A Greek garden in the heart of Athens
When we think of nature, what is the first thing that comes to mind? The first color, the first sensation? The first feeling perhaps? What is the thing we associate with nature, at its core? What is clearly synonymous with nature itself? The answer is simple: The color green! Green is the color of plants, the color that, along with blue is most relaxing to the eye. It is the color of hope. It is the color of Life itself. Plants and flora mean life. And in Ederlezi Boutique Hotel Athens we are all for life.
We are proud of our roof garden, the place of relaxation that we created on the roof of our Boutique Hotel in the heart of Athens. We shaped it with love and care as to be an “island of nature” in the center of our ancient city. And how could it be nature without the color green and plants to provide it? The thing is that, when we talk about a roof “garden”, we really and truly mean a Greek garden! There are 16 different species of Greek and Mediterranean plants on our roof garden! Plants that are synonymous with the history, culture and folklore of Greece and the region. From lavender and mint to oregano and citrus thyme. From sage to rosemary, from marjoram to savory. The plants we associate with the Greek countryside, with the taste of Greek traditional food. The plants our Greek grandmas kept in jars to “spice up the food” and whose unique smells defined our childhood. Now, we offer you these smells and feelings, all together. It’s an ark of Greek floral life, in Psirri!
Ederlezi’s Mediterranean Flora
Below are the 15 varieties of Mediterranean flora that you can find in our roof garden! Smell them, touch them. Feel Greece and life through them!
Everlasting Helichrysum
Called “The Eternal Herb”, every single culture in the Mediterranean and Europe from the Egyptians to the Venetians used it as a symbol of eternal life and rejuvenation. Even today, there are popular folk songs honoring it in Epirus and the Aegean islands.
Lavender
Cultivated throughout the Mediterranean and Middle East since ancient times, lavender is synonymous with a pleasant odour and a colour named after it, thought to be a colour of royalty.
Mint
Known since ancient times for its medicinal and aphrodisiac properties, mint is encountered all over Greece. Many civilizations found it so precious that it was thought as a divine gift to mankind, with many myths describing its origins.
Ditto
Native to the Cretan mountains, ditto is known for its myriad medicinal uses, from its analgesic and sedative functions to its beneficial action for a smooth pregnancy. Ancient myth has it that it could even make the arrows fall off the body of wounded warriors!
Marjoram
A symbol of happiness for Greeks, marjoram is a mainstay of every village house’s small garden in the Greek countryside and the word itself has been used by older generations as a nickname for young pretty girls!
Sage
With more health benefits that can be counted and uses from cleaning to spiritual pursuits, sage is long-established as one of the most common herbs used by humankind since the dawn of civilisation. To this day, we constantly discover new uses and new positive attributes!
Citrus thyme
Unmatched in fragrance and flavour, citrus thyme has many uses in cooking, herbal teas, aromatherapy and a range of medicinal purposes. Bees that consume it produce the best selections of organic honey, famed and sought-after worldwide by those who enjoy all-natural products.
Germander Sage
A favourite of butterflies and hummingbirds throughout Europe and the Mediterranean, germander sage is a beautiful plant, believed by ancient doctors to have been the first herb used for medicinal purposes by a mythical king of Troy.
Savory
Native to Crete, savory is a medicinal herb referred in ancient texts of many Mediterranean peoples. It grows naturally in mountains and difficult terrains, where little other flora can flourish and helps people cure body and mind.
Rosemary
A herb of song and legend, rosemary is known since ancient times for its anti-aging effects and its ability to enhance concentration and memory. Greeks also use it to add flavour to food and as an ingredient in herb teas!
Oregano
Ubiquitous in the Greek countryside and cuisine, oregano is one of the first tastes that Greeks come in contact with in childhood, always in context with pleasant and cherished memories of grandparents and family moments!
Allen Chickering Sage
Capable of perfectly accustoming itself to every climate, with different amounts of rain and humidity, Allen Chickering sage exemplifies bohemian adaptability and love of new places. With its brightly-coloured foliage and strong, characteristic fragrance, it is the epitome of life!
Common Thatching grass
Widespread all over the world, common Thatching grass is used in many cultures for livestock sustenance, weaving traditional products and other uses. A cosmopolitan plant, it can be found on nearly all continents.
Fountain grass
Native to northern Africa’s open plains, fountain grass is thick, resilient and takes all the space given to it, a true free spirit. It can survive almost anywhere and among other plants, making it a quite “social” growth.
Stack
Resilient and strong, though not native to Greece, stack is perfect for the Mediterranean climates. Able to take root among other plants and to survive and thrive in arid conditions, stack has a defiant, bohemian personality.
Our olive trees
There is also something else here, that is clearly associated with the Mediterranean, something more, something better. The tree that gave its shadow to the philosophers and offered its branches as a gift to the ancient Olympic champions. The tree that produces the most important ingredient of the Mediterranean diet. The tree that is a symbol of hope and peace. Her Majesty, the olive tree!
Two olive trees grow on Ederlezi Boutique Hotel’s roof garden. Two links with the authentic, timeless Greek way of living. When they are fully grown, their majestic presence will generate an aura of relaxation. Even now, they give off positive vibes. It’s like a piece of the flesh and spirit of Greece itself stands before you.
We are very excited about our olive trees and the chance we’ll have to see them grow. We are thrilled that our guests will create their most precious memories near them and will have stories to tell. We take great pride in our roof garden as a whole, at its diversity and authentic feel. No parent should set his/her children apart anyway. But …we have a soft spot for our olive trees. We even named one of the our most spacious rooms “Olivia” to honor them! Now that we think of it, we love flowers and their power so much that we named our most spacious room “Flora” to honor all of plant life.
We invite you to Ederlezi Boutique Hotel’s roof garden, to relax, breathe and take a moment for yourself. Just sit back and enjoy your meal, your coffee, your wine or spirits. Read a book, talk with friends and make new ones!
There’s a small secret we want to share with you! Access to our roof garden is exclusive to the guests of Ederlezi Boutique Hotel! Only them and their visitors can enjoy its feels, vibes and unique atmosphere. This is quite a privilege, but you know what? You deserve it and certainly you owe it to yourself!
