The MGS Forum
Miscellaneous => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: Umbrian on March 16, 2020, 08:09:31 AM
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Greetings to all MGS members from a beleaguered Italy. The impact of this latest virus will soon be affecting you wherever you live but I feel we gardeners are fortunate to have a passion that can sustain us during these troubling times. We can continue to tend our plants and gardens and hopefully find moments of solace in the wonder of nature.
Take care everyone :)
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I would like to add some ideas for us at home
Phone a friend or aged relative with something interesting to say
Wave to the neighbour across the street
Send an e email to someone you have not contacted for ages again with something interesting to say
And, last but not leas,t post a photo on the Forum of a cheerful plant you have seen on your balcony, in your garden, in the street or in the countryside.
Here is a photo of an aged Clivia on our balcony
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Thank you ladies. We have returned from Jordan this morning and our garden is full of flowers. We will spend lots of hours in it so there will be photos posted soon.
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Unfortunately we were woken in the night by thunder and torrential rain which has continued into the morning, so no chance of setting foot outside to take photos in the foreseeable future! :(
However, we did get some photos of plants in Jordan that will be posted on other threads once they have been sorted out. :)
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Good idea Hilary - let's try to sustain one another.
Look forward to your posts John and Charithea- sharing what must have been a wonderful experience - something to sustain you through the trying times ahead...and your fans on the Forum😊
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When we returned yesterday we did manage to,take a couple of photos of the roses that had opened on one of our bushes that we got from Avramis roses in Greece, via a local supplier.
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Lovely
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Around lunchtime we had a short break in the weather and I managed to take a few photos before it closed in again. As we are now under 'house arrest', or more correctly home quarantine for 14 days having returned from a foreign country, albeit one that has had fewer cases than almost anywhere else in the world, I thought maybe I would ration posting them to one a day.
The first is Roldana petasitis that sits in a large container outside our kitchen door and is currently a mass of small, yellow flowers. A sight to brighten the day when we open the door in the morning.
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Hi there,
I was wondering how I was going to phrase it and you did it yourself. Ration yourself to one photo a day or maybe twice a day so that we all have something to look forward to
I do enjoy seeing the photos of flowers blooming in your garden.
Many thanks
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Another splash of yellow beginning to appear as a bunch of Irises in our garden start to open. I'm not sure which they are, but below them are a couple of photos of Iris bismarckiana that we saw in Jordan.
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Here is my cheerful photo of the day. A planter in the small garden to the front of the house, alongside the path to the door. The Euphorbia mysirintes is a permanent feature and to the back is a new, shorter growing and flowering Clematis ( just coming into growth ) The star performers have been the two Viola, planted in November and with a continuous display of flowers ever since.
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Thanks to you both for the cheerful morning Photos
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To continue with the Irises, we also saw these Iris nigricans in Jordan. I'd love to have some of these in the garden. ;D
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The National Flower of Jordan, I believe
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One more of the Jordanian irises, Iris regis-uzziae the second one a paler version on the point of opening. My apologies for the poor quality of the photos but it was raining with a bitterly cold wind blowing and so my hands were probably a bit unsteady. :-[
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Going with the bright yellow theme we have the Coronilla valentina in our garden followed by Asphodeline lutea on a Jordanian hillside.
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Photo of the day - a mood lifting group of white Hyacinths. Every year friends give me pots of forced Hyacinths and after enjoying them in the house I plant them in the garden. Some do better than others but these have really established well and they last so much longer in the cooler outside conditions.
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We do the same as you, Carole - and it was really interesting and a bit of a surprise to know that our white ones, out in the garden here in Sussex, are at exactly the same stage as yours this morning! I'd have thought we'd be a bit later than you.
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Municipal planting Madrid,
My daughter sent me these photos of municipal planting in Madrid taken on Sunday 8th March when a large number of people took part in a march for International Women's Day.
On Saturday 14th March police were using drones fitted with loud speakers urging people walking in the area of the Madrid Rio, a river side park, to go home.
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Today's photo is of a rather cheerful Loropetalum chinense.
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Today I have chosen a photo of Vinca - a plant that survives in the most inhospitable of situations - here in a very rooty, shady spot under a huge Bay tree. It does not exactly flourish but hangs on and produces a few cheering flowers.😊
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Lots of our Scilla peruviana are beginning to burst into flower. How they got the specific name of peruviana I don't know as they are native to the western Mediterranean region.
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Kalanchoe fedtschenkoi
I was given a few cuttings of this plant several years ago and it thrived and multiplied. In the autumn of 2018, I decided that I really should do something about the two built in troughs on the sunny south balcony. I took cuttings of all the succulents and planted then in plastic pots, (horror, horror I always used to insist on ceramic pots)
The fifteen pots sat all winter on the floor of the balcony while I labored at getting all the old plants out of the trough together with, Shh don't tell anyone, the Bermuda Buttercup.
When spring arrived, the trough was ready to receive the plastic pots which sit very nicely ,their lips balancing on the edge of the trough, and are thus easy to lift out if it is ever needed.
When I say 15 pots, I am talking about seven different plants
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We have several Kalanchoe blossfeldiana of different colours in pots, some of which are starting to flower.
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Narcissus in springtime are always a welcome sight - this clump has established and multiplied well but unfortunately the label is long lost.
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Thank you ladies. We have returned from Jordan this morning and our garden is full of flowers. We will spend lots of hours in it so there will be photos posted soon.
Lovely photo Charithea. May our gardening activities sustain us during our self-isolation / quarantine. Look forward to your photos ! I have verandas in Limassol, overlooking the sea. My succulents are doing well there. xx Lilian xx
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Freesia, white
This year all my freesia seem to have disappeared. Even the “new “ bulbs I planted last autumn have mostly not bothered to perform . Luckily a couple of white ones have produced some flowers with delicate scent
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Our freesias are doing quite well this year, Hilary. I have only recently taken a photo of the white ones but I will try to get some of the other colours later and post them here.
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Bulbs are strange - some years they perform well and others not. Today's photo is this year's solitary flower of Narcissus bulbicodum. I love these very particular blooms but in the best of years find them very shy with their flowers - am delighted this one has made an appearance though.😊
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Earlier when I was posting photos of irises seen in Jordan I somehow managed to miss this one, Iris haynei.
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One of our variety of hibiscus, this one is Hibiscus platanifolius.
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Sedum adolphii
I do like the story of how Karl Purpus found this sedum growing near a Sulphur spring in a ravine in Mexico
The first two photos are of Sedum adolphii in 2007
The second two are of the same plant in the same pot but in a stand so that it copies the way it hangs down in its native Mexico, not that hot dry Corinth is anything like a damp ravine in Mexico
The flower head is much smaller 13 years later
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Good to hear that everybody is keeping well. My employer has come up with the idea of teaching our lessons online so I have been rather busy lately teaching and training up on the software needed. Yesterday and today 2 full days of tidying up the garden. So much is about to flower. I have over 30 types of seed germinating. Can't think where I am going to put even half or a quarter of the plants that grow even though half of them are annuals which I grow every year. The plan was to pass the bulk onto other people but now that seems out of the question.
Re freesias, Mine are now flowering. The blue one is, I think, 'Blue Skies' but I don't know for sure. I bought 'Blue Moon' this year which has less white but it has yet to flower.
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Erysium 'Red Jep' today - a new acquisition last year. It has made a large plant and is already smothered in flowers and unopened buds. Good evergreen foliage too. Second photo shows pleasing combination with Euphorbia mysirintes.
I love Erysiums and they should do well for me but previously have been disappointed.
Hopefully now I have found one that will continue to perform.
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Hi Umbrian,
Even though Red Jep is a perennial, I have found it to be short lived so get some cuttings on the go :)
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Despite the unseasonally cold weather we have been experiencing since we returned some of our fruit trees are in flower. Perhaps Spring is on its way after all. In this case plum and apple.
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During the pre-tour in Mallorca before the AGM in Alicante we acquired a couple of cuttings of Jaborosa integrifolia. I'm happy to say that they seem to have settled in and hopefully they will spread to fill the space allotted to them.
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Graptopetalum paraguayense. Mother of Pearl plant
We have several of this very useful plant in pots.
The first photo was taken several years ago
The next three photos are of a younger plant in a new planting arrangement
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Alyogyne huegelii coming into full bloom. The flowers seem to glow in the sun.
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Unusually warm March days have seen Narcissus and other spring bulbs fading quickly but this clump has given me great pleasure for some time. Now it is well past its best .......and the temperatures have plummeted and we are forecast snow. The moral is to appreciate and enjoy what we have I think. Take care everybody.
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I have a few different types of Narcissus out at the moment. This one, Narcissus jonquilla 'Suzy' is very sweet smelling. I won't be enjoying it much today, though, as it is freezing outside despite there being full sun. Forecast to -1°C tonight - and I dismantled mty little green house just last week! 4 or 5 plants will need fleece tonight :(
Keep well :)
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Another cheerful plant in the sun is Phlomis lunariifolia.
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Bougainvillea
This plant, in a far too small pot, got a horrible illness last year as did another bougainvillea plant at the end of the balcony and my neighbour's two plants. We couldn't cope with the mess so we both cut our plants down drastically.
All plants seemed to enjoy the harsh pruning and set to producing new shoots and this particular one, huge leaves.
Now I see that there are more new branches which need to be tied back.
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One of our Passionflowers has opened in time for Easter, but it seems that to all intents and purposes the whole celebration will be cancelled this year.
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During these harsh days of isolation we gardeners find hope and consolation in our gardens and plants. Yesterday an artist friend sent me a photo of one of her latest creations - a beautiful rendering of Helleborus foetidus. She and her husband bought a ruined collection of house and farm buildings not far from our former home in the hills and set about the restoration themselves. I encouraged her interest in plants and gradually a beautiful 'wild' garden began to establish around the main house with suitable additions from mine. Helleborus foetidus grows abundantly in the surrounding woods and soon became a favourite addition. I think this painting captures it well and is a pleasing change from a photo.
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Looking for something else entirely to scan I came across this photo
The MGS excursion to Kea in 2002, what a beautiful island in the spring
Here we are on our way to ancient Karthaia
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The rock formation is a wonderful background for the Euphorbia dendroidis reminds me of the flora of mount Hymettos
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i don't 't know why the photo is on its side ,it isn't on my computer (Hilary, my first attempt at fixing it failed - just as you found, it looked the right way up on my computer but then went sideways as soon as I attached it - but then I tried again with a slightly different method, and this time it worked!)
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Spring seems to be arriving at last with the early morning sun shining through these Rosa banksiae 'Lutea'.
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Another Narcissus today but again unfortunately label long gone. I really should make written notes of exactly where I plant bulbs .........perhaps some research from photos during these long days of confinement ? Miserable, cold and wet here at the moment so no better time to start.
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Ferula communis, Giant Fennel, Νάρθηκας
A view of Mystras with Ferula communis in the foreground
The photo was taken on a THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN SOCIETY excursion on 25th April 2010.
Many thanks to the organizers
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Thea said I had to take photos of her Salvia indica and post them as they reminded her of orchids.
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I agree with Charithea re "reminding her of orchids" (Salvia indica)The plants that grew from the seeds you both sent me are coming up again and the flower heads are forming nicely, so I have something nice to look forward to when the rain and the cool weather finally leave us and spring will be truly here for us in Italy too. Thanks again for the seeds :-)
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Our Montanoa grandiflora has not only been flowering for weeks but the sweet scent is amazing.
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Life is not difficult just for us at the moment - here the long weeks of unseasonal warm, sunny days have ended. Skies are heavy and grey with rain, the occasional flurry of snow and cold winds. The Blackbirds who built a nest in the Trachelospermum just outside the front door are frantically trying to care for a baby that has left the nest and ended up on a pile of soggy leaves close to some tall planters. It appears to be the only fledging and their attention is fascinating to watch. The hen bird seems quite distraught and constantly wanders about the small area of garden looking lost whilst the male is keeping the baby fed. These two had become very tame since building the nest arriving for food that I put out whenever they heard the door open, the hen would even come and take crumbs from the table when I was sitting there. Now they are both more wary.
I monitored the situation all day yesterday and placed an old basket close to the baby in such a position that it could get protection from the wind and rain and was relieved to see that it did indeed do this. The male was very wary for a time about approaching to feed but finally took courage and normal service was resumed. Happily this morning the baby is still there - looking very bedraggled but alive. It is unfortunate that its first attempt at flight when leaving the nest saw it land up on the steps at the start of the path leading to the front door and it does not seem to have the strength to take refuge in the garden area to the right where there are various shrubs and plants under which it would be far safer.
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Here is a photo - pressed post prematurely
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One of my ambitions in sending these posts to the Forum is to have referred to all the contributors to the journal of THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN, both writers of the articles and the artists who do the drawings. In addition, I would like to have referred to every single article, not always so easy, while olive trees, thyme and lavender are easily dealt with there are other subjects which are not so easy and take some imagination
This thread is just the place to sing the praises of the, so far, unsung heroes.
In THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 90, October 2017, Yvonne Barton gives advice on
OPENING THE GARDEN TO VISITORS
She mentions in a paragraph named THE NAME OF THE ROSE that it is a good idea to have a crib sheet of the names of the various plants
Here are a few photos of roses of which I actually know the name, usually I just name them pink, white or red
Rosa Cocktail seen in Sparta
Rosa Belle Symphonie seen in Madrid
Rosa New Dawn seen in Loutraki
Rosa Rhapsody in Blue seen in Hyde Hall Gardens
Rosa Zephirine Drouhin seen in the North East of England very many years ago
I have not referred to this article before as far as I know
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Regular forumers may be aware of my particular fondness for endemics, especially Cyprus ones, and/or vulnerable and endangered ones. Many of the ones that I have managed to acquire are either annuals or that disappear for long periods before, hopefully, reappearing the following year. It's always a nail-biting time waiting for those first signs of life around the period that individual ones are due to make their entrance. One such is the Nigella ciliaris that we were given seeds of by a friend a few years ago. This is not a Cyprus endemic, and in fact I believe it is fairly common in Syria and Israel, but it is very rare here on the island. The Red Data Book of Cyprus says of it; In Cyprus it was recorded at 2 locations: Amathounta (in 1862) and Rizokarpaso (in 1880 and 1912). Not recorded again, apart from in a garden in Polemidia in 1987. Although not collected for many years, further study is advisable before it is classified as extinct, on the grounds of insufficient searching and its narrow global distribution. It may even be an extinct casual.
So one of the bright lights in this isolation time has been to watch the progress of these plants as they have appeared and grown to the point of producing their first flower of the season.
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Great photo!
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Hilary, the roses look beautiful. I have found it hard to choose which was the best among them. These two weeks of 'isolation' meant no going for fresh vegetables. I was forced to relay on our herbs and vegetables, and fruit. The mint has been invaluable for making tea. so here are some of the photos taken on my ipad. Australian silver beet that my Aussie nephew brought for me, last crop of avocados, marjoram oreganum, mint which is normally used here to make Easter cheese and egg pasties, and parsley.
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Easter cheese sounds interesting
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Hilary, I had forgotten that in Greece you don't make 'flaounes'. During the Lent period
The milk from sheep/goats was not made into halloumi but instead into 'diri=cheese' a cylindrical shape much like Metzovo cheese. It would be allowed to dry and mature and during the Holy Week it would be grated by hand. It was an arduous job. Now of course there are electric graters. The eggs were also saved so the grated cheese , the eggs, salt, baking powder and fresh chopped mint were mixed in a big bowl and left overnight. The dough was made the next day then rolled out into squares and filled with the cheese mixture. Left to rise and when deemed ok put in the oven to cook. My sister and my cousins still do this every Easter but can not try their handy work because they are still fasting. I get to judge the flaounes as I am a lapsed G ,Ortodox.
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Interesting but a bit beyond my cooking possibilities !
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A few years ago, the town council had a wide path made, next to the beach, with flower beds in the middle and places for a few benches. The beds were planted with Tamarix trees at each end and grassed over. At a later date some of the grassy beds had small rock gardens created in them. After a few years the beds were left to their own devices except for the annual autumn pruning of the Tamarix trees and what remains of the grass watered in the heat of the summer.
