heracles. Our path led us down to the cove of Porto Kisternes, so called from the numerous cisterns carved out of the rock.

This area was first mentioned in the 7th century BC as 'the sea-girt town of Helios'. Remains of ancient dwellings are everywhere, and on the hillside are the enclosing walls of what must have been a considerable town. Tenaro's central position on the sea routes of the eastern Mediterranean gave it importance as a trading centre, with flourishing brothels!

This area, apart from some very stunted olive trees, is treeless, with a thin covering of soil on a limestone karst. From a botanical point of view this is wonderful because, apart from light grazing in the winter, there is no agricultural activity to disturb the flora. Our first impression was that only thistles were growing on Tenaro – but such magnificent ones! The multi-headed Scotch thistle, Onopordum myriacanthum, is an impressive plant with sharp spines on every leaf and stem. A more attractive member of the thistle family was the Spanish oyster plant Scolymus hispanicus with feathery bright yellow flowers. On the stone walls were the long fronds of pepperwort, Lepidium spinosum.

After pausing to inspect the excavated mosaics in the remains of an imposing Greek villa, we climbed a grassy slope to the ridge that leads to the Cape. Low-growing white and pale pink convolvulus hugged the ground. (In November, this area is covered with the autumn narcissus N. serotinus.) We had hoped to catch the brilliant tiny blue cornflowers, Centaurea cyanus, that grow in the rock crevices, and there were indeed some remaining. They grow together with the subtler blue of slender larkspur, Consolida tenuissima, which we found in abundance.

The major finds of the walk were two endemics. The first was not unlike a compact hyacinth. It was almost certainly an endemic allium, Allium gomphrenoides, described in Kit Tan’s book* as having pink to dark magenta flowers compacted into very dense umbels. The second – pale green spikes with a mass of white flowers like an asphodel – was the star of the trip: Ornithogalum prasinantherum, everywhere bending in the wind. The last few metres down to the lighthouse were spectacular, with the sea 50 metres below, and nestling in the rocks were brilliant violet clumps of hoary stock, Matthiola incana. After a brief rest at the lighthouse, the freshening south-easterly wind drove us back to our cars and thence to the taverna nestling above Marmari bay for a merited lunch of assorted mezedhes.
Martin Jones

* Kit Tan, Gregoris Iatrou and Bent Johnsen. Endemic plants of Greece: The Peloponnese. Copenhagen: Gads Forlag 2001.

Examining the mosaic floor of a Greek villa

Centaurea cyanus

Allium gomphrenoides

Ornithogalum prasinantherum

Photos by Linda Reynolds

April 2010
Peloponnese group weekend at Mystras

The group met one Saturday morning in Sparta. At the public library, member Ada Kopitopoulou gave an inspiring illustrated talk on garden design. She led us through the various phases in planning and creating a new garden, and even for those of us who have already made some irrevocable decisions, Ada's talk gave useful points to consider as the garden matures.

After a taverna lunch, we moved on to the Museum of the Olive and Olive Oil, also in Sparta. The Museum, funded by the Bank of Piraeus, is exceptionally well designed and very informative. It covers the history of the olive, its uses, and its cultivation and processing. As well as artefacts associated with the domestic use of olives and olive oil, there is an impressive display (indoor and outdoor) of olive presses dating back to the Byzantine era and beyond. At the end of a fascinating afternoon we moved on to our accommodation in the present-day village of Mystras.

On Sunday morning the group set off from the square in Mystras on a circular walk. The route wound up through the beautiful countryside behind the Byzantine citadel of Mystras, entering the city at the Fortress Gate. After a picnic lunch within the walls of the fortress we walked down through the site and thence back to the village. A surprising variety of wildflowers were still in bloom, looking their best in the warm spring sunshine. On the way up to the fortress there were colourful displays of Spartium junceum (Spanish broom) and Vicia cracca (tufted vetch), and occasional examples of Anenome pavonina, Tuberaria guttata (spotted rock rose), Campanula sp. and Ophrys sp. Throughout the site there were swathes of yellow, pink and blue provided by dramatic stands of Ferula communis, clumps of Centranthus ruber (valerian), and cascades of Campanula sp. and Stachys candida clinging to the medieval stonework. The weekend concluded with a short late-afternoon walk up to a rock-cut church just outside the nearby village of Parori, followed by an excellent meze meal in the village.
Linda Reynolds

A feast of colour on the walls

Stachys candida

Approaching the Fortress

Ophrys sp.

