Re: Acanthus
- Subject: Re: Acanthus
- From: V*
- Date: Mon, 02 Jul 2001 11:11:24 +0300
Two autumns ago I gathered some Acanthus mollis seedlings from a shady
creekbed on Mount Pentelis, north of Athens. The plant seems to reseed
itself under the "umbrella" of the mother plant. I planted these in my
balcony containers where they grew nicely over the winter (there were
some frosts, light snow,) and replanted them in my gravelly garden on a
Crete mountainside. Those planted in shadier, moister areas developed
huge shiny leaves, those in hot spots smaller, deeply grooved and
modeled leaves. They needed another season to bloom, but they are all
doing nicely irrespective of exposure. I think Acanthus is a respected
charter member of Medit-gardening, especially because of its association
with classical architecture. It has both beauty and humility, like so
many fine Greek things.
Karen in Athens
