An cooler than usual October, that means we haven't yet had a day over 30 degrees C, and average winter and spring rainfall (I remark on that as we are in our second year of average rainfall 550mm, after a decade of drought), means that my garden is looking particularly good as early spring things are hanging in and later ones are starting. I thought I'd do a count expecting about 40 or so species... But the results were rather surprising. I do manage my garden to be water efficient so this time of year is the peak flowering.. However the list surprised me... I'd recommend any of the following species for frost free mediterranean regions.
Acanthus mollis, spinosus
Salvia microphylla (var)
Helleborus hybrid, H. sternii, H. lividus
Rosa (var)
Strawberries
Chaenomeles speciosa
Rondelitia amoena
Verbena bonariensis
Anemone coronaria, A x fulgens
Nasturtium,
Papaver somniferum
Hemerocallis
Valerian
Gladiolus communis spp byzantinus
Gladiolus var ssp
Malus
Watsonia (various)
Gerbera (old fashioned pre Dutch hybrids)
Hippeastrum johnsonii (other old hybrids in bud)
Ixia
Viola hederacea and V. odorata
Alstroemeria
Ajuga reptans
Myosotis var
Strelitzia
Tritonia (various)
Cerinthe major 'Purpurascens'
Zantedeschia
Euphorbia (various)
Statice (Limonium sinuata)
Sweet peas
Cardoon (Cynara cardunculus)
Iris (various sp and cultivars)
Camellia
Echium (various)
Michelia figo
Pelargonium
Hollyhock (Alcea)
Brugmansia (various)
Bletilla striata
Sweet William (Dianthus barbatus)
Scilla peruviana
Lonicera sp
Honesty (Lunaria)
Crassula
Narcissus
Eschscholzia californica
Convulvulus maritimus
Lavandula (various)
Phlomis
Erigeron
Nandina domestica
Freesia laxa
Erysimum
Nicotiana alata
Dracunculus canariensis
Pomegrate
Dianella
Oleander
Clivia
Sprekelia
Trachelospermum jasminoides
Babiana (various)
Citrus trees (orange, lemon, cumquat)
In pots
Arisaema sikokianum
Fritillaria pontica
Cyclamen libanoticum
Spathiphyllum
Cymbidium hybrids
Anita