MAZOTOS might be famous for its Camel Park but it is becoming increasingly visited by those who enjoy looking at modern sculptures in a garden setting. Petreon Sculpture Park, created by artist Savvas Koulendros and his wife Stavroulla Mbirou-Koulendrou, is situated close to the sea. Surrounded by fertile fields and edged by ancient carob trees, through which Egyptian shepherds herd flocks of sheep during the autumn, this garden is an oasis of peace and quiet. The silence is only broken by the tinkling of the many wind chimes throughout the garden, where some very fine statues are inter-planted with hundreds of cactus and succulent plants.
The park is the culmination of a dream that former building constructor and Lysi-born Savvas had while building more orthodox structures. Now retired from business, his hobby has become his whole being as he creates larger than life-size sculptures without even drawing them out on paper first. Not content with that, he has also built a small chapel in the grounds filled with icons reflecting art in the Byzantine tradition. His statues are powerful and full of meaning, drawing on past history and events, carved out of the many different stones to be found round and about Cyprus.
His wife Stavroulla is a latter day painter and responsible for some of the icons in the chapel. She also likes to work in mosaics and some of her tabletop works are to be seen in the refreshment area. However, her real passion is for cacti and succulent plants and she has over 200 different varieties, all of which appear to grow naturally throughout the garden. Tenderly nurtured and fed by her, they are the envy of many a cactus fan. Drooling with flowers, many of which are out at this time of year, they soften the harshness of the paths and walls along with the many other endemic plants.
This delightful couple enjoy showing off their extraordinary garden to visitors and all who go there are assured of a warm welcome. For details on how to get there and opening hours go to their comprehensive website (www.petreonsculptures.com). The garden is well signed between Mazotos and Zygi.
WHAT TO DO IN THE GARDEN THIS MONTH
Many succulents will begin to flower in your gardens too this month with lots more to come as the season progresses. Stems fill with the winter rains and the flower buds burst into glorious bloom again. Grown in shade, aeoniums produce very dark coloured leaves but in full sun they will remain green. In just a few weeks the wonderful flower heads will appear atop them. Crassula capitella ‘Campfire’ will have long stems of tiny flower heads, while that ‘Grand Dame’ of many cactus gardens, Aloe ferox, will be sending up enormous flower stems.
Fruit and nut trees need attention this month. We recommend 20.10.10 fertiliser in December but it is becoming difficult to find in some areas, so if you cannot see it in your garden centre or garden chemical shop use something with similar numbering. Sprinkle 900g around the base of mature trees but away from the trunk, and 300g for small trees. The rain will do the rest. Most Cypriot soil is so lacking in nutrients that in order to have a plentiful supply of fruit it is necessary to feed it three times a year.
Now that the leaves have fallen or are falling from your prunus trees – that’s almonds, cherries, plums, peaches and nectarines – you can do some pruning before the almonds in particular burst into early bloom. Prune off any dead, diseased or crossing branches and keep the trunk of the tree clear of any growths. It makes sense to keep the tree to a manageable height so that you can crop the fruit easily, as almonds especially can put on a lot of growth during the growing season. You can also tidy up fig trees and pomegranates while you have the pruning tools out.
Citrus fruits should be ripening and mandarins are usually ready well in advance of Christmas. As the fruits colour up and the peel softens a little, the dreaded Mediterranean Fruit Flies will be on the look out for places in which to lay their eggs. These will quickly turn into white maggots that will grow, drop to the ground and pupate there, eventually turning into flies! It takes only 20 days from the egg to a mature egg laying adult fly. You may notice puncture marks on any soft bit of skin through which the fly has laid its eggs and the grubs have left the fruit to pupate. Don’t bury infected fruit in the ground as you are providing an ideal place for the grubs to incubate. If you don’t like to spray, then hang lots of sticky yellow cards among your trees to catch the flies.
You may find that there are imported packaged roses and shrubs in the garden centres now. Take care when buying them and really inspect them well. Sometimes the growths are very weak and although our winter temperatures do not fall as low as in northern Europe, they are unlikely to do well in the coming months. However, if you are tempted then give the plant a good soak in a bucket of water when you get it home. Cut off any dead or dying roots, leaving only good healthy ones, which you should shorten. Put some slow-release fertiliser or bone meal (if you can get some) into the bottom of the planting hole, spreading out the roots as you plant and fill in with some good garden soil. Prune the stems down to about 6 or 7cm and firmly tread into the ground.
Bulbs should be starting to show through the ground now and some people may have had early narcissus flowers already. Freesias tend to send up masses of foliage ahead of their flowering time, especially if they are in pots, but you shouldn’t see their flowers until February or March. You may also find that tiny cyclamen are flowering in sheltered spots. Just look at the intricate patterns on their leaves – they are all so intricate and different. Violets may also be appearing in shady spots or under a tree canopy. They dislike the heat of a Cyprus summer but amazingly re-appear in the cool of the year.
Poinsettias are readily available from early in the month and become the centre of attraction in many homes. They are very fussy plants, not liking draughts or too much sun, so don’t buy one from an outdoor display as they may have been subjected to December winds and low temperatures. When you get them home take off the cellophane wrapping carefully and soak the plant in a bowl of water. Beware of any leaves that break off as they exude a milky sap, which you may be allergic to. Place them in a light place but not on a windowsill. When the soil feels dry again put the pot in a bowl of water and leave it to stand until it becomes damp to the touch. With care they will certainly last until after the festive season. In some older gardens you may find Poinsettia trees growing. Their flower bracts are longer that the potted variety. Normally red in colour, potted poinsettias are now also available in creams and pretty pinks.
The UK media reports that poinsettia growers in the UK are in danger of going out of business. The high energy costs during the intensive and long growing period of these former Mexican native plants make them unprofitable, compared to those grown in countries such as the Netherlands, where government heating subsidies help growers keep the costs low. We are lucky in Cyprus that our warmer climate does not hinder growth during this crucial period, so enjoy them while they are comparatively cheaper than elsewhere.
Plant of the Month – Euphorbia milii
EUPHORBIA milii is a woody, succulent plant originally found growing in Madagascar. It is sometimes known as the Crown of Thorns or the Siamese Lucky Plant. In Cyprus it is mostly grown outdoors in pots. The Euphorbia family, sometimes known as spurges, contains some 2,008 species ranging from annuals to perennials, most of which can tolerate a wide range of temperatures and many different soil condition
s. One of the most well known plants in the family is the Poinsettia.
Euphorbia milii is ideal for seaside gardens as salt laden winds, and/or salty soils have little effect on them. If a stem is broken off then a milky sap will ooze from the wound. This sap can be highly irritating and poisonous if ingested, so always wear thick gloves when dealing with the plant. There are also vicious looking spines along the stems, which can pierce the skin but they are a very handsome bush with soft green leaves, and the red, pink, yellow or cream flowers, known as bracts, bloom almost constantly.
Propagation is by stem cuttings or by seed, if any appear. Cuttings should be allowed to dry and callous before planting in a pot of coarse compost. They can be grown in sun or shade and are drought tolerant, only needing to be watered when the soil has dried out. Trim the stems occasionally to keep the plant in good health. After trimming and occasionally throughout the growing season, feed the plant with an all round liquid fertiliser.
