Philodassiki Botanic Garden

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Greece - Athens

Institution Code: KAIS

BGCI Member: No

Spring at Kaisariani Botanical Garden
Spring at Kaisariani Botanical Garden

About the Philodassiki Botanic Garden

The Botanic Garden which was established in 1947 within a site offered by the adjoining Monastery, had been collected initially 200 species of plants, a number which remained the same during the past years. The years went by, the priorities of PH.E.A. changed, mainly due to a lack of funds, and the Garden turned "wild" in a very specific way. This gives it today its particular charm and natural character. This natural character we are attempting to preserve in view of the Garden's improvement to be achieved with the addition of more plants.

The Botanic Garden of Philodassiki displays many elements of the Mediterranean eco-systems: it has a rich paeonia vegetation, consisting of large bushes and certain coniferous, which are mostly evergreens. Another important element of the Garden are its brush bushes, which are characteristic of the dry bush vegetation of the Mediterranean landscape. In these spaces, which at a first appear to be barren , grows a great number and variety of flora, which includes perennials, annuals and bulbs; these give a brief but striking floriferous look to the garden, mainly during Spring.

In addition certain sites, with deeper and more humid soil, such as the ones in proximity of a small stream which crosses the Garden, encourage the growth of more mountain plants requiring increased humidity.

Main Address:
Philodassiki Botanic Garden
Herodotou 10
Athens
GR 106 75 Greece

Telephone: +30 210 7220866
Fax: +30 210 7295628
URL: www.philodassiki.org
Primary Email: gofas@philodassiki.org

Staff Details

  • Director's Name: Mr Michael G. Melas
    Curator's Name: Mr. G.Karetsos
    Plant Records Officer's Name: Mr Nicholas Pangas
  • Total Staff:
    Horticultural Staff Number: 2
    Educational Staff Number:
    Research Staff Number:
    Administration Staff Number: 1

About the Garden

  • Institution Type: Botanic Garden
  • Status
  • Status: Private: Yes
  • Date founded: 1947
  • Physical Data
  • Total Area: 1 Hectares
    Latitude: 37.9924
    Longitude: 23.7378
    Annual Rainfall: 400 mm
    Altitude: 360.00 Metres
  • Locality: Information
  • Locality: Garden Name: ΒΟΤΑΝΙΚΟΣ ΚΗΠΟΣ ΑΙΣΘΗΤΙΚΟΥ ΔΑΣΟΥΣ ΚΑΙΣΑΡΙΑΝΗΣ
  • Local Address: Mount Hymettus by Kessariani Monastery
  • Locality: City: Athens
  • Locality: State:

Features and Facilities

  • Herbarium: Yes
  • Seed Bank: No
    Published Plant Catalogue: Yes
    Computer Plant Record System: Yes
  • Open to public: No
    Friends society: Yes
    Retail Outlet: Plant Sales: Yes

Plant Collections

  • Special Collections:Plant presentation

    Due to the existing structure of the Garden, the plants are displayed mostly in an "ecological" manner. That is the plants are placed according to their natural demands, such as soil, light and orientation: the cactus (chasmophytes) in-between rocks, the brush bushes at barren, rocky, sunny places, the more mountain varieties and plain growing plants at richer and irrigated sites, the plants of the mountain forest at shady and cool locations. However whenever possible we group the speciles of one genus, such as all the digitalis, the peonies or centauries in order that one can make comparisons. This however is not possible for the species whose demands differ: The Salvia triloba and the Salvia pomifera can only survive in dry soils, while Salvia sclarea and Salvia pratensis demand cool spaces and water. Additionally, as charming as the concentration of plants by geographical regions may appear, it has been proven difficult, because due to the great variety of the landscape one can find seashore as well as alpine plants within a small area and at a radius of only a few kilometres.

Conservation Programmes

  • Medicinal Plant Programme: No
    Reintroduction Programme: Yes

Research Programmes

  • Biotechnology: No
    Plant Breeding: Yes
    Conservation - Biology: No
    Conservation - Genetics: No
    Molecular Genetics: No
    Pollination Biology: No

Education Programmes

  • Visitor/Education Centre: No
    Education Signs in Garden: Yes
    Public Lectures/Talks: No
    Education Booklets/Leaflets: No
    Guided Tours: Yes