The Municipality of Heraklion says its citywide planting program is progressing as planned, with new trees and shrubs gradually appearing across the municipality since work began in mid-April.
Deputy Mayor of Technical Works Dimitris Spyridakis told Cretalive that the new greenery contract is expanding to the “entire municipality,” including the villages and municipal communities. Let us translate that from municipal-speak: they are planting in the center and the main arteries. The rest of the city and the actual villages will continue to look like concrete ovens. It is a wonderful cosmetic trick to make the main routes look pretty for the summer traffic while completely ignoring the rest of the urban plan. If you do not live on a main road, do not hold your breath waiting for the green truck to show up.
The project includes both new landscaping and the replacement of plants that have withered or been damaged over time.
“The contract has been underway since mid-April, and the planned interventions are gradually being activated,” Spyridakis said. “In the coming period, we will expand to areas where we have not yet been able to intervene.”
The municipality acknowledges that many planting sites have suffered losses and require continuous maintenance, making replacement an important part of the project.
Residents Ask: Where?
While officials describe a municipality-wide effort, many residents say the most visible improvements remain concentrated in Heraklion’s center and along its main roads, with neighborhoods and outlying districts still waiting for meaningful upgrades.
Whether the promised expansion reaches those areas in the coming months will likely determine how successful the program is perceived.
The comparison above raises an obvious question. Is this a greening project—or simply long-overdue maintenance? Clearing weeds, pruning trees, and making sidewalks accessible are important municipal responsibilities, but they are not the same as expanding urban green space. Residents hoping for cooler streets, more shade, and climate-resilient landscaping may wonder where the promised new plantings are. And here’s another example of legit municipality maintenance, not to be confused with greenery:
A Mediterranean City Needs Mediterranean Plants
The announcement also raises a familiar question about urban landscaping in Crete: Are the right plants being chosen?
Many previous municipal planting projects have relied on ornamental species that struggle through the island’s long, dry summers and require frequent watering or replacement. Landscape architects increasingly advocate for drought-tolerant Mediterranean species and hardy perennials that thrive naturally in Crete’s climate while reducing maintenance costs and water consumption.
So, when in doubt, plant Crete. If municipal planners are ever uncertain which species will survive another scorching summer, the island has already done the research. Native Cretan herbs—such as thyme, oregano, sage, and rosemary—along with drought-tolerant succulents and ornamental cacti, thrive with minimal irrigation, support pollinators, and reflect the island’s natural landscape far better than thirsty ornamental imports. If that still feels risky, plant basil. It has an uncanny talent for thriving where more expensive ornamental plants give up.