Today the horrible weather we have been having recently cleared for a few hours and we took the opportunity to walk along by the sea, keeping our distance from the others out for the same purpose. Not so difficult as everyone else was doing the same and there weren't exactly crowds out.
Always on the look out for flowers to snap I took a few photos of Mattiola which grows at the edge of the beach in some places but had managed to settle in some of the beds. While concentrating on taking the photo I noticed next to the Mattiola it a tiny flower which I have never seen before.
Because this path and the Tamarix trees are favoured by dogs both stray and pets I did not pick a piece of the plant to try to identify it.
If anyone has any ideas, I would be grateful to put a name to this pretty little flower
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Sad end to the story of my little fledging Blackbird - found it dead this morning with injuries to its head. I wish now I had tried to move it to a less exposed position but we are told not to interfere for fear of the parents abandoning. I feel this father would not have done- he is still going down with food for it in his beak......
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Yesterday I wrote about the flower beds in the middle of the beach- side walk, here in Corinth. I also mentioned that the beds had been improved/ altered several years ago by the addition of small rock gardens which were later abandoned
Here are today's photos of the most tenacious plants which have survived the icy cold winter winds blowing off snow topped mountains and large quantities of sea spray.
You will note that some of the rock gardens have mysteriously lost some of their rocks.
The last photo is of a pigeon party on the beach attended by a few sparrows. There was also a seagull and a crow in attendance but they took off when they saw me about to snap them
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Thanks for sharing those photos Hilary - could almost feel the refreshing sea air.
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The wind was off the land today hence the calm and inviting sea. I concentrated on looking for wild flowers. There is a stretch of the beach-side walk which is parallel to a road and across the road are several pieces of empty plots full of greenery, wild flowers and a lot of, blown in by the wind, rubbish.
Mother Nature ignores the rubbish and produces her flowers in plenty
Here are a few of them enjoying the sunshine today
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The daughter of a friend has turned her hand to making these willow wigwams whilst Italy is in total shutdown - have placed my order in hopes of happier times to come.
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Another walk along by the sea today with the intention of picking some of the yellow flowers I had seen yesterday and to play with them at home snapping them
First the statue of Alexander the Great and Diogenes with his pithos. This group is very popular as a meeting place and where people take selfies. However, it is by far the most popular with small children who sit on Diogenes’ knees swing on his arm and climb on top of his pithos. They also crawl between Alexander’s legs,
Now to be serious
Here are two photo of the tiny flower I saw a couple of days ago. It looks like some kind of sedum
Two photos of an Orobanche which I came across by accident.
It is amazing how many flowers you can see if you bend down
Lastly two photos of a clover like plant with yellow flowers.
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A small self set Coriander plant that I mistook for parsley when it first appeared has provided us with some delicious curries and tagines whilst in lock down and deciding on each day's supper has become something to enjoy. I don't have much luck with it normally as high temperatures soon see it bolt into flower and seed at the expense of the leaves.
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Our Osteospermums seem to have benefited from the amount of rain and the cooler weather we've had this winter and spring.
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I like that dark pink osteospermum. I wonder what colour artists would call it
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Today's walk took us to the mouth of the dry river here in Corinth. The river has been known to fill and overflow causing damage to the town so it was decided to enclose it in parts and where it meets the sea to leave a wide area open but bordered by cement walls and floor. Before this huge work was undertaken it was always possible to walk on a stony bar across the mouth of the river, Now the sea has created a crescent shaped bar and what looks like a very deep lagoon. Someone told us that the area was becoming a haven for birds. We saw a few swallows zooming around and one bird too far away to recognize hopping on the edge of the lagoon.
On the way there and back we saw many wild flowers and one poppy growing in a pot outside of the most popular souvlaki shop in Corinth, now closed for the winter.
The bright sun drained the colours from the flowers
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Beautiful photos Hilary - a breath of sea air for those of us not only inland but confined to our houses for most of the day.
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Thank you again. It smell like Spring. We are not allowed to go to the beach for now. So all the lovely flowers coming up by the beach and on the hill can not be photographed. We are counting on you to bring wild nature to us.
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No shortage of sea spray today.
This morning we could hardly walk against the wind so most of our walk was along the parallel road to the sea with a quick dash down to see the waves and the new snow on Mount Ziria (2376m)
So, no photos of wild flowers today but one of a complacent cat, another of a few birds busy eating and lastly a photo of a bright group of flowers around a tree
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Today promises to be another sunny day, but with a cool breeze, and our Wisteria has been encouraged to burst forth.
Apologies for the quality of the second photo but I was trying to capture the deep red of the Salvia 'Royal Bumble' before the sun got to it and bleached it.
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My self set Sweet Peas are beginning to climb up the temporary structures I provide for those that appear in suitable places. Others that choose inconvenient spots are carefully moved in early spring and usually soon catch up. Soon they will be providing me with bunches of beautifully scented flowers for a few weeks before the temperatures get too high - definitely something to look forward to😊
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Yesterday we went out walking in the wind, today it is raining and cold and not at all inviting.
The area where we live in Corinth is named Τα Καλάμια, The Kalamia, I believe it has another name but everyone knows it as the Kalamia meaning the Canes. This flat area near the sea used to be farm land and I think the canes were planted round the fields to protect the produce from the wind off the sea. There are still some of these canes growing in empty plots hence the photos
I took several photos of the Kalamia, Arundo donax, yesterday blowing in the wind and was pleasantly surprised to see how well the photos turned out
The last photo is from 2014 when I went out looking for the perfect round bush of Kalamia rather than a straggly group
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No walk today as it is wet, windy and cold again. The mountains are hidden by low clouds and generally it is miserable
I looked for a bright photo to cheer you up, or was it to cheer me up, and found this one of Chaenomeles japonica taken in April 2011 in Sparta. There is a small park near the crossroads of two wide roads where several of these bushes grow, they must be in flower now.
Looking back in my files, the ones which have not disappeared, I found a photo of the whole plant
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Finally got round to planting a newly acquired Euphorbia purpurea yesterday. I still cannot resist buying plants although no longer gardening with the unlimited space I had for twenty years in my first garden in Italy. Definitely could not pass this Euphorbia by though spotted on one of my last trips to a vivaio before we went into lockdown. I consider most Euphorbia to be very garden worthy plants but here different varieties are difficult to come across and up to now have only had characias, mysirintes and rigida.
Luckily in this case a perfect spot of free ground presented itself behind Erysium 'Red Jep' where I think it looks perfect. Sometimes I plant and replant after a few days when feeling I have not got it right. An old neighbour in the UK once made me smile when observing that my plants must tremble in the ground when seeing me approach - wondering 'who's turn today to be uprooted and moved" So many happy memories from such a rewarding passion, especially during these difficult times.
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MUSEUM OF THE OLIVE AND GREEK OLIVE OIL, SPARTA
Looking for something else entirely I came across these photos which I thought you might find interesting. The photos were taken at the above museum several years ago and unfortunately, I didn't snap the explanatory notices
One photo shows various types of jars which were used to transport olive oil and olives in ancient times.
After a great deal of searching I found that the mosaic art work depicting olive branches is by Christina Nakou.
If you are ever planning to visit Sparta and Mystras in the future allocate some time to visit this museum in Sparta.
At the moment all Greek museums are closed
https://www.piop.gr/en/diktuo-mouseiwn/Mouseio-Elias-Kai-Ellinikou-Ladiou/to-mouseio.aspx
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Good day and thank you both for lovely photos and information. I love jars very much. Whenever we go to Nicosia I insist on going to the National Museum so I can admire the jars. I would like to have a few large ones but difficult to transport and are very expensive.
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Can hardly believe that is mosaic work - so perfect - thanks for posting Hilary :)
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Yes I exactly echo your feeling about those olive branches, Carole! When i first skipped through the photos I thought they were real, and it was only when I read Hilary's description that I realised they were mosaic. (And thanks for your hellebore/erysimum photo - such a peacefully harmonious composition, I had to sit there just looking at it for a while....)
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Narcissus
Some bright flowers on this dull, wet, windy and cold day here in Corinth
Narcissus ‘Flower Record’
Narcissus ‘Pink Charm’
And
Narcissus ‘Red Dawn’
All blooming in the Royal Botanic Garden, Madrid in April 2018
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Our 2 varieties of Rhaphiolepis, indica and umbellatus are coming into flower.
Also a Tritonia crocata 'Plymouth Pastel' that came from Fleur, thanks for that.
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Everything looks very fresh
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Reading issue number 65, July 2011 of THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN and noting which article I had not ‘used’ before, the writers I had not mentioned before and, those unsung heroes, the illustrators who hardly ever get a mention
I decided that it was time to recommend that your read
SPAROZA: A GARDEN ’HOTSPOT’ by Miyon Yoo
Adding to this post photos of a few of the plants mentioned in the article but the photos taken elsewhere
1 Aptenia cordifolia, our front balcony
2 Ballota acetabulosa, Xylokeriza, a village in Corinthia
3 Anthemis chia, Galataki, a village in Corinthia
4 Clivia miniata, Sintra, Portugal
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What a beautiful colour that Tritonia is..... lovely flower :)
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Looking through THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 65, July 2011 I came across the article by David J. Bracey ARGAN OIL
I have never seen the tree Argania spinosa and it looks as if Morocco has fallen off our list of places to visit.
However, I found a photo, here on the Forum of the fruit of the tree, taken by John J of Cyprus
I hope you enjoy reading the article and like the photo, which I have lifted from another section of the Forum
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The photo was taken during a MGS trip to Morocco in 2014. Below are another photo of a tree and of the women preparing the nuts for processing.
The MGS AGM this year is scheduled to take place in Morocco in October, providing the situation has improved by then I assume.
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Your second photo shows the thorns more clearly and a ripe fruit ready to drop to the ground to be harvested. I wonder if they shake the tree to help the fruit drop
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As the lockdown continues here in Italy and the temperatures rise daily, I have had to find a suitable place to house the many pots of plants I have been preparing and growing on for a project I got involved in last year. Some American friends, with a second home close by, asked if I would oversee and help with the restoration of their much loved, but rather neglected garden. During a mild winter much remedial work was completed regarding thorough weeding and soil improvement, pruning of overgrown shrubs or removal where necessary and assessment of perennials. My garden always offers self sets and the opportunity to take cuttings etc and I also took advantage of the annual end of year sale at a local nursery. Just when the time for the really pleasurable task of planting arrived I sadly found myself unable to travel outside the commune I live.
I also sowed many more pots of seeds than normal this year for this project and so also have those to care for- let's hope the situation improves soon.
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Vigna caracalla.
Caroline Harbouri mentions this plant in her article POT-GROWN CLIMBERS FROM SEED, THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 65 July, 2011
The first time I saw this climber was in October 2003, just before we invested in a digital camera. However, I was very excited to see this unknown plant hanging from a balcony in Pyrgi, Chios, hence the very poor photo
Some years later, 2012 to be exact, I was pushing my granddaughter's pram in Sparta and was even more thrilled to see this vine entwined around some garden railings, and the flowers at eye level
Pyrgi is the village on Chios famous for the houses decorated with black and white motifs. We had holidayed on Chios in 1998 and visited the village but mostly relied on Postcards of the houses rather than photos, again pre digital times
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The rain stopped a couple of days ago and the wind dropped last night. At last we can open windows and door on both sides of the house, I won't mention the mini earthquake we had last night
Today it was a glorious day and we ventured out to walk along the beach side path. Other people were out also but all being very careful to keep a good distance. There was new snow on Ziria and another mountain further west which I have never discovered its name. Across the gulf a couple more mountains were sporting new snow.
Somewhere in THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN there is an article about the preponderance of yellow flowers in Spring, Do you think I could find it ? I could not
Yes, most of the wild flowers blossoming just now are yellow. Here are some photos from today and others from two weeks ago
The wild flowers and Tamarix trees stood up well to the gale force winds but not the telephone box
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A few days ago I wrote about the olive oil museum in Sparta
Here are some much better photos to illustrate the article by John Rendall
THE MUSEUM OF THE OLIVE AND GREEK OLIVE OIL in the journal number 41, July 2005
http://www.mediterraneangardensocietyarchive.org/grj.html
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First flower unfurled on my bud laden Cistus - very early this year and the hotter than normal weather for early April seems to be affecting the edges of the delicate petals......
Also we have had very little rain this winter and the ground is very dry..... looks like a difficult year all round.
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Mention has been made of unseasonal weather on a couple of threads today. Yesterday we spent the morning working in the garden as usual, then in the afternoon we were hit with torrential rain and a thunderstorm that knocked out the electricity for a couple of hours. Other parts of the island had massive hailstorms with people sharing photos of the ground being covered in white, almost like a coating of snow. Completely out of phase with what should be happening at this time of the year.
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Spring here today. Should we light the wood fire this evening just because it is ready or should we cart the wood out onto the balcony again? Decisions, decisions
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Calycanthus occidentalis, Spice bush
I saw this plant mentioned in A VENETIAN GARDEN by Ida Tonini
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 42, October 2005 and it brought back memories of a trip we made to Constantinople/ Istanbul in June 2001.
On our way out of the Topkapi Palace grounds we saw a notice pointing to an exhibition of tents. On the way to see this exhibition we passed a Calycanthus bush, a plant I had never seen one before
We were intrigued by the tents as for many years we had been ‘Happy Campers’ with the children. The tents we saw were a wonder of embroidery and bright coloured material. Apparently, they are now in storage at the Topkapi palace
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A natural rock garden on Taygetus seen on a walk by members of
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN SOCIETY, 13th of May, 2012
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Tulips, Prague Botanical Garden, May 2002
I wonder how many people visit this garden?
We were in the area visiting the Troja Chateau, then discovered the Zoo and later the Botanical Garden.
That is the joy of planning trips on you own rather than guided tours, although guided tours have their advantages
There is a section in the garden devoted to plants from the Mediterranean but I am afraid we didn’t see it
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We only have one of these plants, Ornithogalum arabicum, although I would certainly like more. As well as being attractive the flower has a delicate, sweet scent.
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Does it not spread?
My old neighbour had many in her, mostly, untended garden
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I'm hoping so, Hilary, it hasn't had chance to do so yet, it was grown from seed.
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Hilary, I visited the Prague Botanic Garden in the company of my sister and her then 13 year old grandson. He is now 27. I don't remember the tulips but that was the place were I first sawPerovskia atriplicifolia now called Salvia yangiiand fell in love with them. It was raining lightly and to keep my great nephew interested in taking down the names of plants I promised to take him to lunch to eat rabbit and buy him a beer.
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Ah, the beer in Prague!
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Aeonium haworthii, Pin wheel
A very useful plant to have which needs no care and goes forth and multiplies.
We inherited ours in 1981 and it has been replanted many times, not to mention the cuttings given here and there.
Recently I redid all the succulents, the first photo is of the new plant and the other two are of the old plant in flower
Aeonium haworthii is mentioned in
A SUCCULENT-CACTUS GARDEN IN SOUTH LAKONIA by Kornelia Roggatz
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 28, April 2020
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That's lovely John especially the black centre spot, mustblook out for that.😊
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Ornithogalum arabicum
My old neighbour called it Μαυρομάτι ,Blackeye and I see that Jaqueline Tyrwhitt in her book MAKING A GARDEN ON A GREEK HILLSIDE also gives its Greek name as Mavromati
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Hilary, just goes to show how common names can be confusing as here in Cyprus the flowers of the Melia azedarach are known as Mavromata (Blackeyes).
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Antirrhinum majus, Snapdragon
Looking through THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 28, April 2002 last night I saw an article I had written so many years ago,
SNAPDRAGONS (ANTIRRHINUM MAJUS)
Now with the wonders of modern science I was able to scan two old photos of snapdragons, which I mention in the article, and put them on my computer,
1 The white snapdragon plant high up a wall in Spetses
2 Yellow, red and white Snapdragons growing in a yard where there is now a huge block of flats
3 Some bright snapdragons in a village garden
3 Light pink snapdragons growing by the side of the road, seen this morning while we were walking in streets away from the seafront as it was windy AGAIN
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They provide a good lesson in survival I think and are a good lesson for us all atbthe moment.