Tuberaria guttata (Spotted rock rose)

Photos 1, 2, 4 and 5  by Linda Reynolds,
photo 3 by Kay-Elvina Sutton

March 2010
Cretan Group visit to the Park for the Preservation of Flora and Fauna, Hania (Chania)

This year spring came early, so not only did we have a beautiful day for our visit, but there were flowers in profusion. There were wide sweeps of both pink and white Cistus creticus. Large displays of yellow Phlomis cretica contrasted with the rich green of Rhamnus lycioides and Pistacia lentiscus (with berries) and conehead thyme (also called Spanish oregano). Some Anemone coronaria were in still in evidence, and Asphodelus aestivus, a few mandrake and several orchids (Ophrys phryganae, Orchislactea – milky orchid, Serapias lingua – tongue orchid, Serapias bergonii, Orchis papilionacea – pink butterfly orchid), were spotted peeping through or among other plants.

Dr Melpo Skoula, the botanist in charge, explained that the Park was founded in 1994 with financial support from the Pancretan Endowment Fund and other donors. It opened to the public in 2004, covers an area of 30 hectares, and is staffed by just two botanists and two gardeners. The Park is attached to the Technical University of Crete and its aims include research, conservation of the native plants of Crete, and raising public awareness about the importance of biodiversity. The Cretan flora includes 1820 species and subspecies, ten per cent of which are considered threatened and in need of protection; 180 species and subspecies are endemic to the island. There are 300 different wild species in the Park at present.

February 2010
Cheese and wine evening, Sparoza
Martin Gaethlich’s excellent talk on the environmental project he conducted in Oman was well attended and most informative. The cheese and wine went down quite well too.

February 2010
The year in pictures
Our new projector worked beautifully for the slide show of our visits to Kea and Nisyros last year. We also showed a charming film of the garden created by the Agioi Anargyroi Primary School in Cyprus.

November 2009
Peloponnese group visit to an unusual garden centre

The morning of 12 November found us at a garden centre on the outskirts of Stoupa, with the sun finally shining after endless days of rain. This garden centre is dedicated to raising indigenous plants and trees from seeds and cuttings gathered from the waysides, hillsides and even cliff-faces of the Mani, plus seeds from the Royal Horticultural Society and MGS.

All the plants and trees are suitable for ‘water-wise’ gardens and, once established, would need little or no watering. Of much interest were the several varieties of cistus, euphorbia and salvia, plus many more plants, some wild, not usually available in the average garden centre. The range of trees was also very impressive. The nursery uses normal soils (not peat!) and no fertilizers. The healthy state of its plants shows that this is a very sound and intelligent philosophy.

The visit was followed by an excellent lunch in the harbour of the delightful fishing village of Aghios Nikolaos, with stunning views of the Mani coastline and mountains.
Barbara Byrne.

November 2009
Encountering the deadly red palm weevil on a visit to the War Graves Cemetery at Faliron

On a lovely November morning the Greek Branch visited the War Graves Cemetery at Faliron. We were given an interesting and informative tour by the people who take care of the cemetery. It is immaculately kept and the simplicity and harmony of the planting create a beautiful setting for the graves. The planting has changed in recent years from roses and honeysuckle to less demanding mediterranean plants that can cope with our climate and still look happy all the year round. We enjoyed seeing the nursery, bursting at the seams with plants in all stages of growth, and admired the machinery and well-kept tool shed, housed in an old building with some of its original tiled flooring still in situ.

Just before leaving our attention was drawn to a brownish-red weevil on the side of the road. This is Rhynchophorus ferrugineus, commonly known as the red palm weevil, whose larvae are responsible for the death of many palm trees. We were told that near the top of an infested palm it is possible to hear the larvae at work, crunching their way through the tender part of the tree. At pupation each larva builds a cocoon of palm fibres in leaf litter at the base of the tree. The newly hatched adults continue to feed on the tree but do less damage than the larvae. Major symptoms such as crown loss or leaf wilt are usually only visible long after the palm has become infected, and by this time the damage is usually sufficient to kill the tree.
Barbara Diamantides.

