Pelekas Hilltop

Pelekas

The value of this garden is its situation. It’s a garden that frames and embraces the 360-degree views: across the island to Corfu Town, the Channel and the Epirus mountains, hill villages of Central Corfu, the West Coast shoreline N and S, and the open Ionian Sea. In the foreground close to the house, the village of Pelekas.

 I came to own the property 5 years ago and found, several beautiful mature trees, the hardscape, terracing and paved paths already constructed; I replaced the existing struggling lawns with pebbled areas and graveled paths, and opened up the veranda (W) to sea views by removing railings.

 The most striking plant feature was, and still is, the entry walkway bordered with Agapanthi and covered with Bougainvillia. The area above it I lined with bearded irises (my horticultural weakness—a collection of many years moved from my previous garden) both imported from specialist nurseries and transplanted from the wild.

In the area SW of the house I adjusted the stone terracing to sink in the lap pool and surrounded it with low care plantings and my spreading Iris pallida.

The house, built in 1909 is of a French style—Biarritz Art nouveau, though it fits into the Corfu landscape surprisingly well. I was careful to design the plantings accordingly, keeping the immediate area (including the façade) geometrical and symmetrical, with architectural plants (Cycads, Sterlitzia, clipped box) and mixing in free-form mediterranean shrubs and perennials as it spreads out to merge with the surrounding landscapes.

May Wreath
See how spring flowers are composed to create a wreath and get answers from Cali, the owner of the garden, about the procedure.

You can create your own wreath at home following Cali’s  instructions. See here.

Traditionally on May 1st, long before it became associated with International Workers’ Day, Greece celebrated the true arrival of spring. Families would head into the countryside to picnic, gather wildflowers, and spend the day immersed in nature. A cherished ritual of the day is the making of a floral wreath. Using freshly picked flowers, herbs, and greenery, the wreath is woven by hand and hung on the front door or balcony as a symbol of renewal and good fortune.

Traditionally, the wreath remains in place until St. John’s Day on June 22nd, when it is burned in a midsummer bonfire, marking the passing of spring and the height of summer.

Parking:
There is parking available on the street at the entrance to the house. Please do not park at the bus stop.