Preliminary study for the creation of a small Botanical garden of the coastal plants of Rhodes island at the Rhodes Aquarium Gardens

1. COASTAL PLANTS OF RHODES BOTANICAL GARDEN

2. The Aquarium building is situated
at the tip of the Northern peninsula of
Rhodes island, on a privileged and
most appropriate site. It houses the
Hydrobiological Station which operates
as a Museum and Aquarium and is also
used as a research centre. It is
surrounded by the ocean on three
sides, and it stands alone, at a distance
from the city buildings as if rising from
the sea.
.
The park covering this space enhances this sense, since it consists of wide and flat green
spaces which were originally planted only with mesymbrianthemum with nothing rising above
ground level. Later intervention included planting of lawn and succulents and placement of large
rocks.. This planting proved to be unsuccessful since most plants marginally survive, look dry and
miserable and some, with their upright form, conflict with the flatness of the site.

3. This is an ideal site to create a small botanical garden of the plants that grow on the island’s coast. The plants will thrive and it will
complement the function of the Aquarium and Museum of marine life. This is a very interesting group of plants, some of which are rare, some
endemic of the island, and some are protected species. Because of the extended mass touristic development of the island most coastal habitats
have suffered extended and irreparable damage. Very few intact coastal habitats remain on the island and this posses a threat to many of these
unique plants .

4. IMPLEMENTATION
We must recreate the soil, exposure to the
sea and humidity conditions for the plants in a
design that is aesthetically pleasing and
appropriate to the site.
Five distinct zones are created :
The first two zones on both sides closest to
with sand. They accommodate plants of the sandy
dunes with different soil requirements ( especially
content) and distance from the strandline, creating
The third zone is consisted of rocks and low
elevation created by this zone will facilitate the
comes with the wind from the beach, stabilizing the
The fourth zone is planted with plants of the
directly behind the sandy beaches.
The fifth zone is planted with plant from the
islands torrents and streams.

5. 1st Zone:
Cakilemaritime
Campanularhodensis
Pancratiummaritimum
Mathiolalongipetala
Polygonummaritimum
Salsolakali
Nigellaarvensissubsp.Brevifolia
Consolidaarenaria
Ipomeaimperati
Dianthuscrinitus
3rd Zone
Juniperusoxicedrus subspmacrocarpa
Juniperusfoenicea,
Lyceumschweinfurtii
Eryngiummaritimum
Crithmummaritimum
Glauciumflavum
Atriplexportulacoides
Alkanatiktoria
Pistacialentiscus
Limoniumsinuatum
4th Zone
Sarcopoteriumspinosum
Helichrysumsp.
Cistussp.
Fumanathymifollium
Coridothymuscapitatus
Salviaofficinalis
Genistaacanthoclada
5th Zone
Vitexagnuscastus
Juncusbufonius
Lythrum junceum
Neriumoleander
Phragmitesaustralis
SPECIES PER ZONE
2nd Zone :
Ononisnatrix
Ononisvariegate
Otanthusmaritimus
Medicagomarina
Eryngiummaritimum
Campanularhodensis
Pancratiummaritimum
Lotusperegrines
Elymuselongates
Cutandiamaritime
Elymusfarctus
Pseudorlayapumila
Glaucium flavum
Mesymbrianthemumnodiflorum
Hypecoumtorulosum
Silenecolorata
Convolvulusoleifolius
Naupliusaquaticus
Limoniumsinuatum
Filagocretensissubspcycladum
Alyssumborzaenum
Verbascumsyriacum
Dianthuscrinitus

6. THE PLANTS.
Juniperus oxycedrus subsp
macrocarpa
Juniperus foenicea
Lycium schweinfurtii
Ononis natrix

7. Ononis variegate
Otanthus maritimus
Cakile maritimeMedicago marina

8. Eryngium maritimum
Campanula rhodensis: Endemic in Rhodes and Chalki
Pancratium maritimum
Lotus peregrines

9. Cutandia maritime
Elymus farctus
Mathiola longipetala
Pseudorlaya pumila

10. Polygonum maritimum
Crithmum maritimum
Salsola kali
Glaucium flavum

11. Mesymbrianthemum nodiflorum
Atriplex portulacoides
Hypecoum procumbens ssp. Atropunctatum : Endemic in the eastern
Aegean andAsia Minor
Hypecoum torulosum
Silene colorata

12. Alkana tiktoria Convolvulus oleifolius
Nauplius aquaticus
Limonium sinuatum

13. Nigella arvensis subsp. Brevifolia
Endemic in Rhodes, Chalki andCrete.
Beta vulgaris subsp maritima
Ipomea imperati :Rare in Greece
Consolida arenaria :Endemic ofthe sand dunes ofSouthern
Rhodes. Endangered.

14. Filago cretensis subsp cycladum : Rare
Verbascum syriacum
Endemic in Rhodes andSEAsia Minor
Dianthus crinitus: Growson high altitudes at the Atlas mountains
(Morocco), Caucasus andother mountains ofcentral Asia. In contrast tothis
distribution, it is found in Rhodes on some beaches ofthe east side.