Bolanthus gave us a charming account of the autumn flowers on Hymettus this year. In passing he mentioned the sea squill, which I think is Urginea maritima. My plant which is about 15 years old, was grown from seed from Puglia and usually produces two or more white flowering spikes. So I assumed there was a problem, perhaps I should be dividing it but I really love the sculptural quality of the massed bulbs and the new leaves (and the flowers if there are any). I was delighted to read Caroline Harbouri in the Journal, no.70 p.8, where she comments on the lack of Urginea flowers at Sparoza.
So maybe our hot dry summer was the cause. Nevertheless, I have been forced to look more closely at the plant and find that the central old large bulbs are being lifted up out of the ground. The red kitchen scissors in the third photo show how deep a hole has now been created naturally under these old bulbs. What is the strategy of the plant, tossing the old bulbs out to perish or to start a new colony?