Rhynchophorus ferrugineus

With its cocoon of palm fibres

Photos by Vina Michaelidis

October 2009
A visit to Ancient Messini by the Greek Branch's Peloponnese group

Unsure about the wisdom of setting forth on such a rainy day but unwilling to let others down, we met at the museum of Ancient Messini situated on the western edge of the village of Mavromati. This proved a wise choice as it provided shelter – as well as unexpected business for the museum staff.

Hopes of seeing clumps of Sternbergia sicula and Colchicum whilst admiring the stupendous views from the top of Mount Ithome were soon dashed by the inclement weather. However, a break in the rain allowed a close examination of the impressive Arcadian Gate, which was part of a defensive wall that stretched 9 km around the ancient town of Messini. A walk to another section of the wall provided opportunities to climb and examine the structure in more detail. Here we found blackberries and small crunchy wild apples, and even a few field mushrooms. Verbascum sinuatum was still in flower, distinguishable by its bright yellow flowers with red filament hairs. Colourful clumps of Cyclamen graecum and C. hederifolium drew our attention, and new shoots of lupins were also in evidence.

The rain had started again so we returned to Mavromati for lunch at a taverna overlooking the ancient site. Soon we were tucking into excellent roast pork and goat, accompanied by beer and wine. Alas, it was still raining when we had finished, but some hardy souls with umbrellas braved the weather to explore this fascinating and partially reconstructed site with its wonderful stadium and theatre.

Despite the rain new friendships were forged and old friendships reinforced which bodes well for the future health of our group. Our grateful thanks to Jeswyn and Martin Jones for organising such an enjoyable day.
Mary and John Hayes

May 2009
Weekend visit to Taygetos

Members of the Peloponnese group explored the area around the village of Anavriti, a once populous mountain village, nestling at 750m below the main peaks of the Taygetos with spectacular views of the Sparta plain and the mountains above, still partly snow-clad in May. The terrain was difficult but the rewards repaid the efforts it took to reach the the slopes below the snow line. Lilian Munby writes:

"Historically, the name Taygetos has grisly connotations. The ancient Spartans used to dispose of sickly babies and other unwanted humans by throwing them down the innumerable precipices in the vicinity. However, any dark thoughts that might hover in the modern mind are immediately dispelled when the magical natural beauty of this place takes its grip. 
 
From time to time, there were clearings from which we had amazing views, the Evrotas plain and the whole of Sparta lying way below and the Parnon mountains beyond. To the south, the Gulf of Lakonia could be detected on the horizon. In another direction, we caught a glimpse of the once glorious, long-abandoned city of Mystras, where the last Emperor of Byzantium was crowned. And above us we occasionally saw the higher slopes of the snow-capped Taygetos. Blue Campanula rupestris crept across the rock faces, while mauve C. andrewsii snuggled into corners.
 
We were getting hungry but had not yet reached the spot our leader had in mind for us to have our picnic. Then, suddenly, no one felt hungry at all. Someone had spotted a group of tulips (Tulipa orphanidea). The anticipation of lunch simply vanished. Examining a flower more closely, I saw that each red petal was delicately pointed and had a yellowish stripe along the centre of its length. The redness was enhanced by the contrasting black at the base of the interior, just visible from the outside between the petals. Imagine our delight when only seconds later a whole meadow full of the same tulip jumped into view! Without doubt this was the botanical highlight of the day, and those with cameras took full advantage of this fairytale photo opportunity

Minutes later, hunger pangs returned, but fortunately we were very close to our open-air dining room. This turned out to be an old threshing-floor, known in Greek as an aloni; a low wall remained around part of it and the crevices between the flat rocks that formed the circular floor were full of tasselled hyacinths (Muscari comosum)."

Nodding their little heads on the breeze.

Pale wild orchis, grape hyacinths and clover.

Wild tulip.

Ophrys sphegodes ssp spruneri.

Ophrys lutea.

Dactylorhiza romana.

