10 December 2016

Great Lawn and Labyrinth - Lawn areas at the Stavros Niarchos Park

The Stavros Niarchos Park is intended to reflect the rich diversity of indigenous Greek and mediterranean plants, and to promote landsape qualities, seasonal changes and sustainable maintainance practices. The Paspalum grass although not native, is drought tolerant and hardy. It requires less irrigation with low quality semi saline water, it follows seasonal changes and it is compatible with the LEED requirements.

Creating a healthy soil ecosystem in areas of lawn, as well as in all planted areas is one of the key points for healthy plants and viable growth. Regular, routine maintenance procedures and reasonable restrictions on the use of lawn areas can mitigate soil compaction resulting from high use. Soil compaction from foot traffic limits the air and water available to grass roots to grow, therefore resting periods are essential for a healthy and vigorous lawn. 

Understanding nature and respecting nature’s cycles are important tools for a deeper understanding of the physical processes.

It is really nice, when spring comes, to play and lie on the lawn, however in order to do that we need to use it with caution during winter time when the grass is ‘sleeping/resting’. Around the world, in open public spaces with lawn, people are reminded that during the winter rest period of October 15th to April 15th, even if there is no signage visible, all grass is off-limits in order to allow the lawns time to rest.

Closing the lawn to the public is a worlwide endorsed maintenance regime in order to keep the grass green, lush and healthy, since the grass has to follow nature’s cycles. It gets yellow in the winter and needs time to rest. Lawn conditions will be further optimized by renovation practices, including aeration, dethaching, overseeding and topdressing.  

The Great Lawn and the Labyrinth will be closed two days per week, to allow time for the grass to recuperate as well as undergo weekly maintenance. Specifically, the Great Lawn will be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. The Labyrinth will be closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays. 

In addition, the Great Lawn and the Labyrinth will be also closed after a heavy rainfall.

See also

Saturday 29/06, 21:00

Parklife: Buena Vista All Stars

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Wednesday 12/06, 18:00

First-Aid Course

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Sunday 09/06, 13:00

Fun Dance

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