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Information and resources for Greece

Gardens in the Athens area open to the public or by arrangement

Greece does not have a history of grand gardens, nor is there a tradition of opening private gardens for public viewing.

Athens’ own natural garden is only 5 km from the centre of Athens, next to the 11th-century Kaisariani Monastery on the slopes of Mount Hymettus: an easily accessible forested area of pine, cypress, fir, poplar, plane trees and oaks, wild flora and birds.

The Botanic Garden of Kaisariani, next to the Kaisariani Monastery, is open to special interest groups between the hours of 8.30 a.m. and 1.00 p.m. by arrangement with the Philodassiki Society which administers the garden, philodassiki.org. To make an appointment telephone ++30 210 723 1769 or ++30 210 7220 866 between the hours of 8.30 a.m. and 1.30 p.m. Buses 223 and 224 leave from Academias Street in central Athens for the cemetery at Kaisariani. Follow the road and footpath on foot towards the mountain until you reach the Monastery, which is signposted.

The archaeological site of the Athenian Agora was designed and laid out in the 1950s by a landscape architect from Pittsburgh, USA, to complement the ancient remains. The Agora and the nearby site of the Kerameikos, the ancient cemetery, are both cool green oases of quiet in the midst of the bustle of the city, especially attractive on a hot summer day.

Diomedes Botanic Garden, Iera Odos 405. Haidari, GR-124 61.
Tel: +30 210 581 3049 Fax: +30 210 581 2582. Open to the public Monday to Friday from 10.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m., Saturdays & Sundays from 8.00 a.m. to 2.00 p.m.
This garden, a non-profit organisation under the supervision of the University of Athens, covers an area of 150 ha. It includes an ornamental plant section, a historical plant section and a systematic botany section, while a medicinal plant section is under construction and a plant geography section is planned. Bus 813 from Plateia Koumoundourou.

The National Garden of Greece, located in the centre of Athens and begun by Queen Amalia in 1839. Originally called the Royal Garden, it was designed, planted and tended by the famous German landscape gardener Schmidt. Trees and plants were brought from around the world, irrigated by an ancient aqueduct dating from the time of Peisistratos (6th century BC). The neo-classical Zappeion Palace at the centre of the garden was completed in 1880. The garden was given to the public in 1923; it is owned by the City of Athens and is open all day.

Rugged mountains, spectacular views and an enormous range of natural vegetation seldom seen in urban areas reward the traveller visiting those parts of Greece that lie far from the big towns and cities. Keep an eye open for ‘Feta tin gardens’ which can be seen in any self-respecting village, in other words lovely year-round displays of carefully tended plants grown in containers which once held feta cheese or olive oil.

Plant Nurseries
For a list of nurseries in Greece please click here.

www.MediterraneanGardenSociety.org
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