This meeting was a ’first’ for the Club in that we visited a Turkish-owned ornamental garden in Fethiye. Owned by Hasan Özyer, successful property developer responsible for, amongst others, the Oasis Village in Yaniklar, the garden was originally laid out eight years ago by the architect who designed the three houses that lie within its bounds.  They are used as holiday homes by the extended family – no-one was in residence when we visited.

The main feature of the garden is a small lake with fish and ducks.  The lake and other small water features are all fed by natural springs, no pumps are in use at all.  As well as ducks the owners have geese, chickens, peacocks and a very garrulous turkey.  Mustafa, currently in charge of the garden, would like to see the bird population slimmed down to a few chickens, penned up, to provide eggs.  As it is the birds roam free, ruining stretches of his carefully tended lawns.

At the moment the garden is well laid out, with many shrubs and trees but not much colour and Mustafa asked members if they could give him ideas for getting more colour into the garden.  We suggested he visit the Cepkan Nursery at Ortaca and the Palm Centre in Köyceğiz to buy unusual plants and shrubs which would not only give colour per se but also add interest by their rarity in local terms.  It was also suggested that he plant water-lillies in the lake.

Actually we did find one unusual shrub thriving by the swimming pool facing the bay. Research identified it as Melaleuca hypericifolia.

Mustafa kindly provided refreshments and deserves a big thank you for all his efforts on our behalf.

The ‘April’ meeting of the Club has been brought forward to Wednesday, 26th March and will be in Üzümlü – full details will follow on Fethiye Times shortly.