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Image: Front entrance and drive to Villa Lindos Kalliopi, Greek neoclassicism is represented by a plaque of the goddess Athena
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Creating a Mediterranean Garden at Villa Lindos Kalliopi was just as important as getting the interior correct. In fact since January 2008 (when the work began on creating the garden) this aspect has continued to be the most satisfying and enjoyable. Over two years in and it is clear this is now an ongoing labour of love as we learn about and nurture this new (to us) type of gardening. All we have ever learnt about plants in the UK is virtually redundant as we embark on an exciting scheme discovering how to make a garden on Rhodes flourish…
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But just how can you turn an empty garden space of rubble remnants (from the finished development) into a Mediterranean garden? A nice villa is one thing, but without a fine garden it is not a place to call home, nor would it be a place we want to share with others.
A collection of plants is no more a garden than a collection of words can be considered to be poetry. Creating a garden to cope with a Mediterranean climate takes a lot of time, planning, execution and an ongoing commitment to offer great care to those gardens.
Making a garden that will last for a long time also requires some knowledge as to how to go about it. As we learn we have had a few casualties along the way - but actually very few! At Villa Lindos Kalliopi we are positioned very close to the sea so this itself limits some specimens we can use. What is also, in some aspects, limiting is a summer temperature that can be in excess of + 40C. Those two key conditions have made us realise that establishing this garden takes some determination and time to discover what works and what does not. Of course the temperatures also very much work in our favor, the heat and regular sunshine have allowed planting the likes of which we can rarely attempt in the U.K. The speed of growth some of the plants have achieved is staggering, noticeably increased by the climate.
Big differences also exist between a “garden in the Mediterranean” and a “Mediterranean garden”. The former is unlikely to have been built to last and it simply will not last. The latter is built to be durable and will mature into something very special, not ignoring climate but embracing it.
What we want at Villa Lindos Kalliopi is a Mediterranean garden that is lush, exotic with a laid back appearance and appeal. The front entrance gardens and the rear garden spaces either side of the pool terrace need to be a perfect antidote / retreat from the hectic pace of life we find ourselves in when we are all working hard. We want it to be a heavenly place for ourselves and also for our guests who choose the villa for a relaxing holiday.
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With the gardens at Villa Lindos Kalliopi our intention has been to capture the summery hedonistic atmosphere that Greece / Rhodes offers. You need to lose yourself in the garden, enjoying all the plants, pots and scenery around you.
All across the Dodecanese islands (and on Rhodes notably at the nearby areas of Lindos and Kalithea) you will find magnificent pebble mosaic designs embedded into the ground. The correct name for this is Krokalia (in Greek meaning "the back of a crocodile" - because of the resemblances) and they form a carpet of patterns that instantly add charm. We were keen to add our own tribute to this - so within this garden, close to the Greek chimney barbecue, you will find a small area featuring our own design of Krokalia (see picture above). This is our own, freehand, attempt to add a little touch of historic Rhodes within the gardens. It is a very intricate and slow process to complete but we plan to do more late 2010.
Over our first two years of planting we have introduced trees such as Olive, Orange and Lemon, small alpines, a Banana plant, Kumquat, Cacti, Bottle brush tree, Strelitzia (Bird of Paradise), Fig tree, Palm tree, Rubber tree and Bouganvilla. An assortment of low growing succulents are also a key component of this garden and in particular the ice plant (Lampranthus)- this dense and compact plant has a rich green leaf and will flower in the spring / early summer with flowers that almost give a "cottage garden" feel with some really intense colours - a simple, low maintenance plant and one of our favorite additions.
Another favorite is the Purple Heart (Tradescantia Pallida) that started off as a potted plant but has proved so striking with its deep purple stem / leaf and small lavender blooms that we could not resist taking cuttings to mix this around the garden to spread (picture further down on this page).
Cacti in borders and in pots are well represented too and this includes the prickly pear which is already producing an unusual, decorative, red fruit.
Roses, less in favor with gardeners in such climates over the past few years, are also proving to be a success and the varieties we have included are a welcome addition to this garden (see picture below). In the Classical period Rhodes was renowned as a major cultivator of the Rose, so it is fitting that they form an integral part in the creation of our gardens.
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The garden is now framed more than it was originally, with some bold architectural statements such as increased use of the stunning stone walls that surround the garden, a large, decorative trellis fence and garden gate - much needed, we felt, for separating the front garden from the rear garden. This surrounding fence of cream trellis has a fragrant jasmine climbing its way through, with the small gaps becoming a portal - a means to glimpse more of the gardens, the pool, the mountains and the sea views that the rear of the villa enjoys...
Thrillingly this new garden is establishing at great speed and we hope you enjoy the results. The opening chapter of this garden is now complete and much is to be enjoyed marvelling at the speed it has matured. Although coming out of its infancy the gardens will be nurtured further and we will be adding to and rearranging the planting until we get it just right. And after each planting session it is bliss to sit down to sip a glass of wine, admiring the new plants in their new home overlooking the bay of Vlicha.
Below is a taster of what has been achieved this past couple of years. We have ongoing plans for 2011 and beyond. We hope you enjoy our efforts so far and if you can offer any advice on helping create this garden by all means share it with us....
Philip & Peter
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Image: Planting also includes large decorative oil jars
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Image: A visitor to the villa, January 2009
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