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Laurus nobilis, Bay tree, Δάφνη
There is a Bay tree in the back yard of the block of flats but I never seem to get a good photo of it. The last time I tried to photograph the tree it was breezy; the sun was in the wrong place and there was a car parked in front of it. In the end I gave up and cut a branch of the leaves and flowers to snap in the house
A quotation from
WAR-TORN ABOVE THE ADRIATIC:
THE TRSTENO ARBORETUM
By Jadranka Beresford-Peirse
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 28, April 2002
“The olive tree for peace, laurel for glory and myrtle for youth and beauty”
The TRSTENO ARBORETUM is mentioned by Fleur Pavlidis in
SPRING IN CROATIA
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 73, July 2013
There are some photographs illustrating this article here
http://www.mediterraneangardensocietyarchive.org/73-croatia.html
If you read the first mentioned article please read the second
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Sedum morganianum, Donkey’s tail
A few years ago, a friend invited me to tea and told me to actually walk to her house up a hill and out of town. I set off to walk there, just to prove I could, and was rewarded with this sight, a Sedum morganianum plant hanging over a balcony railing and in flower.
This succulent is mentioned in a few issues of THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN and I have ‘used’ each article before, I was hoping to find an article I had not recommended another time.
Now to reread GANNA WALSKA’S LOTUSLAND by Martin Wood in
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 4, Spring 1996
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Our Bank's roses are doing their best to brighten the days.
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Bougainvillea
A common sight around the Mediterranean.
This Bougainvillea grows near us but in a street, we hardly ever have the reason to go down. My husband had seen the plant several years ago and was impressed by it so I went and took its photo. We went to have a look at it today on our exercise walk. The trunk is very stout and reaches the third floor of the building, At the moment there are no flowers but a lot of leaves.
We will have to walk down that street in July to see the flower display
To read about the history of Bougainvillea read
BOUGAINVILLE AND COMMERSON by John Bradshaw
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 46, October 2006
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Had given up hoping for flowers on my Viola 'Confederate Blue' this year as the unseasonably hot weather had caused each bud to shrivel up before opening. However after a few cooler days one flower has opened although the markings are nowhere near as pronounced as usual.
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Hilary, our Bougainvillea is in full flower now, taken this morning.
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Explosive, like the fireworks last night
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We only heard a few fireworks last night, sadly no church bells. We hear that in one part of the village someone had set up speakers outside his home and transmitted the service from Kykko Monastery. His neighbours were outside on their front patios or balconies with candles ready to light at midnight.
The church is usually decorated with white flowers today. As that can't happen Thea has compromised by making some arrangements for the house.
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Charithea wrote that in Cyprus the churches are decorated with white flowers on Easter Sunday. This piece of information inspired me to find some photos of white flowers for you today. Luckily, I have a file, another unfinished project, named WHITE FLOWERS.
Here is a selection of photos of white flowers all taken in April
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Red flowers today
All the photos were taken in Aprils past in Greece except the erythrina which we saw while running from the rain to go to the aquarium in Lisbon
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ORANGE FLOWERS IN APRIL IN YEARS PAST
All the photos were taken in Greece except the one of Papaver croceum which we saw in Paris
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Hilary, I loved all your flowers, white, red, orange etc. I have been trying to identify them all. Thank you for the posting and of course all the others too.
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Glad you like the rainbow coloured flowers, tomorrow is yellow, easy peasy, but then it is green. Not many green coloured flowers around . I don't write the name of the flowers on the assumption that anyone wanting to know the name would ask. Not that I know all the names of the plants anyway
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Am trying Nasturiums here for the first time this year after seeing them in a friend's garden last year. I had always thought our temperatures would be too high for them to continue for long but she had them in a shady position and they were still looking good in late autumn. The seeds have germinated well so ... fingers crossed.
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YELLOW FLOWERS IN APRIL IN YEARS PAST
The photo of the Potentilla was taken in the garden of the Archaeological Museum Madrid. If you are ever in Madrid and have some time to spare please do visit this museum
The photo of the mass of yellow tulips was taken in THE ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN, MADRID
All the other photos were taken in Greece
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GREEN PLANTS/ TREES APRIL
Well there are not many green flowers around and the two photos I have were taken in other months.
Today I will be posting photos from our travels, thanks goodness we took the opportunity when we did, and one photo taken by our son M
1 a cloisonné Easter egg, I have a collection of egg cups and painted eggs
2 Quercus frainetto taken by M in Foloi, Elis, GREECE
3 Cynara cardunculus, Corinthia GREECE
4 Agave attenuate ‘Salma Dyke’ Lisbon, PORTUGAL
5 Chusan palm, Madrid, SPAIN
6 Cedrus deodara, Bilbao, SPAIN
7 Acer pseudoplatanus, San Sebastian, SPAIN
8 Hellebore, Paris, FRANCE
Note the information for 4,6 and 7 was supplied by notices
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Top marks to you Hilary for being inventive. I saw green flowers on a climber about 50 years ago in the Botanic Garden in Singapore. I saw the same flowers in the La Mortella Garden in Ischia a few years ago. I wrote the name down somewhere and can not remember where.
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My wife thinks these self-sown Cerinthe and Centranthus ruber make a good colour combination. I'm not so sure. What do you think?
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They look good to me, leave them alone
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Charithea,
There are articles about La Mortella in 13 issues of THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN . you never know the green flower you are interested in might be mentioned in one of them.
I looked at the website of La Mortella and there is a very strange blue/ green flower featured
Puya berteroniana
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BLUE FLOWERS IN APRIL
Not many photos of blue flowers in my archives and most of them taken in the Jardin des Plantes in Paris.
First a photo of Borago officinalis taken on a hill overlooking Kalamata in Messinia, Greece
Next a photo of Ajuga reptans taken in a flower shop in Madrid and identified by this Forum.
The last three photos are of plants thriving in the Paris botanical garden
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This year the flowers and the leaves on Iochroma australis have come pretty much at the same time whereas last year the leaves came first. Another gift from Chantal's seed bank. :-)
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impressive. How tall is this plant?
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Agree it's a pleasing combination. I find the Cerinthe, that does seed prolifically, looks good with most things and often tones down some plants that are very brightly coloured adding, rather than subtracting from their beauty. I always think of it as a rather mysterious, even sinister, plant but welcome it and it is easily pulled out if too prolific.
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What lovely blue flowers!! I love all of them. David your Iochroma australis looks fantastic. You gave me one in Frascati but unfortunately it died. I have not had much success growing it from seed. Maybe next spring I will try again. Hilary, I have discovered the 'lost' name of the climber. It is Strongylodn macrobotrys. I had first seen it in 1972 in Tanglin Botanic Gardens, Singapore. We lived near the garden so we paid frequent visits there. Our daughter who was around 3 liked to feed the monkeys. The reason it made such a lasting memory is because it stood out among such amazing coloured flowers. Its jade green colour looked odd especially when the surrounding trees were covered with multicoloured, highly perfumed wild orchids.
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Hi Hilary,
I can't remember if this its 3rd or 4th summer. I think 3rd as it didn't flower the first year and this is the second time I have had flowers (I think!). It's in a large pot and it is just under 2m tall. I am sure it would be a bit bushier if it were in the ground.
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Charithea,
What a plant! I discovered it even features on a postage stamp, I don't have it, issued by Belgium of all places
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David,
Thanks for the information. I don't think a 2 meter plant would survive on a hot windy balcony
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PURPLE FLOWERS OF APRIL
This is where my understanding of the colours of the rainbow collapses into purple mauve and fuchsia pink
1 Lathyrus odoratus, Sweet Peas grown from seed a few years ago, Corinth Greece
2 Silybum marianum, Xylokeriza, Corinthia, Greece
3 Orchis anatolica, Mount Parnon, Lakonia, Greece
4 Vicia villosa Sparta, Lakonia, Greece
5 I had wrongly identified this plant seen growing on a rock in a pavement in Athens. Now I have no idea what it is
6 Iris germanica, Madrid, Spain
7 Aubrieta, Paris, France
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Hilary, your no. 5 looks like a Centaurea. I'd be tempted to say C. aegialophila although, as its name implies, they normally grow near the sea.
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Many thanks John
I saw this plant on a rock in the pavement which was very difficult to get past as the road was very busy . I couldn't see over the rock and waited till the traffic had stopped higher up the road and there was no sound of the tram coming then took a deep breath and dashed round the rock
Here is a quotation in Greek taken from an article ΤΟ ΙΕΡΟ ΤΟΥ ΠΑΝΟΣ
Αν στο σημείο εκείνο κοιτάξετε στο βάθος, μέσα στα δέντρα, θα ανακαλύψετε έναν μεγάλο βράχο με δύο λαξευμένες πλευρές και μια μικρή φυσική σπηλιά στη βάση του. Είναι ο βράχος που, πολλοί οδηγοί κατεβαίνοντας την Αρδηττού προς Καλλιρόης, βλέπουν να κόβει το πεζοδρόμιο και το δρόμο στην άκρη του και ίσως αναρωτιούνται, τι στην ευχή άφησαν αυτόν το βράχο εκεί, μες στη μέση.
It more or less says what I was thinking
Why on earth have they left a huge rock in the middle of the pavement
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I forgot to say that after you suggested Centaurea ebenoides as the identity to the purple flower I searched the internet where I found a photo of Centaurea raphaniana which someone had posted with the information that his photo was taken
in Athens close to the Acropolis
Now this morning I find there are dozens of articles about this plant !
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Hilary, I'm a bit confused. I suggested Centaurea aegialophila not C. ebenoides as the former is one that I have come across here in Cyprus. As far as I am aware the other 2 C. ebenoides and C.raphaniana don't occur here so I am not familiar with them.
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David, the Iochroma australis you have to me last year grew well and was transferred to safe winter quarters in good time. I was looking forward to perhaps having some flowers this year but a large part of the growth defoliated and subsequently died. I am left with a rather lopsided plant that nevertheless is starting to grow away again. Needless to say there is no evidence of flowers so I shall have to keep my fingers crossed for next year.
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John,
You think you are confused, Reading about Centaurea yesterday it felt as if every little hill, island and village has its very own Centaurea . I had noted Centaurea ebenoides on a piece of paper which I found next to my computer this morning. The flower is nothing like the one in my photo but I liked the look of the leaves
Sorry about the confusion
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Another plant flowering at the moment which doesn't have yellow flowers is Tiarella 'Running Tiger'. Hopefully when she gets up to speed she will be running. For the moment just first, tentative steps with just one runner producing one offset in 2 years. The parent plant is filling out nicely though. At the height of summer when the sun is very high, it gets some midday sun, which it doesn't like. But in the warm shade of spring it is very happy.
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David, your Tiarella looks lovely and the leaves are equally as attractive but they are sending out the message' I am delicate , don't let that hot sun get me'. Enjoy it.
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MAUVE FLOWERS IN APRIL
1Thymus, CORINTH GREECE, I have no idea where I saw this
2 Gynandriris sisyrinchium, MOUNT PARNON, LAKONIA, GREECE
3 Orchis italica, MOUNT PARNON, LAKONIA, GREECE
4 Campanula andrewsii, MYSTRAS, LAKONIA GREECE
5 Muscari comosum, XYLOKERIZA, CORINTHIA, GREECE
6 Psoralea bituminosa, MANI, LAKONIA, GREECE
I am not too sure about the name of the campanula. If anyone knows differently, please let me know
It is amazing just how many wild flowers you can ‘capture’ in April on a drive in the countryside
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Today's post was to be called DEEP PINK FLOWERS OF APRIL; however, I seem to have collected photos together depicting flowers of all shades of pink
1 Freesia, which grew in a pot on the front balcony, Corinth, Greece. It subsequently disappeared
2 Pelargonium after the rain. We were on a day bus trip to the island of Salamis and it bucketed down. Later the sun came out and we were able to visit the monastery without getting soaked
3 Rosa, dark pink. This was growing in the garden of a Friend's holiday home,It was Easter Day and we had been invited to celebrate the day with them, Kyra Vrisi, Corinthia, Greece
4 Lathyrus odoratus, growing in pots on the north facing balcony. I had been sent a packet of seeds from the UK which performed beautifully, Corinth Greece
5 Lathyrus odoratus, closer
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All of them lovely. My mother used to say χαριτωμένα.
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FUCHSIA COLOURED PLANTS IN APRIL
Unfortunately, all the photo I seem to have are of cultivated plants
1 Primula and other fuchsia coloured plants, Tynemouth, UK
2 Primula, Tynemouth, UK
3 Azalea, Madrid, Spain
4 Primula. Paris, France
5 Bougainvillea, Corinth, Greece
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We have the Bougainvillea and the partridge but not the other flowers. I have , however, painted the plant containers at the top of the field fuchsia. It is a lovely colour and it brightens up the area. The drawback is that I have to repainted them every spring as the colour fades.
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PINK COLOURED FLOWERS IN APRIL
1 Silene intergripetala, Mount Parnon, Lakonia, Greece
2 Cyclamen rhodium peloponnesicum, Messinia, Greece
3 Crepis rubra, Sparta, Lakonia, Greece
4 Pink Tulip, Sparta, Lakonia, Greece
5 Light pink rose, Kyra Vrisi, Corinthia, Greece
6 Begonia erythrophylla, Salamis, Greece
7 Prunus triloba, Paris, France
8 Prunus triloba, closer
9 Oenothera speciosa. Ancient Corinth, Corinthia, Greece
10 Rhododendron, pale pink. This is not my photo, I believe it came from a friend of mine who lives in Leeds, UK
I couldn't remember where I had seen the pale pink tulip but luckily for the last few years I have been keeping a few notes in a diary. Shopping in Sparta
, then II remembered that outside of a large store there were tulips in troughs
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Hi Hilary
I grow Crepis rubra from seed every year but I would really like to grow Crepis incana. I have tried with 2 or 3 plants but with no success. I read that they are found in Greece but maybe at higher altitudes? Does anybody have success with C incana and any tips to pass on?
I like the Begonia leaves. I shall look out for that one. Thanks for sharin.
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Aloe mitriformis, Mitre Aloe
This outgrew the trough on the south facing balcony. Luckily it came out easily not like another plant which required three men, a chain saw and a drill to get it out
Since I am replanting the trough all the plants are also small. The photo of the flower was taken several years ago
I don’t remember how I decided on the name but now I find its accepted name is Aloe perfoliata
There is a wonderful collection of photos of Aloes gown by Andrew Sloan.
You will find them on the website of THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN SOCIETY under the heading PLANT GALLERIES
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The 1st May is St Ephisius Day, the patron saint of Sardinia. Three years ago (2017) we were in Sardinia with an MGS Excursion group on this day and watched the absolutely fantastic sight of the annual parade in the saint's honour that took place in Cagliari. Our thoughts and good wishes are with the people of Sardinia on their special day in these troubled times.
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Fuzzy photos of some of our May Wreaths in the past from 1978 to 2003
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MAY WHITE FLOWERS 1-5
1 Rosa seen at the Rose Garden, Schinos, Corinthia. I am afraid I had the name wrongly noted and the original photos were on a CD which wouldn’t play
We had met up with other members of the Greek branch of
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN SOCIETY at the garden in May 2008
In THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 56, April,2009 there is an article by Veronica Hadjiphani-Lorenzetti A ’HISTORICAL’ ROSE GARDEN IN GREECE about this garden.
2 Sambucus nigra, I must have snapped this at the same place
3 Bougainvillea spectabilis, Corinth, Greece
4 Brachychiton populneus, Corinth, Greece
5 Passiflora caerula, Ancient Corinth, Greece
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RED FLOWERS IN MAY 1-5
1 Callistemon, Corinth Greece
2 Abutilon, Sparta, Lakonia Greece
3 Red rose, Sparta, Lakonia, Greece
4 Tropaeolum majus, Kiato, Corinthia, Greece
5 Lilium bulbiferum, Ancient Corinth, Greece
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Our Epiphyllum oxypetalum has yet to flower this year, but we have several hybrids whose flowers appear in the daytime, last longer, are more brightly coloured but, unfortunately did not inherit their parent's fantastic scent. The first to flower this year is 'Elektra'. My hand is to try to show the size of the flower.
