LINDOS VILLA MEDITTERANEAN GARDENS

Read all about the design, creation and our ongoing plans to evolve the gardens of the villa into something special....

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 been the most satisfying and enjoyable. But this now has to be an ongoing labour of love as we learn about and nurture this new (to us) field 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…

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. And we are still learning so expect some casualties along the way! 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 make you realise that establishing the 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 allowing 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 drive gardens and the 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.

With the gardens at Villa Lindos Kalliopi our intentions are to capture the summery hedonistic atmosphere that Greece / Rhodes offers. You need to lose yourself in the garden, enjoying all the plants and scenery around you.

All across Rhodes (and of particular note at the nearby areas of Lindos and Kalithea) you will find magnificent pebble designs embedded onto the ground. This "Lindian pebble design" is also known as Dodecanese mosaics and they form a carpet of patterns that instantly add charm and we were keen to add our own tribute to this, so within this garden you will find a small area featuring this design. This is our own, freehand, attempt to add a touch of historic Rhodes within the gardens. It is a very intricate and slow process to complete but we will do more eventually.

Quite quickly this new garden is establishing and we hope you enjoy the results. But remember this garden is still in its infancy and this is just the opening chapter of this garden. Every time we visit we plan to work on it, adding 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 in 2008. We have big plans for 2009 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

The front garden / drive has a couple of borders including this one. Roses form the main collection of planting here, with a Banana plant surviving the winter & flourishing in the summer. Other planting in this area includes a small Fig tree & Hibiscus.

A long border takes you from the front to the pool terrace: Olive, Orange & Lemon trees planted to eventually form an orchard alongside other exotics. A young Palm has been added + Yucca & Bottle Brush trees to create some shade near the barbeque area.

A spacious lawn area at the end of the garden takes guests to the edge of the panoramic views....

Colour is important and this purple succulent adds some nice contrasts to the cream of the floor tiles.

An element of self sufficiency creeps in as, in time, we will be able to pick our own produce off many of the plants - including from this Chili plant !

No such thing as a slow growing Cacti here! Several varieties have been planted and are growing with much expedience. This one has quadrupled in size over the summer.

Colourful, flowering ground cover succulents are amongst our favorite additions. They contrast nicely with the gravel / pebble borders & enhance the stone wall bordering the villa.

Ornaments and natural stone are mixed in within the planting to add a few nice surprises.

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