A PHYSIC GARDEN
ON CRETE
Our aromatic and medicinal herb garden is a sanctuary to cultivate our relationships with plants for healing, education and explorations.
"It is a privilege to assist people and plants in connecting more deeply and to capacitate a transformative dance where plant and human essence touch one another."
At our aromatic hillside, we enjoy being and working with the generous beauty and healing capacity of Nature. It’s a private physic garden where we invite you to witness our aromatic work and meet our fragrant wonderland.
The main gardens reach an altitude of around 350 meters stretching across terraces and slopes, and has over the years expanded from a field of Damask roses into a great biodiversity of aromatic and medicinal plants, becoming both our apothecary gardens and a living aromatic classroom. This distinguished land can be seen from a far as standing out from the pretty image of never-ending olive orchards that usually populate the region and produce one of the highest quality and finest extra virgin olive oil the area is known for.
Once covered by olive trees of the Psillos family, over a decade ago Yiannis Psillos – a teacher of homoeopathy, therapist and farmer – decided to realise his long-time dream and started planting Damask roses on the slopes. The gift of his commitment, dedication, and passion for the ever-changing phases of working with the land all year around is transmitted by the beauty and the most exquisite fragrance of the roses that come into blossom year and year again.
With a shared passion for Nature, Plants and teaching their therapeutic gifts, Ildiko join Yiannis in 2022 and together they embraced their vision transforming the land into a working apothecary garden. Today, the gardens has a flow of blossoming life following seasons with innumerable plant species. Beyond the 1000 exquisite bushes of Damask Roses, we currently count over 100 species of aromatic and medicinal plants.
WHAT WILL YOU FIND
IN OUR FRAGRANT GARDENS ON CRETE?
Since Crete has a lovely climate, there is an abundance of plants all year around and, technically-speaking, there is literally no time period when you would not find plant companions to work with.
Some plants – for such as Rose geranium (Pelargonium graveolens), Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus), Bay laurel (Laurus nobilis), Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus), even Cistus (Cistus creticus) – can be observed throughout the year and harvested at multiple periods.
From late January to March arrives one of the local Greek Sages (Salvia fruticosa), along with a multitude of gorgeous wild flowers. We also like to gather Nettles and other non-aromatic plants. It is the season of enjoying the Citrus tress blossoming. From April there is local Lavender (Lavandula stoechas), more Citrus blossoms, and if we are lucky, it is the time to harvest and distill the most magnificent Neroli (Citrus aurantium var. amara flos), the flowers of the bitter orange tree. The abundance of spring brings the expansion of Helichrysum stoechas and the flowering of our Damask roses.
May marks the opportunity to meet and greet many of the endemics around the corner such as Oregano (Origanum onites) and local Yarrow (Achillea cretica). It is also the start out of following others: Helichrysum varieties, Lemon verbena (Aloysia citrodora), Melissa (Melissa officinalis), Clary sage (Salvia sclarea), Salvia pomifera, Myrtle (Myrtus communis).
Summer months on Crete are for Winter savoury (Satureja thymbra), Thyme (Thymus capitatus), and Dittany (Origanum dictamnus). Also Sweet fennel, You can get your hands sticky with the sweet resin of Cistus. From August onwards comes Wild carrot (Daucus carota ssp. maxima), then Chastetree or monk’s pepper (Vitex agnus-castus) later in autumn months. Of course, there are many wonderful aromatic tress such as Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus camaldulensis), Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens var. horizontalis), Juniper (Juniperus phoenicea), and many more. We have such a biodiversity, so this is strictly just a few ideas.