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Hilary all your red flowers are lovely but I think theLilium bulbiferum is magical.
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Yes, I am lucky to have a few friends with gardens.
Usually in the spring and in the autumn I visit each of them to see their latest additions and changes .
My friend, whose garden the lily was in, also grows chard ,rokka, parsley, mint of course and has hens. So I usually come home laden with leafy greens and eggs
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ORANGE FLOWERS IN MAY
1 Aloe helenae, Corinth, Greece
2 Coreopsis tinctoria, Ancient Corinth, Greece.
3 Hemerocallis fulva, Kiato, Corinthia, Greece
4 Apricot coloured rose, Sparta, Lakonia, Greece
5 Papaver, orange coloured, Corinth Greece
I have no idea where I saw this but from the date and time it was in Corinth, Greece
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YELLOW FLOWERS IN MAY
1 Chrysanthemum coronarium, Ancient Corinth, Greece
2 Helichrysum stoechas, Corinth, Greece
3 Same as above, closer
4 Onosma echioides, Mount Taygetus, Lakonia, Greece
5 Yellow rose, Kyra Vrisi, Corinthia, Greece
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Good choice of flower/plants Hilary. I would love to have theOnosma echioides growing in our garden.
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GREEN IN MAY
1 Achillea millefolium, Yarrow, Αγριαψιθιά, Sparta, Lakonia, Greece
1 Broussonetia, Ancient Corinth, Greece
3 Clematis Alice Fisk seed heads Sparta, Lakonia, Greece
4 Vitis, grapevine, Corinth, Greece
5 Morus, Mulberry tree, Corinth Greece
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The first flowers of the year are beginning to appear on our Acca sellowiana bushes.
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Another Epiphyllum this one 'Candy Crush'.
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BLUE FLOWERS IN MAY
Only one flower and it looks more mauve than blue
Limonium sinuatum, Winged Sea Lavender
This plant grows in abundance at the Corinth Gulf end of the canal
The polystyrene ball covered in Sea Lavender was rescued from the decorations of a wedding reception, no that is a lie I was given it. When the roses and lilies died I was left with the ball so the next May Day we went to Poseidonia to make our May wreath and I picked enough Sea lavender to cover the ball. Then I gifted it to the happy couple.
I was going to say returned but I have read so many blogs recently written by women of the USA that gifted sprung to mind
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Yet another opened this morning, 'Ambrosia'.
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PURPLE FLOWERS IN MAY
1 allium ampeloprasum, Corinth, Greece
2 Bauhinia, Geroskipou, Cyprus
3 Bougainvillea, Corinth, Greece
4 Campanula, Ancient Corinth, Greece
5 Clematis ’Alice Fisk’ Sparta, Lakonia, Greece.
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Hilary, I love the powder blue of the Limonium sinuatum. Ours seem to die every summer and need to be replaced. We were in quarantine this spring so we did not get any.
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MAUVE FLOWERS IN MAY
1 Campanula, Mykines, Argolis, Greece
2 African daisy, Corinth, Greece
3 Gazania, Loutraki, Corinthia, Greece
4 Limonium perezii, Haifa, Israel
5 Mauve rose with ant, Ancient Corinth, Greece
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DEEP PINK FLOWERS IN MAY
1 Pelargonium, dark pink, Sparta, Lakonia
2 Mimulus, pink Ancient Corinth
3 Lapranthus, Corinth
4 Dahlia, Loutraki, Corinthia
5 Rose, Corinth
All photos were taken in Greece
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Yesterday we took advantage of the slight relaxation of lockdown rules that had come into force to make a dash to our favourite Garden Centre (30 mins drive away). We came back with a boot full of goodies for the princely sum of 50 euros. One of the ones we got ( a freebie) he was unsure of the name of, possibly a Bidens, if so we decided it must be a hybrid. The best I can come up with is one called 'Campfire Fireburst'. If anyone can either confirm this or provide a more accurate ident I'd be grateful.
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FUCHSIA PINK FLOWERS IN MAY
1 Crupina crupinastrum, Xylokeriza, Corinthia Greece
2 Ditto
3 Gladiolus, Corfu, Greece
4 Pelargonium peltatum, Kiato, Corinthia, Greece
I sometimes wonder where I get the names from, please let me know if I have made a mistake
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PINK FLOWERS IN MAY
1 Capparis spinosa, Corinth
2 Delphinium, Kiato, Corinthia
3 Dolichos lablab, Ai Theodori, Corinthia
4 ditto seed pod
5 Pelargonium, Kiato, Corinthia
6 Rosa floribunda, ‘Sexy Rexy’, Rose Garden, Schinos, Corinthia
Again all the photo were taken in Greece
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Hi John
Sorry I haven't been very active here recently. Working from home takes so much more time than teaching in the class room! Won't go into details :-(
Your plant certainly looks like a Bidens I bought a similar Bidens 'Hot and Spicy' this year.
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Thanks for that, David. I don't know where these plants have suddenly appeared from, neither of us could recall seeing them on offer anywhere before.
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Thank you Hilary for the photos of your Fuchsia pink flowers and your Pink flowers, they are beautiful and brighten up tha day. I love the Crupina crupinastrum very much. It is so delicate and airy it makes me feel that it should be embroidered on a cushion.
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Embroidered on a cushion. By coincidence today I noticed that a cushion I had embroidered about twelve years ago shows spring flowers and strawberries . I will snap it later
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BROWN FLOWERS IN MAY
The title might be a bit misleading since I don’t have many photos of brown flowers.
There is a strip of garden in the yard of the block of flats where we live. Over the years various bushes and trees have been planted
1 Robinia pseudoacacia, planted by the original committee over 25 years ago.
It is pruned radically in February or March
2 Pinus, the junior school children, about 20 years ago, came home from school with tiny trees to plant. The Forestry Commission must have visited their school. Three pine trees thrived while a few other trees just didn’t make it.
3 Prunus armeniaca. One of our neighbours planted an apricot stone and it produced this tree which at the moment if full of fruit. However, the fruit usually drops off
4 Cercis siliquastrum, My husband planted this for me
5 And now a flower. Stapelia grandiflora seen in Ancient Corinth, Greece
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WHITE FLOWERS IN MAY 6-10
6 Delphinium, Kiato, Corinthia Greece
7 Echinops oxygona, Corinth Greece
8 Hyoscyamus albus, Corinth, Greece
9 Nigella arvensis, Corinth Greece
10 White rose, Madrid, Spain
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RED FLOWERS IN MAY 6 -10
6 Red lilies in a yard, Corinth, Greece
7 Papaver somniferum. Kiato, Greece
8 Disocactus ackermannii, Xylokeriza, Corinthia, Greece
9 Rosa Papa Meilland, Madrid, Spain
10 Wild flower and the Gulf of Corinth, Greece
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ORANGE FLOWER IN MAY 6-10
6 Dahlia, Sparta, Lakonia, Greece
7 Mimulus, Ancient Corinth. Greece
8 Bougainvillea, Corinth, Greece
9 Dianthus caryophyllus, Kiato, Corinthia, Greece
10 Rose, Ancient Corinth, Greece,
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What a beautiful rose that last one is Hilary. Any idea what it might be, exactly? The cream, peachy one.
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Earlier in this thread I said that I was waiting for some Freesia 'Blue Moon' to flower. This is what came out :-(
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David,
I have no idea about the rose
We took a walk round the village a couple of years ago and I snapped away at all the flowers
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YELLOW FLOWERS IN MAY 6-10
6 Cineraria maritima, Sparta Lakonia, Greece
7 Nerium oleander. Corinth, Greece
8 Grevillea robusta. Nicosia, Cyprus
9 Crepis, Corinth, Greece
10 Jacobaea maritima, Kifissia, Attica, Greece
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GREEN IN MAY 6-10
6 Echinops graecus, Corinth, Greece
7 Salix, Nemea, Corinthia, Greece
8 Araucaria heterophylla, Corinth, Greece
9 Tamarix, Corinth, Greece
10 Ficus retusa, Corinth, Greece
How fresh and green the trees look while everything else is drying up
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PURPLE FLOWERS IN M AY 6-10
6 Campanula, Nafplion, Argolis, Greece
7 Silybum marianum, Isthmia, Corinthia, Greece
8 Vicia, Troodos Mountain, Cyprus
9 Campanula, Canterbury Bells, Ancient Corinth, Greece
10 Iris Louisiana ‘Black Gamecock’ Sparta, Lakonia, Greece
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Some good spring colour. I wish my simple camera could capture the real colour of Plumbago indica. The colour is more coral/salmon pink. I have to keep it under cover over winter and it looses its leaves. I put the pot out in spring close to other plants so the lack of leaves is less noticeable - here next to Salvia 'Phyllis' Fancy'
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MAUVE FLOWERS IN MAY 6-10
6 Alyogyne huegelii, Corinth, Greece
7 Campanula ramosissima, Ancient Corinth. Greece.
8 Campanula, Ancient Corinth, Greece
9 Rosa, mauve, Sparta, Lakonia, Greece
10 Hibiscus syriacus, Kiato, Corinthia, Greece
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What an array of beautiful flowers. Everyone has its charm. Thank you for posting them.
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Love the Alyogyne - such prettily arranged petals as well as a beautiful colour. Unfortunately not been successful with them here....
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I snapped the Alyogyne in the local plant nursery I don't think they actually produce the plants them selves so I don't know if any have been successfully grown here either
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I'm going to be boasting now, our Alyogyne is in full flower now and has been since early April. 8)
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DEEP PINK FLOWERS IN MAY 6-10
6 Cylindropuntia imbricata, Ancient Corinth, Greece
7 Dahlia for sale , Loutraki, Corinthia, Greece
8 Deep pink coloured Rose, Ancient Corinth, Greece
9 Two coloured deep pink Rose, Sparta. Lakonia, Greece
10 Petunias for sale. Loutraki, Corinthia, Greece
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FUCHSIA PINK FLOWERS IN MAY 5-9
5 Dianthus barbatus
6 Impatiens New Guinea Hybrids
7 Osteospermum
8 Bougainvillea spectabilis, close
9 Bougainvillea
According to my diaries all these photos were taken somewhere in Corinth in the May of 2011, 2014 and 2016.
I don’t remember any of them !
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Wonderful bright colors Hilary. I admire the fact that you keep notes for your photos. I always make notes and put them in safe places. Luckily my IPad photographs are dated automatically and I don't have to worry so much.
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If I hover over the photo on the computer the date usually shows, That is if I have set the camera to record the dates
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5 PINK FLOWERS IN MAY 6-10
6 Argyranthemum frutescens, Nemea, Corinthia, Greece
T Achillea millefolium, Alsos Goudes, Sparta, Lakonia, Greece
8 Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Corinth Greece
9 Hippeastrum, Corinth Greece
10 Gerania Mountain and roses, Ancient Corinth, Greece
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Hilary, I look forward to your 'Colour 'series photos. I am never disappointed. I loved all today's different tints of Pink.
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There seems to be many shades of pink. I can hardly tell one from the other, glad you are enjoying the photos
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WHITE FLOWERS MAY 11-15
11 Argyranthemum frutescens, Corinth Greece
12 Campanula, Canterbury Bells, Ancient Corinth, Greece
13 Convolvulus arvensis, Corinth, Greece
14 Pyracantha, Corinth, Greece
15 White rose in a garden , Corinth, Greece
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RED FLOWERS IN MAY 11-14
11 Acca sellowiana, Corinth Greece. This small tree was identified for me by this Forum
12 Hippeastrum, Corinth Greece. I was once told that pots with this huge bulb should not be watered until after the 15th August
13 Papaver rhoeas, Ancient Corinth. Greece
14 Red Rose, Madrid, Spain
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ORANGE FLOWERS IN MAY 11-14
11 Osteospermum, for sale in Corinth, Greece
12 Orange roses in Caceres, Spain
13 Gasteria carinata, repotted recently and already producing flowers
14 The close up is of flowers in 2011
A very useful succulent
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YELLOW FLOWERS IN MAY numbers 11-15
11 Aquilegia, Ancient Corinth, Greece
12 Azara microphylla, Ancient Corinth, Greece
13 Fumana arabica, Taygetus mountain, Lakonia, Greece
14 Glaucium flavum, Corinth Greece
15 Verbascum undulatum, Corinth Greece
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Hilary, thank you again for all these lovely flowers you keep posting. They are most enjoyable.
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PURPLE FLOWERS IN MAY numbers 11-12
11 Delphinium, Kiato Corinthia, Greece
12 Pansies and Petunias, Kyra Vrisi, Corinthia Greece
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LIGHT PINK FLOWERS IN MAY numbers 11-15
11 Convolvulus althaeoides, Isthmia, Corinthia, Greece
12 Dianthus, Nemea Corinthia, Greece
13 Lantana, Ancient Corinth, Greece
14 Cistus albidus, Zemeno, Corinthia, Greece
15 Pink / cream rose, Kyra Vrisi, Corinthia, Greece
All seen in years past
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Hilary, I love the purple flowers very much. This morning my neighbour/fellow gardener showed me her purple gladiolus that the bulbs where brought from Holland. It is gorgeous and better still she promised me one for next year.
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WHITE FLOWERS IN MAY numbers 16-20
16 Lilium candida, Ancient Corinth, Greece
17 Philadelphus, Retiro Park, Madrid, Spain
18 Symphytum album, Retiro Park, Madrid Spain
19 Citrus paradise, Xylokeriza, Corinthia, Greece
20 Off white rose, Sparta, Lakonia, Greece
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I think there is something very special about pure white flowers and undoubtedly careful placing can enhance any garden, illuminating the subjects around them. My Philadelphus has given me particular pleasure this year as the temperatures have dropped somewhat in the last week or so after a hot April and early May resulting in it's flowering period being extended. It's lovely perfume catches the attention and a reappreciation of its beautiful flowers rising above a miscellany of Salvia in many shades of purple, mauve and pink for which it provides a perfect backdrop.
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I can just imagine the scene, lovely
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Today we went for a drive into the countryside . What with bad weather, grandson's birthday party and the scourge we have not been for a drive since February 9th . We decided not to chance going to a taverna but it looked as if other people did not have such reservations
The first place we stopped at my husband was disappointed as there weren't any flowers. However, just standing still and looking at the undergrowth I saw many extremely small wild flowers. Unfortunately, in my excitement, the photos of the tiny flower are all blurred
Here is a selection of the few we saw near a children's cam,p near Chiliomodi, Corinthia Greece.
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The photos
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Well Hilary, the ones you posted are lovely. We have not yet venture out on our free Sundays because we expected my sister and husband to join us for coffee after so many months of keep our distance.
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KAMARETA PART 2
After exploring the woods near the children’s camp, we went to the woods near the taverna. There were quite a few cars outside the enclosed open yard of the taverna and sounds of excited laughter and chatting could be heard but we had decided to walk in the woods then go home. I didn’t expect to find quite so many flowers to snap. It seems the photos I get in focus are of subjects at eye level!
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RED FLOWERS IN JUNE 1-3
After that short drive in the car and the wild flowers we saw back to the archives.
I don't have many photos of flowers in June but there is plenty of time to go out and find some, a walk around a village is required next Sunday I think
1 Lobivia silvestris, we used to have a pot of this on the balcony
2 Brachychiton acerfolius, A tall lanky tree growing in the pavement of one of the main streets of Corinth, Greece
3 Aloe mitriformis, A plant we still have but I potted up the offspring and threw the mother away as it got too big for the trough.
I now need to re-pot the re potted as they are too crowded, a job for the autumn
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ORANGE FLOWERS IN JUNE numbers 1-3
1 Dahlia and Osteospermum, Tripolis Rest Stop, Arcadia, Greece
2 Gladiolus, Sparta, Lakonia, Greece
3 Orange / pink rose, Corinth Greece
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JUNE YELLOW FLOWERS numbers 1-6
1 Genista sphacelate, Ancient Nemea, Corinthia, Greece
2 Acacia karroo, Ancient Agora, Athens, Greece
3 Eschscholizia, Corinth, Greece
4 Koelreuteria paniculate, Sparta, Lakonia, Greece
5 Lantana, Athens, Greece
6 Dianthus caryophyllus, Corinth Greece
All photos taken between 2009 to 2014. Some of the flowers I remember very well others I don't remember at all
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GREEN PLANTS IN JUNE numbers 1-2
Cycad revoluta, I think this is a photo of a plant which didn't survive life on our hot balcony
Solanum tuberosum, A field of Potato plants, I think, between Sparta and Tripolis. Peloponnesus, Greece
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Once more thank you for the photos. You could of course have photographed the potatoes in flower and posted them in your White flowers. Last year I saw a field full of sweet potatoes. Very attractive colour.
