Trigono Lamda Groves Clearance 2008

Widow Iris

The "favourites" icon

Deciding which piece of land to buy is not always easy. The Widow Iris (Family Iridaceae, Genus Hermodactylus, species Hermodactilus tuberosus, is a special feature of the Upper Land and parts of the Lemon Grove and the desire to preserve it was important in the decision to buy. Also known as the snakes-head iris, It has been chosen as the logo and favourites icon for the website

2008 has been the year of the Upper land, which is now being renamed "petraforos" meaning "stony hill". While there is still much work to do on this land, the provision of a track around its perimeter, enables easy access so that further work can proceed.

Petralofos -The Upper Land

View from the upper land

Petralofos has a view of the Sea from its highest level, and slopes down to the Lemon Grove road. The main roads in the area are surfaced and minor roads may be concreted but farm roads are unmade tracks and are re-leveled each year in late spring, when the major periods of rainfall have ended.

This land borders Forestry land and, owing to a dipute which has now been resolved, had been left uncleared until late 2007.

Links to other sites

2008 clearance at the Groves

It is always important to maintain land, not only to show ownership but also to prevent the spread of fires in summer and out of courtesy to neighbours.

Trigono - The Triangle

The triangle before clearing 2008 The Triangle access road has still not been made so all work here must be done by hand. Although it was cleared in early March and funds left for its upkeep, it was neglected until September. Clearing one year's growth is not difficult - four hours to cut the bamboos and parhaps 8 hours to clear the year's growth of wild flowers.

Better by far though, to clear after flowering and before seeding in June.

The triangle after clearing 2008 There are now heaps of dead grass and other debris to burn and burning this year has been forbidden until November. However, the new fence and thinned bamboo, makes the site look more cared for.

The range of wild plants covering the bank continues to improve and now includes broom and other shrubby plants. As the Yukkas grow into trees, offshoots have been taken and used to screen the caravan. They are the only plants that survive the dry summer and also the invasion by goats.

Lamda Olive Grove

ornamental trees bark at lamda olive grove The devastation at the lemon grove is balanced by the successful clearance at Lamda Olive Grove.

The wilderness by the stream has been cleared to reveal beautiful ornamental birch trees. Tall, slender and deciduous, they are a delicate contrast to the sturdy old olive trees.

Bamboo grows by the stream and must be cut at intervals, locals prefer sterile olive groves to maximise crops by allowing light to all parts of the grove; but at Lamda, the aim is a balance - the wild trees are as important to the area as the olives.

A recent inspection has shown that wild boar may be living at the olive grove, though I've not seen one.

The Lemon Grove

Lemon Grove 2008 There has been no word from the Government on compensation for loss of trees at the Lemon Grove in spring 2008. After the 2004 ice, which damaged lemon trees throughout the Peloponnese, many growers dug up the lemon trees and planted other crops. Orange trees were not badly affected. Difficult enough if you live locally and can try to repair the damage quickly; when you live far away and have limited resources, it becomes almost impossible. Clearing and fertilising 300 trees is no joke, and, as can be seen from the picture of the growth in just one summer around the lemon grove summer house, Ithaki, no sooner have you cleared than the process must be repeated so it seems like throwing good money after bad. Moreover, with no crop picked since 2001, there has been no income.

Plan of the Lemon Grove The solution now is to remove dead trees and open up the grove so that it can be accessed more easily for mechanical clearance and maintenance, rather than the traditional clearance by hand. Wild flowers will then flourish where trees have been removed and it may be possible to protect remaining trees by interplanting with either olive trees or native wild trees.

Ithaki - The Lemon Grove Building

Earthquake proofingWhen purchased, in 2000, the building had suffered subsidence in one corner during an earthquake. The shutters were old; there were no windows and swallows had nested inside the building. The building was earthquake-proofed, restored and used during summers. In 2008, no-one wished to use it so the new tenants are two very healthy looking rats.

Since one cannot claim to love wildlife, and then pick and choose which wildlife, they have been left for the time being. Anyone considering owning a home abroad, but leaving it, or their main home for that matter, empty for some time, should be aware of the downside!

The other main downside is break-in and theft. One has to be pragmatic; leave as little as possible and nothing of value - easy in a farm building but not so easy for a house.

In time, Ithaki can be made safer by replacing doors and windows with insect and rat-proof versions. This will be when mains water and electricity are closer to hand. A larger house could then be built anyway.

Petralofos - the Upper Land

View of Lampes bay If at times it seems that we're fighting a losing battle with wild growth, bad weather and decay, it all needs to be put into perspective.

From the South end of Petralofos, is a lovely view of the sea at Lampes bay. It was not easy to see this a few months ago, because of the inaccessibility of the rocky, overgrown and sloping terrain. It is expensive to employ someone with the necessary heavy machinery and skill to create an access road or farm track; but it is worth it!

This is only the beginning of the Petroforos clearance project. It will be necessary to clear smaller paths across the land and eventually a plateau. Wild olive and other trees will need to be trimmed.

Mention to anyone that you have olive and lemon groves, and they invariably say how wonderful it must be. It is, but is not without substantial difficulties at times, especially where both funds and time are limited. The advice is to go ahead if you are prepared to face setbacks. Trigono-Lamda was started nine years ago with the intention of making a full-time business. It has turned out to be an expensive hobby- but none the worse for that I think.