'The Brave Endurer'

One of the older trees that is still going strong despite enduring tough times which required drastic surgery! Now growing healthy again, he is still very active and certainly not down or out. Will probably live forever!

Located to side of Villa Angelos. Age approx 130 years.

'The Timeless Angel'

Possibly the most spiritual tree in our grove, this beauty has evidence of many previous lives. In 2005, she was cut right down to a stump by a reckless Greek builder who was clearing the land to sell the wood. However, the soul of the tree is very strong indeed and she survived to become the very first tree to be re-incarnated with lush green shoots, much to our delight and amazement.

Located to rear of Villa Angelos. Age approx 150 years.

'Kid Rejuvenated!'

A fast growing creature that refused to lie down and die! After its parent tree fell victim to the Mad Axe Builder, this strong little soul grew back from the root. We have carefully nurtured and pruned him into a single main stem with three branches so he will grow strong and true.

Located to extreme rear of Villa Angelos. Age approx 5 years.

'Multi-Tasking Marvel'

This tree has a lot going on in her life. With three trunks instead of one, it seems she is trying to live three lifes all at once. Is she succeeding? Yes, we think so!

Photo taken March 2010 after some light pruning.

Located to rear of Villa Asteria. Age approx 30 years.

'Little Lost Lollipop'

She may look small and lost, but this tree is ready to grow into a giant. She's one of our newest additions to the grove, having been planted in our Olive Tree Nursery around the side of villa Selene. She's young so she requires plenty of watering by Mark and Andy until her roots become established. One to watch, as she's in great shape!

Located to rear of Villa Angelos. Age approx 3 years.

'The Handsome Rogue'

Foppish with an attractive fringe? Yep, that's this guy: the Hugh Grant of olive trees, lounging right outside Villa Helios. This gorgeous beast of a tree is another productive giant, giving around 90 kg of raw olives in a good year. Expect a trim through his middle parting, though, come next harvest.

Located to front of Villa Helios. Age approx 80 years.

'The Lucky Escapee'

This fine fellow had a lucky escape from certain death when our builders wanted to cut him down because of access problems. But he is part of a lovely community of trees in an avenue between two villas. Phew! A last minute reprieve (and alternative access for the builders) meant he lives on, producing around 50 kg of olives when in season.

Located between Villas Fos and Selene. Age approx 40 years.

'The Young High Flyer'

This tree is a joy to prune because he has plenty of healthy branches growing in all the right directions and very little 'fraz' (unwanted shoots) at the base. He's heading for high places as there are no big bully neighbouring trees to overshadow and steal his limelight. He has true space to grow and develop into a magnificent tree.

Located to the rear of Villas Fos and Selene. Age approx 5 years.

'Sybil's Tree'

This lovely tree is a very healthy specimen, with a great shape to the branches. Already producing crops of olives, it sits in a very sunny position on the olive grove yet no longer needs watering during the summer as it has already developed a root system.

Located between Villas Asteria and Helios. Age approx 5 years.

'The Thirsty Ex-Pat'

This plucky little fellow literally 'upped sticks' and left his native land where Villa Selene now stands. Using a bulldozer we carefully dug him out so he could emigrate to foreign climes 150 metres away to the garden around Villa Helios. However, he now likes a good drink - needing regular irrigation over the hot summer months until his roots become re-established.

Located to rear of Villa Helios. Age approx 50 years.

'The Water Babe'

This lady tree stands bang in the middle of our flood defences, so when the rains come every year she's often up to her neck in the raging torrent that rushes between the villas. She seems happy enough, though, spreading her branches in delight as she luxuriates in the warm wetness she has craved throughout the long and very hot summer.

Located to the side of Villa Helios. Age approx 90 years.

'Isabelle'

Our first 'Forever Yours' planted tree. A lovely new arrival planted between Villa Fos and Villa Selene, now safely rooted, and nestling under the protection of two mature olive trees.

Age approx 3 years.

'Tree Of Empathy'

This tree is another that has regrown from almost nothing to the fine specimen you see here. The main trunk forms a protective arc over the delicate plants below, offering a supportive environment for other life forms to grow - a shelter from the withering effect of the scorching Cretan sun. It is a visual reminder of the need to recognise and share the feelings of others (empathy).

Located to extreme rear of Villa Angelos. Age approx 5 years.

Nick & Emma's Tree

This strong sapling is newly planted on the west side of Villa Asteria. It has easily taken to the rich, fertile soil and is expected to grow quickly into a tall bushy tree. After 5 years the middle will be pruned away so light can shine into the centre. This will help it become more productive, while attaining a classic olive tree shape.

Our 2nd 'Forever Yours' Planting, for Nick & Emma Geary.

'Glorious Gaia'

The tree with the Greek name for 'earth' because it is shaped like a globe. It is a beautiful high yielding specimen which we keep carefully pruned around the edges but not in the middle. This is because it has the dual purpose of not only providing olives but also to offer visual screening between two of our houses in the olive grove, Villa Fos and Villa Selene.

Located between Villa Selene and Villa Fos. Age approx 60 years.

Ben's Tree

Adopted for Christmas 2012 by Ben Sinnott, this tree has an interesting shape, pruned after olive picking last year to let light enter around the inner branches in the traditional way so that 'a swallow can fly through it'.

Located at the rear of Villa Angelos. Age approx 60 years.

Helen's Tree

Planted January 2013 for Helen Seddon as our third Forever Yours tree. This strong sapling completes the final space in a line of newly grown trees which stretch from the rear corner of the swimming pool at Villa Selene to Villa Angelos. The original line of trees were cut down for firewood by previous owners of the olive grove so we encouraged new ones to replace them.

Age approx 2 years.