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Yes you are right. I wonder which month potato plants are in flower?
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Only one blue flower for June
Commelina erecta, Sparta, Lakonia, Greece
This one was identified for me by this Forum
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Good capture of this interesting flower Hilary but, as often happens with photographs, it does not reflect the intense blue that is quite amazing.amd immediately takes the eye amongst the not inconsiderable amount of foliage this plant produces. David gave me a small plant last year and it was a delight all summer. This year it is just getting going from self seedlings and I have given several away to friends who admired it last year.
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Here are a couple of blue flowers that I would not be without. So many shades of blue but always a welcome addition to any area I think.
Convolvulus sabatius
Consolida regalis
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More blue/ purple flowers
PURPLE FLOWERS IN JUNE numbers 1-5
1Solanum ratonnetii, Corinth, Greece
2 Galactites tormentosa, somewhere between Sparta and Tripolis, Peloponnese, Greece
3 Ruelia brittoniana, in a garden in Ancient Corinth, Greece
4 Consolida regalis, somewhere between Sparta and Tripolis, Peloponnese, Greece
5 Pansies, In a garden in Ancient Corinth, Greece
I prepared this post a couple of days ago, hence the repetition of consolida.
We have just had a long discussion over the dinner table about the names of the colours purple, and mauve in Greek . No conclusion was reached
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Hilary, as far as I know we call purple μοβ here in Cyprus and of course mauve μοβ. We have the colour melizani which it is aubergine almost mauve,Our native aubergine are not as dark as the big fat ones you find in the market. There is a colour you are not likely to hear in Greece and it is ' urani ' meaning sky blue.
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No I have never heard urani, sky blue , but I like it
The mauve mystery deepens
I have just read that the colour mauve was invented in 1796 and named after the mallow flowere, mauve in French
So what did the Greeks call purple before 1796?
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By coincidence the flowers i had prepared for today are my version of mauve
MAUVE FLOWERS IN JUNE numbers 1-4
1 Cordyline fruticosa ‘Soledad Purple’ Sparta, Lakonia, Greece. Growing in the entrance to a block of flats
2 Duranta erecta, Corinth, Greece. Used to grow in the park which is now, and for too many months, has been under reconstruction
3 Trachelium caeruleum, Ancient Corinth. Growing in a garden
4 Tradescantia sillamontana, Corinth, Greece. Enjoying the light and protection of an internal stairwell outside my dentist's surgery
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Describing the colour of flowers, especially in the blue/purple/mauve spectrum is always difficult for several reasons. People register colours differently and we all know how photos can fail to register the true colour. I feel that 'true' blue flowers are few and far between- probably why many gardeners value them so much.
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Last week we went to Kamareta near Chiliomodi where I took photos of wild flowers.
Yesterday, Monday 8th June, we went to Ancient Corinth near the spring of Chatzimustapha where I took dozens of photos , or so it seems, of garden plants. We walked along a short stretch of road and got so many photos of flowers that I have put them into three posts. However, since we were there under the midday sun some of the colour has been bleached out of the photos
More bright flowers tomorrow
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A short walk in Ancient Corinth, Monday 8th June 2020, part 2
I go the feeling that neighbours were sharing plants as there were repetitions of the same plant in two or three gardens.
Most of the flowers were hanging over the walls in a very helpful fashion
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I love Solanum rantonettii and since moving from our hillside house and garden,where I needed to keep it in a pot, now have one in the ground. It does get cut to the ground each winter but new growth appears as soon as the temperatures rise and it is a quick grower rewarding me with flowers by midsummer. Nothing like the ones in your photos Hilary but very welcome.
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More bright flowers in Ancient Corinth
The spring of Chatzimustapha where we used to get our drinking water before Corinth was given permission to use and was connected to Stymphalia Lake
Acrocorinth looming over the village
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DEEP PINK FLOWERS IN JUNE numbers 1-6
1 Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Corinth, Greece
2 Aquilegia, Corinth, Greece. I wish I could remember where I saw this flower
3 Euphorbia rigida. somewhere between Sparta and Tripolis
4 Again Euphorbia rigida between Sparta and Tripolis., but a different year. I like the leaves on this photo
5 Gladiolus, Corinth, Greece, I must have peeped through some railings to get this photo
6 Hibiscus syriacus, Sparta, Lakonia, Greece
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FUCHSIA COLOURED FLOWERS IN JUNE numbers 1-4
1 Oxalis debilis, Corinth, Greece
2 Brachychiton discolor, Corinth, Greece
3 Brachychiton discolor flowers on top of Pittosporum tobira hedge, Corinth, Greece
4 Brachychiton discolor flowers, I tried to place the fallen flowers in some sort of arrangement but they wouldn't behave
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PINK FLOWER IN JUNE 1-6
1 Schlumbergera, Corinth, Greece
2 Verbena, Sparta, Lakonia, Greece
3 Zephyranthes minuta, Sparta, Lakonia, Greece
4 Trifolium stellatum, between Sparta and Tripolis
5 Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Athens Greece
6 a rose bush reaching for the sky outside an abandoned petrol station in deepest eastern Mani, Lakonia, Greece
Please tell me if I have the wrong names
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What a wonderful selection of flowers. Hilary.
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Yes they are all very bright. We went out to some woods today but all the flowers were tiny and not so bright
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Hilary, I look forward to the posting but there are times when I don't allow enough time to appreciate their beauty or to write a good response.
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Don't worry about answering.
We can see by the numbers that people are looking at the posts so presumably enjoying them
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MAPSOS, Sunday 14th June 2020
We went for a ride to the woods past Mapsos and found the road longer, narrower and with more bends than we remembered
However, it was a lovely clear day and the views back to Acrocorinth, on the right of the photo, and its neighbouring hill Pendescoufi, on the left, were clear
There were several wild flowers to snap, unfortunately non with a name tag attached.
If anyone can put a name to the yellow flower which I brought home to snap I would be ever so pleased
There were many young pine trees which were giving off their characteristic aroma
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MORE FROM MAPSOS
I have included the photo of the young pine trees in this post today as I discovered an article about forest fires in Greece in 2007 where the fire at Mapsos is mentioned
I quote from FOREST FIRES IN GREECE 2007
“Between 18 and 23 July 2007 attention was concentrated on the fires in the prefecture of Corinth, near the villages of Mapsos and Hiliomodi including the ancient site of Acrocorinthos- the ancient Acropolis of Corinth”
That would explain the presence of so many regenerated pine trees
This white flowering plant was in the shade and was still fresh while all the others in the sun were dried up. By the time I got the cutting back home for a photo the tiny flowers had dried up
The last photo is of the scene looking back towards the Monastery of the Timios Stavros which is hidden behind tall walls
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Re your orange Bidens, John. I really didn't expect my hybrid 'Hot n Spicy' to produce seed. Nor did I think, when it did, that it would be viable. Then to see it germinate immediately was a further surprise. Now all that remains to be seen is what colour the flowers (if any) will be.
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RETURNING FROM MAPSOS
The bright red seed pods on the Judas trees, Cercis siliquastrum, were very impressive shining in the sun.
However, the real reason for stopping the car on our way back to the main Corinth/ Argos road was for me to get up close to the Traveller’s Joy, Clematis vitalba, but looking in the book it looks more like Clematis flammula, Fragrant clematis .Once more I forgot to look at the leaves and smell the flowers.
Since I found their common names in Greek, I will share this information with you
Cercis siliquastrum, Κουτσουπιά
Clematis flammula, αγράμπελη
Clematis vitalba, Λευκάμπελος
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David, our 2 Bidens seem to be settling in fairly well despite the heat. They appear to be putting on new growth. The owner of the nursery gave them to us as he said no-one was buying them and he didn't know what to do with them. I think we might have to make a trip back there soon as he had several more. If he still hasn't been able to move them maybe we could take them off his hands, for a price of course. 8)
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WHITE FLOWERS IN JUNE numbers 1-5
1 Euphorbia milii, Sparta, Lakonia, Greece
2 Gladiolus, Sparta
3 Magnolia and bee, Sparta
4 Oxalis articulata forma crassipes, At a taverna between Argos and Corinth, Greece
5 Trachelospermum jasminoides, Corinth Greece
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RED FLOWERS IN JUNE numbers 4-7
The first two were snapped in Sparta, Lakonia in 2014
The last two were seen last week when I escaped from the house, here in Corinth, for a couple of hours.
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ORANGE FLOWERS IN JUNE numbers 4-6
1 Echeveria leucotricha, once growing on our balcony
2 Punica granatum, Sparta, Greece
3 Apricot coloured roses, from a garden in Ancient Corinth
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Hilary you latest photographs have beautiful soft colour and restful to the eyes. We have the first two growing in our garden but roses are another story which I am always complaining about.
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Yes I love roses. I had hoped to see roses today when we went for a drive but no it was all Oleander, Oleander, Oleander.
The area we went to was by the sea and all the houses are mainly summer houses I expect the owners just have plants which can look after themselves
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YELLOW FLOWERS IN JUNE numbers 7-11
7 Parkinsonia aculeata, Corinth, Greece
8 Canna lily, Chani tou Anesti between Corinthia and Argolis
9 Oenothera fruticosa glauca, Sparta, Lakonia, Greece
10 Santolina chamaecyparissus, Alea Rest Stop, Arcadia, Greece
11 Santolina chamaecyparissus, Alea Rest Stop, Arcadia, Greece
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Nice mix of yellow coloured flowers Hilary. Our Echeveria leucotricha leuco=white, tricha=hair (two can play this game Carole) is flowering right now under the kitchen window.
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Yesterday, I posted some photos and some information, spell checked it, posted it and I got the message that there was an update and promptly lost everything. So i am having another go this morning. During our isolation we went round the garden and decided certain things could be changed to reduce the amount of time needed to keep them under control and also improve the look of the areas. Some of our Aloe arborescens grew high and spread due to the two good winters we had so we cut/dug them out and bagged them up. It was a rather tiring job, but we now have a large area to replant. We also had to crop some branches of the Melia azedarach as they were hanging over our neighbour's driveway. I made sure that the tall high branches were not touched because it is the resting place of the Golden orioles when they come visiting in the spring. All these 'greenery' was finely taken away to the village Green Point.
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That looks like a lot of work, congratulations
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PINK FLOWERS IN JUNE numbers 7-12
7 Althea, Corinth, Greece
8 Clerodendrum bungei, Chani tou Anesti, between Corinth and Argos
9 Papaver, I have no idea where we saw this
10 Cotyledon orbiculate, Sparta, Lakonia, Greece. The parent of this plant is flowering now on our back balcony
11 Cotyledon orbiculate, closer
12 Two coloured rose, Rest Stop Tripolis, Arcadia, Greece
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A SUNDAY WALK IN JUNE
On Sunday we chose to walk in an area near the sea where, although near a village, most of the houses between the abandoned railway lines and the sea are holiday homes.
This reflects in the choice of plants in the small gardens Bougainvillea, Oleander and Plumbago, plants which can look after themselves
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A SUNDAY MORNING WALK IN JUNE PART 2
AG GERASIMOS
Apart from the aforementioned Bougainvillea, Oleander and Plumbago we also saw
Morning Glory, I love the shadow of the umbrella my husband is holding over the plant so I can take its photo.
Jacaranda, I only saw this as I was watching where I was walking and saw the fallen petals.
My husband pointed out the Magnolia tree, again I would never have noticed it
Other plants we saw were Jasmine, Trumpet vine, Blue Potato Bush, Angel’s Trumpets and a field of Wheat
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Oops I forgot the photos
A SUNDAY MORNING WALK IN JUNE PART 2
AG GERASIMOS
Apart from the aforementioned Bougainvillea, Oleander and Plumbago we also saw
Morning Glory, I love the shadow of the umbrella my husband is holding over the plant so I can take its photo.
Jacaranda, I only saw this as I was watching where I was walking and saw the fallen petals.
My husband pointed out the Magnolia tree, again I would never have noticed it
Other plants we saw were Jasmine, Trumpet vine, Blue Potato Bush, Angel’s Trumpets and a field of Wheat
I was too busy thinking about my reason for using the common names , I was feeling lazy
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I was reading about Charithea's satisfaction with having been able to get some difficult plants to grow for her through trial and error. Well done Charithea. Where plants are concerned, I think it is always worth a try. I am hoping to be able to post a photo or two of my first ever Crocosmia flowers. Two buds waiting to open. I have tried umpteen times and these two plants are the only two to have survived, let alone flower. Now in their third summer and they were planted as flowering sized corms. Fingers crossed.
Even plants that are not difficult give satisfaction as they grow. Two years ago I took a photo of what I think was a Silver-washed Fritillary. They are the usual ones in my garden. It was gliding just at the moment I shot the photo. Today I took a photo of the same spot for comparison. Everything here is grown in black plastic (unfortunately) 50lt tubs as there is the concrete roof of Roman catacombs under them.
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Earlier this week we ventured a bit further afield than we have been of late due to the restrictions and visited a number of nurseries we hadn't seen for quite some time. One we hadn't been to for a few years in fact and it was good to see the owner again and have a bit of a chat. We spotted the plants in the photo and they looked a little different to the usual cannas. It seems they are hybrids and apparently have been hybridised to the extent that their origins have been lost. They now go under the name of Canna x generalis. Needless to say we picked up a couple.
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I find your last two sentences both sad and worrying - hybridising to the extent that the poor plants are now just 'generalis' . On the other hand some of the way out names given to new introductions of Salvias for example also drives me mad. Perhaps another example of old age grumpiness 😊
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WHITE FLOWERS IN JUNE numbers 6-10
6 Althea, white
7 Tordylium apulum
8 Begonia semperflorens
9 Leucanthemum vulgare
19 Lonicera japonica
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All so beautiful. Thank you Hilary.
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YELLOW FLOWERS IN JUNE numbers 12-16
12 Scolymus hispanicus
13 Ferula communis
14 Gazania
15 Osteospermum
16 Yellow Rose
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PINK IN JUNE
Portulacaria afra today
This year several of our Portulacaria afra plants produced flowers
I remember being given the first one in 1969 and being told that it is called Υπομονή in Greek meaning Patience
The close-up photo was taken several years ago in Sparta
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The Portulacaria afra looks lovely when in flower. Ours has not flower as yet. My sister has one which flowered 2 years ago but I thought it was white. Are there other colours or am I remembering wrong?
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The flowers on our Ipomoni are a deep pink but the photo I took in Sparta the flowers look to be nearly white
The plants don't produce flowers every year and I haven't followed the climatic conditions to understand why they flower some years and not other years. It is colder and wetter in the winter in Sparta than it is in Corinth
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last week I went out for an evening walk to checkout the situation at the beach side coffee shops and the beach.
Too many people for my liking
However, I did see this deep blue Plumbago not the usual washed out light blue
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Thank you Hilary for the information. We also have the deep blue Plumbago at the top of our garden/field. It is more attractive. Luckily our friend has one and this is how we acquired ours because they were not in sale around here.
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This is our blue Plumbago as mentioned in Charithea's post. We have a large conventional one beside our entrance gate.
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Lemons
For some reason a few years ago, I collected all I could find in the house relating to lemons and took a photo
This year I was given a heavy bag of lemons which were on the point of going off so we set to and squeezed them all and put most of the resulting juice in the freezer
I made lemon curd, something I haven't made for years. It was such a success that it is nearly finished. The next time I make it I will engage the help of someone to do the eternal stirring, stirring, stirring.