Photos by Linda Reynolds

April 2009
Visit to Nisyros

After flying from Athens to Kos, members of the Greek Branch, joined by friends from the UK and Australian branches, set sail across a rough sea for the volcanic island of Nisyros. A wonderful programme was arranged by our hostess, an MGS member from Thessaloniki, whose knowledge and love of the island made our visit memorable.
 
The weather was uncertain in early April but the flowers were abundant and, to our great delight, our wild flower expert George Sfikas found the elusive Campanula nisyria. An excellent and comprehensive commentary on the island’s botany can be found on page 54 of The Mediterranean Garden No.56 ‘Wild Flowers in Greece: Nisyros’ by Ann Kenady.

Local guides Mike and Suzanne led us hither and thither and the historical and archaeological remains were as interesting as the island’s botany and geography. We marvelled at the ‘Crusader Castle’ and the construction of its walls, wandered through the remains of ancient village houses and wondered about the lives of people living in the shadow of a volcano many centuries ago. We were delighted to be able to visit the excellent newly-opened museum in Mandraki as well as the interesting exhibition of vulcanology in Nikia.  

A botanical slide show, given by George Sfikas in the Municipal Hall, thanks to the courtesy of the mayor, was well attended and we fielded quite a few questions.  ‘Interpretation and Symbolism of plant motifs on Attic pottery’ was the title of another interesting talk given by our Australian member.   

It was obvious, however, wherever we went, that the islanders can teach us a lot about water conservation and growing the right plants in the right places. The island has no natural source of water and interesting arrangements for catching rainwater, sometimes dating back to ancient times, are to be found on roof-tops and hillsides, throughout the island.

Happy memories of our days on Nisyros, enriched by the superb food, hospitality and kindness of the islanders and our hosts, will remain forever in our hearts.

The elusive Campanula nisyria

Echium plantagineum

Matthiola tricuspidata

Cytinus hypocistis

Arrival at Mandraki

Crater of the volcano

Flower arrangment at Nisyros

Aeonium sp

Photos by John Spantidakis and Barbara Diamantides.

March 2009
Visit to Kea

Our visit to Kea was in March when we found the countryside decked with anemones of every possible colour. Not just anemones but brilliant echiums, spectacular Ferula communis and scores of beautiful spring flowers and orchids too numerous to mention. 

The mayor kindly allowed us to use the new municipal hall for an excellent slide show given by Rena Karakatsani, who has lived on the island and loved its flowers for many years. From Rena’s interesting talk we gained an idea of the huge range of flowers to be found on Kea, their uses, and the myths associated with them.

Settlements have been discovered dating to 3300 B.C. and remains of no less than four temples. A visit to the museum with our knowledgeable and ecologically conscious host, Kostis Maroulis, of The Red Tractor Farm Guest House, was our introduction to the history of the island, known in ancient times as Hydroussa, (place of many waters), the birthplace of many figures who influenced the course of Greek history and the arts. 

Archaeology and botany went hand in hand as we walked the ancient kalderimi to the Temple of Apollo at Karthaia. Another walk took us from the outskirts of Ioulis to Otzia, passing the benign stone lion, the source of many legends but about which little is known.

The capital’s narrow streets are crowded with old houses – and tavernas that you feel have always been tavernas; it is easy to imagine the same streets peopled by islanders clinging to their hill-top village for safety from marauding pirates. 
  
Our visit concluded with a visit to Petra’s centuries-old house where she lives happily surrounded by her fascinating garden, lovingly created using mostly wild plants, bulbs and herbs, following a way of life that creates practically zero carbon emissions. 

We left with reluctance, feeling that there was a lot beneath the surface of this lovely island that might never be discovered. We hope we might soon return to this beautiful and interesting place.

Anemone coronaria

Ophrys argolica

Limonium vulgare

Footpath on Kea

This lion lives on Kea

All the colours of the rainbow

Lupinus micranthus

Petra's garden

Photos by Christian Lafauchez, Barbara Diamantides and Vina Michaelides.

July 2008
End of term

Our end of term was later than usual this year but the moon rose on schedule as we watched from Sparoza.

May 2008
Visit to Schinos

We had an interesting visit to the Rose Gardens at Schinos near Corinth and found the coast approaching Schinos so rich in flora that we must revisit the area at the same time of year.

