delos: an ancient grecian landscape reimagined

​I am particularly excited to be taking my groups to Sissinghurst to see the newly reinvented Grecian garden. In 1935, Vita Sackville-West and her husband Harold Nicholson visited the Mediterranean island of Delos, reputed to be the birthplace of the twin gods, Apollo and Artemis. Vita and Harold were entranced by the colorful carpets of fragrant wildflowers enveloping the ancient ruins. They attempted to recreate this ancient landscape in the Kent countryside, but ignorance of Mediterranean plants led to failure and when we visited in 2017 there was no sign of the original concept. This is so surprising as these amateur gardeners created one of the most beautiful gardens in the world, influencing generations of garden designers.

Last year, I was amazed by the beginnings of a garden that I had never seen before. A bold project had begun to realize the original vision. The well-known designer, Dan Pearson, has reimagined the garden using modern design practices and a more robust palette of plants. Dan’s design aims to be both sustainable and authentic. I shall report back on the garden’s progress after this May’s tours. Incidentally, we are one of only three groups a week to be granted a private tour before the estate opens.
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Delos Grecian Garden at Sissinghurst Castle - under construction
​© Gillian Gray
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The Delos Garden:

• 55 massive stones were moved, each weighing 1-12 tons ​
• Good drainage: >300 tonnes of 20/40mm aggregate under soil  mix (50% aggregate, 25% crushed brick ,25% soil). 3" deep layer of stone mulch
• 4000 small plants in first wave of planting, followed by larger plants
• The strangely shaped buildings are oast houses, where, traditionally, hops were dried for beer brewing

Trivia: The Curse of Delos
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​The Curse of Delos is a yellow-flowered iceplant that sprouted in celebration of the birth of the twin gods, Apollo and Artemis. It was the final ingredient required for the Physician's Cure. This potion was invented by the healing god Asclepius and, reputedly, could bring the dead back to life if administered swiftly!

So why a Curse? According to the myth, Delos was the only island able to float freely around the ocean. Poseidon had lifted the island from the seabed with a thrust of his trident and it was the only place on Earth where the twins could be born. After the birth, their titan mother blessed the island and gave it pillars to hold it to the Earth. The flowers flourished but the island was now anchored and consequently the plant was nicknamed the Curse of Delos. Its scientific name is Delospermum from the Greek words for ‘appearance’ + ‘seed’.
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