And for a couple of recipes using lemons go to THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 10, Autumn 1997 and read
LEMONS, LEMONS … AND … MORE LEMONS by Helene Pizzi
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Hilary, I make lemonade for my grandson, lemon cake for enticing Yiannos O to pass by our house so I can find out what new plants he is working with, limoncello for friends and guests, lemon curd and avgolemono of course. There are so many uses for this wonderful 'fruit'.
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I never managed to accomplish avgolemeno
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Kumquat
I am having difficulty tying this post in with June plants so have decided not to bother and hope you enjoy it anyway.
This plant grows in a piece of land in Sparta which is designated to be turned into a children's playground sometime in the future.
Each spring someone goes out with a strimmer and clears the dried vegetation near their house, another neighbour brings his tractor and clears all the ‘square’ of the dried wild flowers. Neighbours over the years have planted their favourite trees around or in the square Broussonetia, Olive trees to keep the huge Mulberry tree company.
I have been watching this Kumquat tree for about eight years as it grew to the size it is now. Obviously, it had been in a pot on a balcony and needed to be re planted
My son recently put the photo of the Mulberry tree on fb
To learn about Kumquats go to THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 10, Autumn 1997 and read
‘QUATS IN POTS by Duncan Ackery
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Whoever came up with the ingenious combination of kid's playground/fruit trees deserves a pay rise. Perfect perpetuating cycle
Kid's want to go higher on their swing. "Okay" says grandpa "but on one condition". "What's that?" asks grandchild."Grab a handful of fruit while you are up there" replies grandma. So perfect in its simplicity.
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BLUE FLOWERS IN July
Only two so far
Agapanthus, Corinth, Greece
Nigella damascena, South England ,UK
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Hilary as usual you produce a very interesting posting. I love your success story of the people's playground. Has anybody, to your knowledge, used the Kumquats to make glyco you koutaliou?
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I don't know and, since I am only a visitor, I don't know the people who would have planted the Kumquat tree
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Strict lockdown rules may be relaxed but their influence lives on. Apples from our tree and mint from the garden result in apple/mint sauce and jelly.
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MAUVE IN JULY
Only two today
Hibiscus syriacus
Verbena
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DEEP PINK IN JULY
Osteospermum and Water Lily
We saw the water lily somewhere in Malta, July 2007, when I realized that everyone we knew had been to Malta but us. It was a memorable holiday surrounded by everyone else, or so it seemed, on holiday
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FUCHSIA PINK IN JULY
Aptenia cordifolia. A much-enlarged photo of this tiny flower which is turning up all over the place in my plant pots
Brachychiton discolor. This tree was growing in our Town Square which is being reconstructed, I don’ t know it has survived the upheaval
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PINK FLOWERS IN JULY
1 Albizia julibrissin
2 Justica carnea
3 Catharanthus roseus
4 Begonia semperflorens
5 Convolvulus arvensis
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WHITE FLOWERS IN JULY
1 Stephanotis floribunda
2 Abelia grandiflora
3 Iphiclides podalirius
4 Datura stramonium
4 Rose from Madrid
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RED FLOWER IN JULY
Pelargonium peltatum
Only one flower today and I don't know where I got the name from, maybe I should just leave it as Pelargonium
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Hilary the white flowers were lovely but the red Pelagonium has brought such contrast.
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YELLOW FLOWERS IN JULY
Mirabilis jalapa
Nicotiana glauca
Rudbeckia hirta ‘Goldilocks’
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Hilary, Mirabilis jalapa can look wonderful but we had an area overrun by it. Nicotiana glauca was used as a kind of disinfected on cuts in my childhood. They are still around but not inside the gardens. Rudbeckia I adore but does not grow in our garden. I have tried and tried and tried...
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PINK HOLLYHOCKS IN JULY
These hollyhocks used to grow down a narrow stretch of land which doesn't go anywhere and which doesn't look as if it belongs to anyone. The owners of the houses backing onto this piece of land used to cut down the plants after they had flowered but now, even the roots seem to have disappeared.
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MORE WHITE FLOWERS IN JULY FROM YEARS PAST
6 Hibiscus syriacus
7 Nerium oleander
9 Hibiscus rosa-sinensis
8 Alcea
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Love to see the spontaneous Hollyhocks we sometime spot along the verges of roads. They always seem so healthy with none of the dreaded rust.
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BARTHELEMY VICTOR RANTONNET:
A FORGOTTEN FRENCH GARDENER
BY Alison Rutherford
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 59, January 2010
This article is illustrated with a drawing by Veronica Hadjiphani-Lorenzetti
I know I am repeating myself with the photos of Solanum rantonnetii but when I saw this article today while I was looking for something else, I couldn't resist the temptation to tell you about it.
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I laughed when I read the following
“How many adult children have moved out and left behind suitcases filled with things that might come in useful some day? If they haven't retrieved it to use it in five years, they do not truly need it. Give it back to them, re-gift it or get rid of it. No excuses tolerated, no recriminations or sulking accepted”
This in an article in THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 101, July 2020.
MANAGING BUSHFIRE RISK IN GARDENS IN MEDITERRANEAN-CLIMATE REGIONS: PART 1 by Trevor Nottle
The advice given applies to gardens, houses, garages, storerooms and places where rubbish and unwanted items collect.
I have realized that if you have the space you fill it. Now when our cupboards are overflowing, I am trying to offload somethings, but not very successfully, as I seem to be a hoarder.
In the 1960s small packets of sugar were provided with your coffee in Greece, I don't think sugar in individual packets had reached the coffee shops in the wilds of North East England at the time.
I loved these ones which depicted Greek wild flowers and, of course, collected as many as I could and stuck them in a scrap book, see they have now come in useful.
1 Primula vulgaris
2 Malva silvestris
3 Convolvulus elegantissimus
I am afraid I don't have a photo of the Convolvulus
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MORE SUGAR PACKETS DEPICTING GREEK WILD FLOWERS
4 Cyclamen neapolitanum
5 Cistus salviaefolius
6 I don't seem to have this
7 Anemone pavonina
The only photo I have is of the Cistus
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THE LAST OF THE SUGAR PACKETS IN MY COLLECTION
8 Anemone blanda
9 I don't seem to have this
10 Malcolmia flexuosa
The only photo I have is of the Anemone
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Corfu 1966. Part one
Some photos scanned from slides of Corfu, 1966
I tried to find photos in my collection with some sort of Mediterranean vegetation
There are many articles in THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN featuring Corfu. I suggest you read
A MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN IN CORFU by Cali Doxiadis
I issue number 98, October 2019
There are photographs of this garden here
http://www.mediterraneangardensociety.org/98-doxiades.html
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MORE VIEWS FROM CORFU
How exotic I found the Canna lily, with the air strip behind it, and Prickly pear
Corfu is mentioned in many issues of THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN
You can read the article, and see stunning photographs, which is in number 93, July 2018,
CORFU GARDENS ANCIENT MYTH AND MODERN MAGIC by Rachel Weaving
http://www.mediterraneangardensociety.org/93-corfu.html
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The Theatre of Dionysos, Athens
The first photo was taken in Spring 1969
The second and third photos were taken in June 2009
There appear to be fewer trees in the later photos
There is even an article in THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN where the Theatre of Dionysos is mentioned, number 97, July 2019
ON THE ACROPOLIS: A RARE ENDEMIC by Caroline Harbouri
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OLIVE TREE ON THE ACROPOLIS
The first photo was taken on a very wet 10th October, in 1965
The second two photos were taken on a very hot sunny day in June 2009
Quoting from my old Travel Guide
“According to the legend, Athena and Poseidon disputed for the possession of Attica: Athena, in the name of the olive which she caused to spring up, Poseidon in the name of the nearby sea which he had made gush forth from the rock by touching it with his trident.”
“According to Pausanias, the sacred olive of Athena was not destroyed when the Persians fired the temple, (The Erechtheion) but on the morrow of the fire a new shoot sprang up, manifest proof of the protection of the goddess”
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THE TEMPLE OF OLYMPIAN ZEUS
I quote from my old guide book
“One enters the enclosure through the Doric propylaea: in the middle of it tower 15 magnificent Corinthian columns, of which 13 are to the SE: the drums of a sixteenth, brought down by a hurricane in 1852, sprawl on the ground “
The first photo of the columns was taken in October 1965 and the second in June 2009
The capital of the fallen column was accessible in 1965 while in 2009 it was fenced off
A path, on the outside of the platform on which the Temple of Olympian Zeus sits, is lined by an ancient wall and leads down to some ruins which can be seen from the temple above.
In 2010 I went exploring this area more to get a photo of a different view of the columns than anything else. In my notes I remark on how annoying the cypress tree is in the middle of the photo
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THE THESEION, THE TEMPLE OF HEPHAISTOS
The first dark dull photos are from October 1995 and April 1999, it isn't all sun and blue skies in Greece.
However, the last photos were taken under the bright sun of June 2009.
When The American School of Classical Studies in Greece finished excavating the Athenian Agora they replanted the area with trees and shrubs which were thought to have been growing there in antiquity.
Olive trees, Mulberry trees, Myrtle and others
Those interested in reading THE GARDEN IN ANTIQUITY by Yvonne Linardos will find the article here
http://www.mediterraneangardensociety.org/journal1.pdf
The first issue of THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN
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SOUNION, THE TEMPLE OF POSEIDON
Three photos taken at Sounion one cold wet windy afternoon in 1966 and three more take on a sunny day in April 1969
I don't have any photos of plants near the ruins at Sounion but my father took the one showing the tops of the columns and Hottentot Fig, Carpobrotus edulis. At the time Hottentot Fig was planted in many public spaces. I imagine it has been expelled from Sounion by now
The best time to visit Sounion is to see the sunset on a clear sunny day, which I never did.
Byron, who as you all know, scratched his name in the marble and wrote a short piece about Sounion
Place me on Sunium's marbled steep,
Where nothing, save the waves and I,
May hear our mutual murmurs sweep...
The Greek poet George Seferis 1900-1971 also wrote a poem about Sounion Επί ασπαλάθων
Ήταν ωραίο το Σούνιο τη μέρα εκείνη του Ευαγγελισμού
πάλι με την άνοιξη.
Λιγοστά πράσινα φύλλα γύρω στις σκουριασμένες πέτρες
το κόκκινο χώμα κι ασπάλαθοι
δείχνοντας έτοιμα τα μεγάλα τους βελονιά
και τους κίτρινο τους ανθούς.
Απόμακρα οι αρχαίες κολόνες, χορδές μιας άρπας που αντηχούν
ακόμη…
I am afraid I couldn’t find a translation in English of this poem which is about Sounion, Spiny broom, Calicotome villosa, Ασπάλαθος and the columns
Sounion is mentioned in CYPRUS BRANCH VISIT TO ATHENS MARCH 2019 by John Joynes
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 98, October 2019
Calicotome villosa is mentioned in
GETTING LOST WITH A FOUND PUPPY: PART 3
by Isabel Sanders
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 87, January 2017
And last but not least a photo of, which I hope is, Calicotome villosa
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DELPHI
Two photos from October 1965 and two from April 1969.
You can see that there are plenty of spring flowers in the last two photos.
We have been back to Delphi at other times but the snaps are all of people posing in front of the columns
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THE CORINTH CANAL
A photo of the road bridge over the canal when there were only two bridges, now I think there are six or seven.
The photo was taken in October 1965
The second photo shows the Saronic gulf end of the canal at some later date
The third photo shows the old ferry at the Corinthian gulf end of the canal.
Now there are sinking bridges at both ends of the canal.
The last two photos are of the sinking bridges in action. We are always pleased when our visitors see the bridges sink then rise again, especially when a photogenic yacht or huge ship passes by.
Nothing much to see in the way of vegetation just the ubiquitous pine trees and eucalyptus trees
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I forgot to mention that the Corinth Canal was finished on 25th July 1893
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Thank you Hilary for all those old photos of Greek ancient sights. They bring back many memories. I was going to say that now it would be impossible to walk around alone or take a photo without being in somebody's one but you know what I mean. We were in Sounio last Spring and we're lucky to have our own archaeologist and also an amateur archaeologist talk about the place. Most interesting . We managed to see the sunset too. I will attemp to 'translate' Seferis's poem for you. By the way I studied maths not Greek literature.
Sounio was wonderful on Lady Day(25th March)
Being again spring. A little green foliage
Around the rusted stones
The red soil and the thorny brooms
Readily showing its large spines
And it's yellow flowers
A bit further back
The ancient columns
Cords of harps which echoed still.
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Since I posted my rough translation I found in a book called 'Trees and Shrubs in Cyprus' by the Cyprus Forest Association that under the Calycotome villosa it mentions that the Ancient Greeks knew it as 'aspalthos' . It also mentions Seferis' poem but only translates the three lines,
Few green leaves around the rusty stones
The red colour and the Thorny Brooms
Showing ready the big spines and the yellow flowers.
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The trip to see the sunset at Sounion was the culmination of a tour that I took a group from Cyprus on in March 2019. The sun going down was spectacular, even the chukar looked impressed.
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How thrilling that you translated the Seferis poem
I will copy it out
Today, on the beach, I read an article about Mykines and there were several words which I need to look up.
I don't suppose they are words I will be using in daily life but I would like to understand the sentence
I am glad you like the photos of the ancient sites in Greece. I try to find scenes with some vegetation in them, this turns out to be mostly olive trees, pine trees and cypress trees
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What a great photo opportunity the bird provided for you by sitting near a column at Sounion enjoying the sunset
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ANCIENT OLYMPIA
The first photos are of Ancient Olympia most probably in May 1966.
Then we have the lizard, the first I had seen in my life, I was so thrilled when it sat motionlessly until I finished taking the photo.
The next two photos with the Judas trees in blossom were taken around Easter time in 1969.
The last two photos show the entrance to the stadium and the stadium.
Many pine trees, some olive trees and Judas trees
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BASSAE, Part one
In April or May 1966, I met another English woman in Olympia exploring Greece and when I told her I was going to Bassae the next day she decided to join me. Now looking back, I can’t imagine how I travelled alone in a country the language of which I did not know.
We set of in the local bus, you know the one with all the baggage on the roof and picking up people from the local market taking live chickens home, all very jolly.
As soon as the bus arrived in Andritseana we were met by a hotel owner and the taxi owner and were soon on our way to visit the temple of Bassae.
At some time there had been a shower of rain and I vividly remember the taxi driver holding his big black umbrella and shouting to us that it was time to go back. We were having a great time scrambling over the ruins and counting the columns.
No scrambling on the ancient ruins allowed now, the major sites can be seen behind ropes.
From my old guide book
“The Temple of Bassae … is situated in a serene and lonely landscape (altitude 1,150m.), surrounded by fields and some old oak trees; the plateau falls away abruptly to the E (hence the ancient name Bassae), where mountain streams have carved out steep ravines.”
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BASSAE. Part 2
For several years my husband and I explored parts of Greece, which our annual summer holidays had not taken us to. These trips were usually after the family Christmas get together and before the schools started again. In January 1996 we explored parts of the Peloponnese with the intention of staying overnight in Andritsaena and visiting Bassae the next day. Unfortunately, all the hotels were closed for the winter but we were told of a hostel in Skliros, a small village near the temple. We were lucky to be able to sleep in the empty hostel and then early the next morning were able to give the key holder and his wife a lift to Andritsaena via the temple. On the way they told us of how all the village had taken part in the excavation of the temple, in the 1970s I suppose
It had snowed in the night and when we reach the temple, which we knew was now enclosed in a tent, it seemed to be in a cloud, hence the atmospheric photos. It was dark in the tent as the photos show.
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NAFPLION
I took a fleeting visit to Nafplion in 1966 and the only photos I have are of the Palamidi castle and Bourtzi.
The photo of the Venetian building, 1713, which holds the Archaeological Museum was taken in 2018. A visit to this recently re arranged museum is on my ‘What to do on Sunday mornings in the spring list ’. I had dashed inside in 2018 and decided that the new arrangement of the exhibits deserved a serious visit.
For more photos of Nafplion go here
http://www.mgsforum.org/smf/index.php?topic=2186.0
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TIRYNS
I visited Tiryns one afternoon in 1966 when I joined a small bus tour with guide.
The walls don’t look so impressive when you pass Tiryns on the way to Nafplion but close up you see that the stones are huge.
