Spatial planning, functions and nostalgia in Thracians’ gardens: the case of Pandrosos

Gardens, as a unit of cultural landscape, are not only semiological positions in humans’ biotopes, but also sources of information for the interactions between human symbolic systems and natural environment. Beyond ecological semiotics, gardens are the result of the combination of beliefs, intentions, nostalgia and natural and cultural potentialities. In this meaning, gardens not only define but also describe the structure of civilization. In this paper, the courtyards –gardens of Rodopi’s Pandrosos, which was selected as characteristic example of cultural landscape as emanation of combination of culture and nature, were examined. Interviews and questionnaires were conducted during the research, and a full inventory of the plants was conducted as well. The results show that there is a clear pattern of the species in the gardens, always in accordance with their ecological characteristics. The uses and functions of the species are in harmony with the needs of a traditional society, whether is about livestock needs (shredding and pollarding for example mulberry), or the religious purposes (bay, basil), or gastronomy (quince). Nostalgia is another important factor of gardens’ shaping, given that it dictates the presence of species linked with ancestral gardens, like Nerium oleander and Buxus sempervirens. The main characteristic of Pandrosos gardens is the multiple uses and functions of the species.