When you are on Naxos in April you should go for a stroll in the low dwarf bush vegetation, the phrygana, as it grows in Azalas on schist and river sediments. The gorgeous Cistus and Broom species are now in full flower. And in between the bushes you can find numerous little flowers, small treasures whose beauties you can appreciate only if you kneel down and have a close look…

Here I want to show some species you can find on a walk right next to our cottages in Azalas.

Narrow-leaved Cistus, Cistus monspeliensis

It is just incredible how many Trefoil species you can find in Azalas, here the beautiful Trifolium uniflorum.

Onosma graeca, the horribly bristly Greek Golden Drop

We find only one orchid on our walk, maybe Ophrys scolopax var. apiformis.

more…

more…

This little path leads to the spring of Adisárou. It has water all year round.

Nearby lies this small, new chapel of Ágios Isídoros.

The real sight of this place is a very old Olive tree growing close to the spring. Its diameter surpasses that of the supposedly oldest Olive tree of the world in Kolymbári in Crete quite a bit. Our tree is completely hollow insides as happens quite often with old Olive trees, but the diameter of the remnants of the stem is more than 5 meter in one direction and more than 10 meter in the other. It is possible though that the giant consisted initially of two trees growing close to each other.

And here our gigantic Olive tree. From the inside it is completely hollow which is quite common with old Olive trees.

In spite of its age the tree seems quite healthy.

With some old Olive trees in the Tragaía the stem begins to disintegrate in the same way.

The biggest tree of the world is said to be a Montezuma Cypress in Mexico with a diameter of about 14 meters. The Olive trees in the Garden Gethsemane, whose age is estimated as 1000 to 2000 years, have a diameter of not much more than a meter. The age of the Olive tree in Kolymbári with 3,64 meters diameter is estimated as 5000 years. As far as the age of our tree here is concerned – if our way to calculate is only roughly right than this tree must stand here since the beginning of the bronze age, even if we consider only its smaller diameter of 5 meters. This is of some consequence since from this time we hardly have any evidence that Olive trees were growing in the Cyclades at all.

Besides this tree provides us with evidence of the amount of erosion that has taken place since its youth: The original trunk base lies now in a height of about a meter. That is not so much of a change considering the long time span that has passed since then.

Therophytes as the Hop Treefoil (Trifolium arvense) are annual plants.

Many large grass species are hemicryptophytes: they are perennial plants that survive the dry summer season only in their roots.

Cryptophytes as these crocuses form bulbs or tubers.

Chamaephytes are dwarf shrubs, here Cistus monspeliensis.

Phanerophytes are large shrubs and trees, here a small wood of sclerophyllous trees such as Kermes Oak, Wild Olive and Phillyrea.

Hydrophytes (aquatic plants) are rather rare on Naxos.

Here you will find more about the life-form spectrum of Naxos and about the different strategies of the plants.

low dwarf shrub vegetation at Ágios Dimítris

The impression is deceptive, however, and will be revised quickly with a visit, for example, to river valleys like that of Potamiá, Kinídaros or Myrísis, or with a hiking tour through the Tragaía in the center of the island or the green valleys around the mountain villages Apíranthos, Kóronos or Komiakí. Here, grows a rich vegetation in the extensively used cultivated areas as well as in wild thickets and bushland.

valley with lush vegetation near Skepóni

abandoned gardens at Kóronos

more…

view from mount Kóronos to the south

view from mount Zeus to the “Small Cyclades”

Here you can find an attempt for an answer.

the bay of Azalás

the valley of Kinídaros

the main mountain range of the island seen from Mount Zeus

the plain of Engarés

Here you can find a description of the landscape of Naxos with more photos.

The cottages are situated in between of olive trees, vineyards and vegetable gardens. They lie directly at the sea close to a small, clean sand beach. Each cottage has its own terrace with a breathtaking view of the Aegean.

Our cottages lie far away of the touristic centres of Naxos – they are the ideal place to relax. You can discover the mediterranean landscape, the many antique monuments of the island and the traditional, idyllic villages of central and eastern Naxos. Here you will touch and enjoy the true Greek lifestyle: Greece at its best!

more…

contacts