News from the Gardens of Philodassiki | Spring 2025
March 20: Unstable weather.
It’s the warmest March on record, yet today we’re dressed for winter again. Nature, however, is fully on the path to spring, despite the minimal rainfall over the past months.
Taking the lead are the asphodels (Asphodelus ramosus), standing beautifully in various spots around the garden. Sadly, their presence also indicates poor soil quality, as they flourish by the hundreds where the land is no longer cultivated. Most of the garden soil here is indeed poor and unimaginably rocky. Still, there are also shadier spots with lush vegetation and some moisture.
Among the most beautiful flowers already in bloom is the Fritillaria rhodocanakis—bell-shaped, black with a touch of yellow at the edges—standing out vividly amidst the greenery. It multiplies slowly over the years here, but I’ve seen entire stretches covered with these stunning plants on a Cycladic island.
Also dressed in black and green are the, already bloomed, Iris tuberosa (formerly Hermodactylus tuberosus), resembling small irises. All around, there are countless anemones, white and yellow daisies, pink Silene, and purple Muscari (the familiar edible bulbs).
Wherever we planted Iberis sempervirens, it has thrived—without a harsh winter, it was in bloom nearly all year round. I also spotted the first Tulipa saxatilis tulips—pink with a hint of yellow—scattered across the garden. I was delighted to see our sole Globularia alypum successfully transplanted from another part of the mountain, full of flowers. I mention this because just outside the garden fence, these flourish wonderfully! Besides that one plant, the rest of our transplant attempts have failed, much to my disappointment. It’s one of the few plants that thrives under pines, and in Alsos Syngrou there are countless ones. Its name comes from its intense blue-purple, round blossoms, from the Latin word “globulus,” meaning “little globe”.
The Medicago arborea is also in bloom—an essential food source for animals and a natural soil-enricher thanks to its nitrogen-fixing ability. A very useful trait, although in smaller gardens, it needs careful monitoring as it spreads easily.
Some of the trees are already showing signs that winter is ending—though sometimes they’re a bit too optimistic and suffer when a cold snap hits. Prunus divaricata and Pyrus spinosa (wild pear) are flowering, and many others, like the linden tree (Tilia), are preparing to unfold their leaves.
The garden, however, has been overwhelmed early on by yellow wood sorrel (Oxalis stricta), which manages to sprout even through the thickest plants. It’s a real weed—removal is only possible by hand. I get the impression it was particularly aggressive this year, even into mid-January.
The tortoises have made their appearance too. Hopefully, their visits to the garden will be a bit more limited this year!
That’s all for now from our Botanical Garden.
Sophia Stathatou | Curator of the Botanical Garden