Our guide told us various theories about the masonry tunnel and why the sides at a certain height are polished.
The view from the megaron is of Palamidi castle on the left and Akronafplia on the right, Bourtzi can be seen in the sea.
The tall trees are eucalyptus
Tiryns was on my ‘spring trips’ list, I had visions of, if not lying on the ground, taking photos of the walls with wild flowers in the foreground. From the first photo you can see that plenty of wild flowers grow below the walls
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EPIDAVROS
In 1966 I joined a bus trip from Corinth to Epidavrus to see a play in the theatre.
At that time the ‘new’ road to Epidavrus was still in the making so we had to go via Nafplion and arrived, at the large archaeological site where the theatre is situated, quite early.
Recently I was asked if I remembered which play I saw, being a hoarder I knew that it was Oedipus Rex and starred Alexis Minotis and Katina Paxinou and took place on Saturday 9th July, I have pieces of the programme in an old scrapbook.
I have been back several times, always with an organized bus trip, to see performances in the theatre and innumerable times in day time with visitors.
The last photo was taken by my father in 1969
It looks as if there are olive trees above the theatre while there are tall pine trees behind the scene opposite the seats. Even if you don’t understand a word of what is being said it is a wonderful experience to see a play here. I think the only word I caught in 1966 was spiti, home/ house
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MYKINES
Three of the photos are from summer 1966. The oleander in the car park was still going strong when I saw it a couple of years ago.
The orchards seen in the view from the top of the citadel are of olive trees I think
The two photos of the Lion Gate were taken by my father in 1969, we must have been there at opening time to find the gate so tourist free of and so photographable, a real privilege.
Do you see the yellow flowers growing inside the gate?
For more recent photos of wild flowers growing in Mykines go here
http://www.mgsforum.org/smf/index.php?topic=2472.0
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Some flowers snapped in Augusts past
Lantana
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Lantana is one of my sister's favourite flowers, the pink and yellow variety. Lantanas are very popular with my Humming Bird Hawk Moths too.
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I am glad you added the yellow variety, now I hope someone will add a white one .
I too like the pink and yellow ones
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I used to have a white one in my old flat. I don't remember why it isn't with me now. I can only think that "The Beast from the East" finished it off. Thanks for including the orange and red variety earlier. That is my favourite followed by the white. So, I think I will be out on a shopping expedition shortly with a glowing white lantana as my main objective.
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Still on the subject of Lantana
I remembered taking a photo, which I had discarded, of white Lantana but managed to find it hiding somewhere in the computer.
The bright red Lantana I do not remember at all but it seems to have been flowering one November in Corinth
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Hilary thank you again for all the photos of flowers and of the Greek Ancient sights be it old or new photos. Our daughter taught in Kifissia for a few years and spent her week- ends travelling around Greece and the isles sending us cards and even the occasional poem. I still have the cards saved so when I have free time I will go through them again. I would love to see all the wild flowers that grow around those places. We have been on Spring trips and were enjoyable despite suffering from nausea. i am a bad passenger but I don't might the suffering as long as I can walk about nature and see and smell the flowers.
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Have you seen the photos posted by Liberto Dario on FB of wild flowers on Crete?
The flowers are so many and clustered together, I think I will put visit Crete in spring on my TO DO list
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Hilary, all of Liberto's recent FB postings have been excellent. Thea and I have been to Crete together on 2 occasions. Once on holiday based in the Heraklion area, when we did things like walk the Samaria Gorge and visit Knossos. The other was to attend the 2010 MGS AGM that was based in Chania. Thea has also been with 2 female friends on a Ladies only trip when they hired a car and travelled around the island. We'll have to dig out some of the photos from the computer archives!
I would love to go back again sometime and see more of the island.
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August flowers in years past
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis in Lechaion, Corinthia
and Stapelia grandiflora in Ierapetra, Crete
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August flowers, eight years ago
Two photos, taken on the same day, of flowers more or less the same colour in Sparta
Justicia brandegeeana
Lagerstroemia indica
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The Justicia brandegeeana is doing us proud but no matter how much loving care I bestow on the Lagerstreomia indica they stubbornly refuse to flower.
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Strange, but now I come to think of it I don't remember seeing any Lagerstroemia in Corinth. It is much wetter in Sparta
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August flowers in Thrace, Greece
Solanum elaeagnifolium
Eryngium maritimum
In 2006 we were invited to a christening near Maronia which is near Komotini, Thrace, Greece.
The christening was held in a small chapel near the sea.
The next day we swam in the Northern Aegean off a beautiful beach of bright white pebbles.
The two flowers which star in this post were at the edge of the beach
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AUGUST FLOWERS IN THE UK
I am cheating today as the August flower photos I have left were taken in the UK
Passiflora caerulea
Hydrangea arborescens ‘Annabelle’
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Hilary, I hope you don't mind my encroaching on your idea, with a few August flowers here in Cyprus taken this morning. Plants that are continuing to flower despite the intense heat we have been experiencing so far this summer (hovering around, and sometimes over, the 40 degrees C).
Tecoma stans
Plumbago
Bauhinia forficata
Hibiscus tiliaceus
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Lovely flowers. I can't decide which I like best!
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AEGINA
In 1966 I went on a Pilgrimage, arranged by an organization connected to the church. The boat left Corinth, passed through the canal then reached Aegina we returned in the evening again passing through the canal.
We visited the church of Saint Nektarios then went to the beach at Aghia Marina and in the early evening went to the temple of Aphaia.
A photo of the old church of Saint Nektarios and one of the new church.
Another visit was with a group of fellow members of THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN SOCIETY in 2001 when we visited gardens and the temple.
Three photos of the temple
You can read an account of the 2001 AGM in THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 27, January 2020 by Freda Cox
The last time I was there was with a group of my husband’s old school friends and involved a visit to the bird sanctuary, a visit to a potter, a visit to the new church of Saint Nektarios and of course the temple.
A photo of the sea view from our hotel balcony, many pine trees and olive trees
A trip to Munich has long been on my TO DO list to see the sculptures from the temple of Aphaia in the museum there
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HYDRA
I have been to Hydra twice, as far as I remember, the first time on 20th April 1967
The first four photos show the tightly packed houses round the port interspersed with some bushes. In one photo it looks like Wisteria growing up the side of a house
The second time was in 1993 with a factory excursion from Corinth, through the canal to Hydra where we spent the day and back through the canal again.
The last four photos are from 1993 and there appears to be some small cypress trees growing here and there
As cars are not allowed on Hydra donkeys are used as beasts of burden and the photo, somewhat doctored, shows them at the port waiting to be loaded
I believe that conditions are better for the donkeys now and that there are special shaded places for them to stand
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POROS
The first time I was on Poros was the 21st April 1967.
The first two photos show the town of Poros and its landmark clocktower. I think the hill was covered in Prickly pear plants at the time but later photos show pine trees. The town has a few cypress trees scattered here and there
The third photo shows the view to the south and the narrow straight between Poros and the Peloponnese. Apparently, the famous lemon orchard is there on the mainland but I have never been there, another place to put on the list.
Poros can be reached by boat from Piraeus or by a ferry boat from Galata on the mainland
Not a television aerial to be seen
The last three photos are of Poros in 2007 starring olive trees, pine trees and a cypress tree in a church yard
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ANCIENT TROEZEN / TRIZINA
The title is a bit misleading as I never found it when I went looking for it in 1967
I crossed from Poros to Galata on the mainland on one of the small passenger ferries and set out walking to find Ancient Troezen. I was fascinated with the story of Theseus who, as you all know, was born in Troezen.
The spring scenery was glorious and the road lined with wild flowers. I passed the tower which I snapped and decided that that must be all that is left of the ancient town and returned to Galata and Poros.
Now with the help of the Internet and satellite photos I realized that I had taken the wrong road and was quite near the site of Ancient Troezen.
I also learned that the ruin I snapped is the
TOWER OF DIATEICHISMA / DAMALAS CASTLE
By coincidence there are photos of Poros and places nearby taken by Tasos Lada on THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN SOCIETY Face Book site today
There is some information about Troezen/ Trizina here
https://www.visitnafplio.com/trizina.html
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SPETSES
Another island which can be reached by boat or a short passenger ferry from the mainland
We have been a couple of times but only for a short-day trip. There is plenty to see on the island but we have not seen it, another place to put on the list
The photos are from 1992, I love the snapdragon growing high up on a wall
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SALAMIS
Another island which we have not explored properly and the nearest one to Athens
We went on a day trip with my husband's old school friends in 2014, you can see a few photos if you follow the link
The programme was the Archaeological Museum, the Folklore Museum, lunch, and the Monastery of Phaneromeni. Unfortunately, we didn't go to see the monument to the warriors of Salamina
Most of my photos from this trip have disappeared. What can I say? Back up, back up, back up
Here are two from the Folklore Museum
A photo of a voting box -NAI or OXI, YES or NO
A photo of a loom showing some of the designs which were woven in Kilims, flat tapestry woven carpets
The link from my previous post
http://www.mgsforum.org/smf/index.php?topic=1734.msg12046#msg12046
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For the people who celebrate The Assumption of the Virgin or Ferragusto today, have a wonderful day with the people you love. I like to thank you Hilary for your 'travelling memories '. They evoke freeer days when we were able to go and travel with little money and little fear of getting harmed. While living in London John and I had a 'garden' list to visit. We managed to do quiet a few. Now in Cyprus we have a 'must see/travel list'. I am optimistic and I am sure that we will see/visit some of these places. The Greek Isles are on the top.
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Thanks for you well-wishes for today Charithea. I am "celebrating" Ferragosto with a little work in the garden as there are no other distractions. The gazebo is an eyesore and will be sorted out when things have cooled down a little. I would be too ashamed to post a before and after photograph. It really is that bad!
Buon Ferragosto a tutti :-)
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My husband asked me where I would like to go when all THIS is over. As quick as a flash I said DODONI
So Dodoni it is . So much easier to get to than Kastelorizo. Chalki, Nisirus , Ikaria, Anafi etc etc
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For the past few years I have been a member of the MGS Excursions Committee along with Alisdair Aird and Sally Beale. Together we have organised, with invaluable assistance from local experts or others that know the areas well, trips to some amazing locations. Our last effort, to Jordan, ended rather abruptly as we had to abandon it and get everyone out of the country before they locked down the borders. Even as we were frantically rearranging flights every member present expressed the desire to return one day and finish the trip, go to the places we had not seen. Only the other day a member here in Cyprus asked me if I was planning any more trips for when things opened up again. I had said that the Jordan trip was going to be my last one for the MGS Excursions, but comments like that combined with my own itchy feet and desire to see new places makes such a decision hard to stand by.
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Even planning a day bus trip is hard enough never mind an excursion to foreign parts
I think some people must have endless patience
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Last week I ventured out' be-masked DOWNTOWN armed with the camera and snapped some of the flowers on my way.
Nothing very exciting or different but cheerful.
I hadn't noticed the anti pigeon spikes until I downloaded the photos!
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MORE AUGUST FLOWERS IN CORINTH
Outside churches, at coffee shops and volunteering on the pavement
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CRETE, CHANIA
I started exploring Crete in the summer of 1966 at Chania,
The only photo I have of Chania from that trip was of the church of Agios Nikolaos which was built as a church, became a mosque then back to being a church. Apparently, it is the only church in Greece with both a bell tower and a minaret. I was fascinated by the painted eye which, looking at more recent photos, has been painted over
We visited Crete together with the children in 1986 and again I have only one photo to show you of Chania, the tomb of Venizelos 1864-1936. There is a good view of the town of Chania from the tomb but it looks to have been misty the day we were there
I had prepared this post to send this evening, but after reading John J's account of the 2010 AGM in Chania , in the NOTICES thread , I decided to post it this morning
Only two photos but of different scenes
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THE GORGE OF SAMARIA
In 1986 one of our objects in visiting Crete was to see the Gorge of Samaria.
Guided tours take the tourists to the Omalos plateau, where they start the 16 klm. walk through the gorge to Aghia Roumeli on the Libyan Sea then catch a ferry to Chora Sfakion where the coaches are waiting to take the tourists back to their hotels
This was not an option for us but a friend suggested that we leave the car at Chora Sfakion, take the ferry to Agia Roumeli and sleep there overnight. Then, bright and early, start walking up the gorge and turn back again after passing through the narrow Portes, return to Aghia Roumeli then take the ferry to Chora Sfakion and pick up our car again.
We decided to take the second option which turned out to be quite magical as we had the gorge to ourselves for many hours. We passed the Portes and kept on walking then suddenly what felt like hordes of manic eyed tourists started coming from the opposite direction. It no longer was enjoyable so we turned round and joined the horde. They must have been desperate to pass the Portes and eventually reach the sea and the village with its tavernas
Talking about tavernas the village was not supplied with mains electricity but there was a small solar power station on the beach. This was meant for lighting and small consumption but there was a running joke that every time the lights went out someone said
’ someone has just opened a fridge’
The first photo shows the entrance to the gorge, I think, and on the left the solar power station
The last two photos are of the gorge at its narrowest point, the Portes.
I wish I had taken some photos of the vegetation but for several years it was all family snaps
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Was called out this morning to see a flower that had opened overnight, a Tithonia rotundifolia, seeds provided a couple of years ago by David In Rome I believe.
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This year my Tithonia didn't survive the first heatwave which came a few days after they had germinated. A pity because they do provide a lot of summer/autumn colour. I have seeds ready for next year. Do they self-seed for you?
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HERAKLION, CRETE
Not many photos of Heraklion
The castle, the Koules , at the port and a fruit shop in 1966
I am not absolutely sure that the fruit shop was in Heraklion
And in 2008 when a cruise ship we were on stopped for a few hours
We had been to Heraklion several times in the past but had not been to the tomb of Nikos Kazantzakis 1883-1957 so that was out main objective on the cold windy day it was in October. You can see the looming clouds and wind-blown palm trees in the photo
Kazantzakis is buried on the wall surrounding the city of Heraklion
The inscription on a stone reads
Δεν ελπίζω τίποτα,
Δε φοβούμαι τίποτα.
Είμαι λέφτερος
I hope for nothing,
I fear nothing,
I am free.
[
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David , I am not sure if the sunflower self seeds as the area it grew in last year has been taken over by Salvias but the one that is growing now it is a seed that survived ants etc. I will collect the seeds and grow them again next year. I have seen an amazing display with this sunflower and Cosmos growing in a cool , water rich garden in Pelio last autumn. They were very tall specimens and with their bright colour caught ones attention.
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KNOSSOS, HERAKLION, CRETE
1966, like everyone else who goes to Crete, I visited Knossos
The photos are the same as the ones everyone else takes
I hope you notice the pine trees and some other vegetation
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PHAISTOS, CRETE
In 1966 I took a bus to the south of Crete to see Phaistos. No,I didn’t go to see the hippies at Matala
1 Phaistos
2 Green, green fields
3 The Messara plain. Some sort of explosion happened the minute I took the photo
4 Looking south to the Libyan sea and the Paximadia islands
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THE LASSITHI PLATEAU, CRETE
Another day in 1966 I took the bus to Psychro on the Lassithi Plateau.
The point of going there was to see the hundreds of windmills but I was lucky to come across the grain harvest.
Villagers acted as guides to the cave where Zeus is supposed to be have born but the nonexistent path to scramble down and the weak candles for lighting was not to my liking
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I remember those hot, labour intensive harvesting and threshing months. That period ended down our way in the late 50s. I remember when the Combine harvester first arrived in the fields. What joy!!
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ANOGEIA, CRETE
Another day in the summer of 1966 I took a bus to Anogeia. There I saw some of the stages of wool being turned into material. I saw women in the dark ground floor of their houses weaving on huge wooden looms the traditional Kilimia of Crete, but I didn’t take a photo
These two photos are, I think, from Anogeia
The man in traditional dress is not wearing Cretan traditional dress and I have never found out just where this type of clothing is worn
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SPINALONGA
In 1986 we took a boat day trip from Aghios Nicholas, in the east of Crete, which included a visit to Spinalonga, a taverna and somewhere good to swim.