May 2008
Cretan members meet

Cretan members met in May at a member's home where they admired a large collection of succulents and pot plants carefully labelled with details kept to hand for their care and identification. There’s a lesson for us! The next meeting for Cretan members will be on Sunday 5th October. 

May 2008
Southern Peloponnese group

The initial meeting of the Southern Peloponnese group in Kardamyli got off to a good start. They plan to meet twice yearly at different venues in Western Messinia, Mani and Lakonia. 

April 2008
Garden visit

Whenever we visit a member's garden we learn so much, as we did when we were kindly invited by Fleur Pavlidis' to see her very new garden, still under construction, which made it all the more interesting. Her use of plants and colours was a lesson to us all and the permission she gives nature to have its way creates very special effects - gazanias heightening the tones of poppies against a wall, mauve self-sown alliums waving above a sea of yellow daisies, nigella wending its way through the olive trees, tiny frogs in a pool with a plank to help them reach land - a wild-life garden with Health & Safety features - for the wildlife!

April 2008
Spring visit to the Peloponnese

The weather was not kind for our spring  visit to the Peloponnese.  However, suitably clad and led by George Sfikas we were delighted to find Tulipa goulimyi growing in profusion, Chrysanthi was the one to spot several fine examples of Fritillaria graeca. We saw many other interesting plants, defying the weather, as plants usually do. The arrangements made by George and Chrysanthi were excellent and a good time was had by all, beautifully rounded off by a visit of particular interest to the Olive Museum in Mistra. 

March 2008
Plant and Seed Exchange

Business was brisk at the spring Plant and Seed Exchange. Many  thanks to the ladies whose delicious cakes help to make these mornings such pleasant occasions. 

March 2008
A visit to the Ancient Agora

There was a good turnout of members for the visit to  the Ancient Agora and the interesting talk given by Landscape Architect Simon Rackham. We are grateful to the Elliniki Etaireia for opening specially for us.

February 2008
At Sparoza

All seats were taken for the  excellent slide show given by Makis Aperghis on "Bulbous Plants of Greece". Many of the pictures we saw illustrate the late Myrto Apergis’ book on the subject, available at bookshops in Athens

February 2008
Afternoon tea

It was hard to keep the talk  on horticultural subjects but a cup of tea at Barbara's home provided a good opportunity for a get-together.

Porto Heli in April

Members from England and Spain joined the Greek Branch Spring visit to Porto Heli, which was a resounding success thanks to the splendid arrangements made by local members in the area. We met at the Agnati Restaurant with spectacular views down to Palea Epidavros and across the sea towards Athens, walked round the doline at Didyma with huge overhanging bushes of Capparis spinosa clinging to its walls and continued through Fourni to eat our picnic lunch at a little white church next to the sea before walking to the Franchthi Cave. This is one of the oldest inhabited caves in Greece dating back to 20,000 BC, a most atmospheric spot conjuring up thoughts about what life must have been like so many millennia ago. The walk to the cave was rich with wild flowers including Ruta graveolens (rue) and beautiful pink Cistus - but was it C. crispus, or C. albidus, or C. creticus? We must go back to check!

In Porto Heli we saw some wonderful gardens and breathtaking vistas of wild flowers in the surrounding countryside. We were too late to see tulips but found Gladiolus byzantinus and fields of Muscari comosum (tassel hyacinth). After visiting the ancient Acropolis of Halieis, we visited the old monastery of Ag. Dimitrios at Pelei, another atmospheric spot with Iris cretensis scattered everywhere.  Campanula andrewsii was clinging to the rocks in glorious profusion and Alyssum saxatile grew from cracks in the rocks, a wonderful rock garden.  Views down the valley and birds nesting in the cliffs nearby stay in the mind's eye. We left with the warmest impression of the wonderful hospitality of friends and members in the area.   

Photographs by Linda Reynolds

Hydra in May

The Greek Branch had an early start for its day in Hydra, an island in the Saronic Gulf. Our tireless hostess, who had arranged our itinerary down to the finest detail, was much more practiced at negotiating the stepped streets than we were, but following her as our Pied Piper we saw courtyard gardens lovingly created to make the most of space available and incorporating wonderful views through windows and archways.

