Archives: 2008 February

photo credit: natashavora

Welcome to this new site.  Cyprus Gardening is an online magazine published by the Editor of The Cyprus Informer. 

To ask a question here all you have to do is Register, Login and then just open up this full article to post your question.

The Cyprus Informer publishes property and finance news.  Gardens can add much value to the quality of our lives and added financial value to our homes.  In the Cyprus climate the outdoor is part of our homes.

I also have a very keen interest in the Natural History of Cyprus and the vegetation of the Mediterranean.  

photo credit: johnthurm

Most people wish to have a green garden replete with large lawns similar to those in other regions of the world. Perhaps this is exacerbated in Cyprus, which is one of the world’s more arid areas. We all have have a penchant for instant gratification, and when applied to gardening, the planting of tropical plants and vast lawns provides a quick solution, but a “noisy”, rather uniform look. Entire neighbourhoods look almost identical, with little or no space left for imagination. Millions of philodendrons, yuccas and tropical palms have been planted everywhere, with consequential over-consumption of precious water. What then is the alternative? The answer is quite simple:

photo credit: RobW_

My selection for a mediterranean garden would be:

Jasmin and honeysuckle trained on a high horizontal trellis to provide shade

Bougainvilleas, Citrus, Pomegranate and Olive treesBasil (small leafed bushy basil used for rubbing your hands on, not for cooking)

photo credit: hortulus

A Dryscape is all about planting and gardening with water conservation in mind. A good idea in Cyprus. Cheaper and sympathetic to local cuture.Although a drought tolerant garden requires less water, it still needs regular watering. But you will water less frequently, and most drought tolerant plants are hardy and can handle the stress of less water quite well.You will find a list of common drought tolerant plants that are available in Cyprus below. PLANTING YOUR DROUGHT TOLERANT GARDEN

photo credit: hortulus

Contrary to the popular image of a water saving landscape consisting solely of cacti in a dusty area of rocks and pebbles, drought-tolerant Mediterranean natives are very attractive. If you are prepared to follow a few simple steps, with little water, expense and labour, an evergreen flowering garden throughout the year will be yours.Plan your garden - Locate permanent elements and determine which plants need water. There may not be more than a few in an otherwise drought-tolerant area. A well-planned garden has pronounced horizontal lines. They give structure to the garden and prevent erosion. Consider winds and their drying out effect and find out where protection is essential. Create plant cover and shade - Evergreen vegetation retains soils, protecting it year-round from dehydration. A lush plant cover suppresses competing weeds. Shade is nature’s way of keeping down leaves’ transpiration. Shade attenuates sun reflection, decreases evaporation from the soil, protects soil, retains air humidity and refreshes the air.

photo credit: Rita Willaert

photo credit: ρiXo

Drip, or trickle, irrigation ?

A dripper Water is delivered at or near the root zone of plants, drop by drop. This type of system can be the most water-efficient method of irrigation, if managed properly, since evaporation and runoff are minimized. In modern agriculture, drip irrigation is often combined with plastic mulch, further reducing evaporation, and being also the means of delivery of fertilizer. The process is known as fertigation.

photo credit: templar1307

The Mediterranean climate takes its name from the sea which is one of its dominant traits. Its outstanding features are its hot and dry summers with mild winters bringing variable amounts of rain. A short spring and lengthy autumn are transition seasons. Mean summer temperatures range from 22 - 27 degrees centigrade, but midday temperatures in July and August easily reach or exceed 35 degrees, especially inland. Mean temperatures in January, our mean coldest month, range mostly from 5 - 10 degrees, but may drop to freezing and below.