As we walked the cobbled streets it became obvious that literally anything that takes root, whether friend or foe, and no matter where it grows, is eagerly welcomed and looked after: succulents on a roof, capers on a wall, 'weeds' in corners - even a mirror propped behind to increase their impact - or was it a happy accident? Gardens, walls and doorways are beautified with interesting pieces of sculpture, ironwork, and... flotsam, as can be expected of Hydra's colony of artists.

Our group grew as friends joined in and opened yet more gardens for our delight. We learned a lot about Hydra's history and its famous families from the beautifully presented collection in the Historical Archives Museum of Hydra and the Monastery of the Dormition of the Virgin, which houses the island's Town Hall and, in the monastery museum, a stunning display of ecclesiastical artifacts and vestments.

MGS stall wins award

Kifissia's 52nd Flower Show opened at the end of April with a brilliant burst of fireworks. At the opening ceremony we were delighted to find that the Mediterranean Garden Society stall had been awarded a trophy by the Mayor of Kifissia, Mr Nikos Hiotakis; it depicts a charming silver wreath of pomegranates encircling the traditional horse-drawn cart for which Kifissia is famous.

The winning stall shared with the Goulandris Natural History Museum.
Photograph by Barbara Diamantides

Members of the Greek branch manned the stall for four days from 28th April to 1st May. The weather was disappointing, May Day was not being its usual sunny self, but nevertheless the Flower Show seemed to be the venue of choice for most Athenians. It was literally standing room only and crowds came to buy plants, watch the dancing, listen to the singers and, sadly, get soaked in the heavy afternoon rain. We received lots of enquiries at the Society's stand and it was fun to see people recognising the pomegranate, Punica granatum at our entrance and eyeing the distinctly non-mediterranean Bilbergia nutans. A fragrant basket of herbs caused a lot of interest (and wild guesses as to its contents) as did Sally's beautiful wild flower arrangement. This year we shared our table with the Goulandris Natural History Museum and their lovely posters and drawings were much admired. Our helpers did a wonderful job and deserve medals for sticking to their post in such inclement conditions.

The people of Athens are genuinely fond of plants, as a glance at any balcony verifies, and this year's Flower Show offered a lot more than potted plants. Nick Thymakis, the Show's Horticultural Consultant and MGS member, put together a programme of talks on different botanical subjects every day for the two weeks' of the show and it was heartening to see many people gathered for each presentation. The Show will close on 14th May, Mother's Day, with a Blood Donor's session at 10 a.m. - the Flower Show has indeed matured and the organisers are to be congratulated on the scope of this year's programme.

Kardamyli in April

Our spring event in the Mani was full of interest, we saw an amazing range of spring flowers which were at their peak. We enjoyed visiting interesting old churches in the area as well as the excellent new museum in the old part of Kardamyli. Fellow members in the area welcomed us to their gardens and we returned home resolving to do better with our own.

To see these and other photos from our visit click here.

February at Thorikos

Silver was Athens' source of wealth from the 6th Century BC and was mined by slaves near to present day Lavrion.

Some flowers were already displaying their colours in February when the Greek Branch visited the ancient silver mines and Mycenean tomb at Thorikos, with Marianne to tell us about this historic site. Muscari, Ornithogalum, Anemone pavonina, brilliant red A. coronaria, deep blue Anchusa arvensis, Arisarum vulgare and Aubrieta deltoidea were just making an appearance after the cold weather of January and early February. A hawk overhead noted his disapproval of our intrusion and tiny flickerings in the grass showed that lizards and grasshoppers appreciated the beautiful day as much as we did.

Photographs by Davina Michaelidou

Visit to Rhamnous

Sally led the search for spring flowers which had not been encouraged by the recent heavy rains, snowfalls and cold conditions. However we did come across wonderful scarlet anemones, globe hyacinths, anchusa, orchids, including Barlia robertiana and lots of edible asparagus...eagerly snapped up by the naturalists in the party. We repaired to a nearby taverna where the group which had not armed themselves with sandwiches made do with fresh squid and salad.
All text by Barbara Diamantides

Sally Razelou triumphantly finding wild asparagus amongst
the Pistacia terebinthus at Rhamnous in February.
Photograph by Barbara Diamantides

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