This was long before the book was written and I don’t think we were much Impressed by Spinalonga but the swim remains memorable
Still not much vegetation in the photos
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VAI
We visited Vai, in the east of Crete, in 1986
The thing to do there is look at the Phoenix theophrasti trees, have a swim from the beach, eat at a taverna then look down on the forest of palm trees and the sandy beach.
In fact, every trip in Greece includes eating at a taverna
The palm tree forest at Vai even featured on a postage stamp
A good article to read about the plants of Crete is
THE HISTORY OF CRETAN LANDSCAPES AND THEIR SPECIAL PLANTS by Oliver Rackham
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 63, January 2011
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IERAPETRA
My husband and I visited Ierapetra, on the south east coast of Crete in 1997, long before we got a digital camera
The only photos I have are of two buildings.
The Muslim fountain in front of an old Ottoman mosque and a large square stone built building
I do remember going into the museum to see a statue which had recently been rescued from unofficial diggers and was struck by how lifelike her face was. I felt as if she would talk to me any minute
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Sparoza card
Looking for something else entirely I came across this postcard sent to me by Sally in 2009.
I suppose the card, which depicts Sparoza and the terraces, must have been drawn by Derek Toms
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I often wonder about Sparoza and what is going on there. I have seen the photos of 1960s vs now on the main website and it is incredible to see the difference and what has been achieved over the years. The plant list, blog by Isabel Sanders and the diary all give lots of useful and interesting information. It would be great if there was a quarterly update somewhere on the website/journal. What new plants are being experimented with this year, for example, with a follow up at the end of the first, second, third years about how the plants have done. Perhaps incorporated into a new column in the plant list? Who is this year's apprentice, what projects they have and some feedback at the end of the year. All things that might inspire members and non-members alike to try out new things based on the experience at Sparoza. Perhaps all this is already going on through the Facebook pages?
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WHITE FLOWERS from past Septembers
Anemone hupehensis
Astrantia major
Echinops subdenudata
Hylocereus undatus
Osteospermum
Vigna caracalla
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RED FLOWERS OF SEPTEMBERS PAST
To be honest I think the first four photos were taken in the UK
Dahlia ‘ Bishop of Llandaff ‘
Alstroemeria psittacine
Capsicum annuum ‘Spike’
Cyclamen in a garden center
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis
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ORANGE FLOWERS OF SEPTEMBERS PAST
Dahlia ‘David Howard ‘
Kniphofia
Momordica
Physalis alkekengi
Pink/yellow/orange rose
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That rose is beautiful - just like the perfect sunrise. Something I occasionally see on my way to bed, being a night owl.
Thanks Hilary :-)
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YELLOW FLOWERS FROM PAST SEPTEMBERS
Argyranthemum and Verbena
Begonia
Canna
Cassia corymbosa
Chrysocephalum ‘Desert Gold’
Curcubita
Ecballium elaterium
Rosa, pale yellow
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Thank you Hilary for all the beautiful photos of the beautiful flowers. They are most welcome at this time of the year where 'things' are struggling to survive the heat.
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Casuarina equisetifolia, Australian pine tree
Only one photo in the green file of plants in September past.
There used to be a row of these trees in a piece of land parallel to the enclosed dry river bed here in Corinth.
Suddenly, this summer, I discovered they have all been cut down and replaced with Oleander trees and other saplings which I have not yet identified
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BLUE FLOWERS FROM SEPTEMBERS PAST
Anagallis monellin
Cichorium intybus
Gentiana asclepiadea
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PURPLE FLOWERS FROM SEPTEMBERS PAST
The first was seen in the UK, the second in Greece
Streptocarpos
Tradescantia pallida
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Hilary, thank you for all the 'Blue flowers ( hues and tints). We have pale blue and purple Buddleja and some other 'Blue' colored flowers in the garden that are thriving despite the heat.
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Vravrona, Brauron
After swimming near Sounion my son M and his two daughters passed by the temple at Vravrona., It was closed but they could see the columns through the fence. I think this site closes at 4 pm in the summer.
We visited the temple of Artemis very many years ago and I was impressed by the number of ancient mirrors in the museum
In THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 97, July 2019 there is a reference to Vravron in
ON THE ACROPOLIS: A RARE ENDEMIC by Caroline Harbouri
And a poem VRAVRON by Petrie Newton
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‘esta es una plaza’, This is a square, A community garden in Madrid
My daughter visited this community garden at the beginning of September and sent me these photos of the succulent corner of the community garden
There are several websites with information about this project
https://diario.madrid.es/huertos/huerto/esta-es-una-plaza/#10/40.3047/-3.9165
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MAUVE FLOWERS IN SEPTEMBERS PAST
Vitex agnus – castus
Geranium ‘Rozanne’
Pansy
Salvia viridis
Verbena bonariensis
Unfortunately only the photo of Vitex agnus-castus was taken in Greece all the others were taken in the UK
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DEEP PINK FLOWERS IN SEPTEMBERS PAST
Rosa, ‘Josephine Hooker’
Sedum ‘Herbstrfreude’
Ipomoea
Rosa, pink and orange
The first three photos were taken in the UK, the last two in Greece
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PIGEON on the outside passageway
Living in a block of flats we, and the other residents, are continuously at war with the pigeons. The weapons of war have been old CDs hanging from the balcony, plastic bags tied here and there, ledges have been sprayed and lastly, and the most effective, has been to stick plastic spikes on any of the ledges the birds prefer.
However, this year one mother pigeon got away with laying two eggs in a pot which contains an old discarded Yucca outside our front gate. I don't think she even bothered to make a nest
By the time we discovered the eggs she had been sitting there a few days so we decided to leave her be.
Luckily or unluckily she managed to knock one of the eggs out of the pot so then there was one.
Here are a few photos of the progress the first one being the mother sitting on the eggs and the last the young pigeon probably the day before it left the nest or rather the plastic pot
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FUCHSIA PINK FLOWERS IN SEPTEMBERS PAST
All three seen in Sparta
Pelargonium
Mirabilis jalapa
Catharanthus roseus
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What a lovely colour. It brightens up the day. Thank you Hilary.
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PINK FLOWERS OF SEPTEMBERS PAST
Nerium oleander
Pelargonium
Podranea ricasoliana
All seen in Corinth, Greece
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Litchi chinensis, Lichi, Lychee
At the end of March 2018, we went to the Palacio de Cristal de la Arganzuela, A heated greenhouse at the Madrid Rio park. I have posted many photos of plants seen on that visit but there are still some photos waiting in a queue
This plant was growing in the tropical zone 2 area of the Madrid greenhouse
Litchi chinensis is mentioned in THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 70, October 2012 in
THE IDLE THIRD TERRACE:
TROPICAL EXPERIMENTS IN MALLORCA, PART 2
By Jaime Ruiz
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Hilary we are still waiting for us to produced some fruit. They do well in the Paphos area not far from us, they get the sea breeze and a bit more water than ours but I am optimistic that they will do us proud one day. Thank you again for inform us and posting interesting photos.
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WHITE FLOWERS IN OCTOBERS PAST
Crocus boryi
4 photos of Crocus boryi to start off October
The first two were taken near Arna and the second two on the way to Karyes, both villages in Lakonia, Greece.
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RED FLOWERS IN OCTOBERS PAST
Calamintha grandiflora, Arna Lakonia
Years later I am not at all sure I got the correct name
Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Corinth
Deep red rose, Sparta
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Hilary what gorgeous colours.
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ORANGE FLOWERS FROM OCTOBERS PAST
These three flowers might not be classified as wild but they were all providing colour in Octobers past in Greece
An orange rose in a garden in Corinth, 2010
Tagetes patula outside a hotel somewhere near Gythion, 2010
Strelitzia reginae in the garden of a large shop outside Loutraki, 2013
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YELLOW FLOWERS IN OCTOBERS PAST
Sternbergia bravely pushing through the dried mud after a flood
Sternbergia in the north of Greece after the rain
Senecio tamoides
Arctotis
Chrysanthemum
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WHITE FLOWERS IN NOVEMBERS PAST
A selection of photos of white flowers seen from 2005 to 2011,
all in Greece and most while visiting family in Sparta
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ROSES IN NOVEMBERS PAST
Many, but not all, snapped in Sparta, Greece
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ORANGE FLOWERS IN NOVEMBERS PAST
A rose, Cosmos, Lantana . Zinnia and, if I am not mistaken, Asclepias curassavica
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Such wonderful photos of flowers. They are really appreciated. Well done Hilary.
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YELLOW FLOWERS IN NOVEMBERS PAST
Acacia farnesiana, Sunflower, Hibiscus, Lantana and French Marigolds
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PINK FLOWERS IN NOVEMBERS PAST
Dianthus, Kalanchoe, Oxalis, Pelargonium and a Rose
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A RED FLOWER IN A PAST DECEMBER
Malvaviscus arboreus
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Lovely colour Hilary. It exudes Winter warmth.
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I saw a plant with a red flower in a nursery at the weekend that I didn't know existed. I was thinking about buying one but I read on the label it needs regular watering. Research on the internet says that it is drought resistant. Galvezia speciosa.Aka Gambelia speciosa. Shall I, shan't I? Shall I, shan't I? Shall I, shan't I?
'
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Nothing ventured nothing gained
Do you have the room for it?
Do you have the kind of soil it likes?
How much does it cost?
Would it be an investment or gamble?
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AN ORANGE FLOWER IN A PAST DECEMBER
Hibiscus sinensis
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David, after having a quick look at this plant I'd tend to agree with Hilary. It appears to be native to the California region and is described as drought tolerant. I also noticed that the photo of it on the Wikipedia page was taken in Melbourne, Australia, so it could be worth a try.
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The "Shall I, shan't I?" was really a space question. My garden is ultra small. I am always willing to give things a go on the "nothing ventured, nothing gained" approach to life. I think I am going to have to invent a planted-up trolley to attach to the back of my bicycle as a kind of garden overflow. And some kind of hat with a plant holder on top for the days when I go to work on the tram.
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A YELLOW FLOWER IN A PAST DECEMBER
Chimonanthus praecox
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A PLANT WITH BLUE FLOWERS, A DECEMBER PAST
Rosmarinus officinalis, Rosemary
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TWO PINK FLOWERS FROM DECEMBERS PAST
Clerodendrum fragrans
Malva sylvestris
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Looking for something to post today I decided to go round the block of flats and the immediate neighbourhood.
These two were on a windowsill
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Another plant enjoying the sunshine in the block of flats
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Hilary thank you for the posts. Very colourful and what we need to cheer us up as we are once more ' locked down'. I also tend to photograph other people's 'plants/flowers' and ask them for cuttings which of course they oblige. About two years ago I photographed somebody's purple/blue pots/flowers and posted them on the forum. A few weeks ago I had a skin appointment which took me back to that neighbourhood and I re photographed the pots. I have not had the time to put them on the computer as yet.
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Hilary, I remember the plant in your latest posting as being a favourite house plant in the UK, back in the dark ages, when it was always known as a Coleus. Apparently there is now some dispute as to whether it should be included in the Plectranthus or Solenostemon genera. Whatever, it is a useful outdoor plant in this part of the world.
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I remember that the flowers were always nipped in the bud but here they seem to let them bloom
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A veritable garden outside another flat in the block
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DECEMBER IN THE BACK YARD
There is a narrow strip of land, given over to bushes and trees, in the backyard of the block of flats. Over the years some have died, some have been unofficially moved to another home and some have grown and grown and grown.
About twenty years ago the then small children brought home from school tiny trees to be planted. Room was found for these small trees and some of them have become so tall and prone to processional caterpillars that ‘a man ‘is brought in the spring to chop off some branches and lop off a bit of the top.
One of the three pine trees is producing cones
The Judas tree which my husband planted for me when a piece of this strip became available. The tree is looking autumnal at the moment
The next door neighbours planted Bougainvillea along one of the dividing walls. Their garden was landscaped at the beginning but that block has been turned into offices and the garden is left to look after itself
Several of us in the block fight off suggestions that this strip should be turned into parking spaces!
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SOME DECEMBER FLOWERS IN THE TOWN
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Nicandra physalodes
I sowed the seeds I had acquired from THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN SOCIETY plant exchange on 26th October.
Last year I had great success with Nicandra physalodes but this year decided to try other seeds.
However, since I was using the same pots and mostly the same earth this Nicandra turned up and has presented me with an early flower. Now I see a couple more Nicandra plants in another pot
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A SUNNY DAY IN KORINTHOS
Not much to see in the way of flowers but I did like these three Bougainvilleas
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STIPA,
A while ago I snapped some Stipa plants which had been planted this year in a newly opened summer coffee bar. At the end of the summer all the tables, chairs cushions and woven rag rugs were collected in and the shutters closed, the stipa being left to its own devices.
So far none of the plants have been rehoused but at least one interloper has arrived
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WHITE FLOWERS IN JANUARY
I was pleased to find plenty of flower photos for January in my archives, some bring back memories and others I don't remember at all.
Cestrum nocturnum in Corinth
Solanum jasminoides in Sparta
An almost white rose at Kato Assos, Corinthia
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They are lovely Hilary. Wishing you and all the other Forum readers a Good Healthy Year. We went for a walk this morning and John took photos of wild flowers. He will put them on later.
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As my wife says we went for a walk this morning as the day was cool, slightly overcast, but with a promise of sunny spells later. We thought it would be good to clear our heads, not from an excess of alcohol I hasten to add, as our sole intake all evening had been a couple of glasses of Gluhwein.
We headed off to the cliffs above what is commonly called Aphrodite's Rock in the tourist literature but that the locals know as Petra tou Romeou (Rock of the Greek), but that's another story.
We quickly found Fagonia cretica scrambling through various shrubs, as was Clematis cirrhosa also.
Anemone coronaria and Arisarum vulgare were well in evidence.
This sign would appear to be out of date as I believe it should now read Ephedra foeminea.
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Spring is in the air !
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RED FLOWERS IN JANUARYS PAST
Cestrum elegans seen in Sparta
Euphorbia milii seen in Corinth. In fact it is flowering at this moment
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ORANGE FLOWERS IN FEBRUARYS PAST
Both photo of plants on our balconies
Clivia nobilis The Clivia has not started producing flowers this year
Kalanchoe blossfeldiana This plant didn't last long
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Hilary, our Euphorbia milii is in flower now, as are our Cestrum elegans and Cestrum roseum. The latter two have more attractive flowers than the C. nocturnum but lack its amazing scent.
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5 YELLOW FLOWERS IN JANUARYS PAST
Acacia dealbata seen in Corinth
Ranunculus ficaria seen in Sparta
Please do correct me if I get the names wrong
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Hyacinths in January 2015
Three Hyacinths, one more successful than the other two.
This year I didn't buy any bulbs, what with one thing and another
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Ipomoea, Sunrise Serenade
I was surprised to find this in flower a couple of days ago.
I had acquired the seeds from THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN SOCIETY seed bank and had planted them in October
The flower is smaller than it looks in the photo
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Purple flower from a January past
Echium plantagineum
Please correct me if I have the name wrong
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Here in Cyprus we are back in strict lockdown at least until the end of January. With our large garden we are still able to find things that need to be done outside, thus getting fresh air and excercise, especially since we have had no rain to speak of so far this winter to drive us indoors. Several plants seem to think that spring has already arrived, are putting on new growth and preparing to burst into flower. Today we found our first rose of the year, a Rosa mutabilis.
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No rain to speak of, eh? Lucky you. I wish I could send you half of what has fallen here recently. A most miserable Christmas and New Year weather-wise and ruling out any serious gardening work. The last couple of days have been sunny but the ground is still waterlogged. To make matters worse, we have 3 nights coming up in which below 0°C temperatures are forecast. The soil shouldn't freeze too deeply as the temperatures will rise during the day, Still, risky moments on the horizon.
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David, it seems I was a little premature as yesterday we had several spells of heavy rain. In the morning I went to the pharmacy and supermarket for 'essential supplies' and as I left the shop the heavens opened and I got soaked returning to the car. Not complaining though as we really need it. Supposed to rain today too but no sign so far just bright sun and the occasional fluffy cloud.
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Same situation here in Umbria David - I have taken a few measures to protect vulnerable plants - mainly Salvias that came from you earlier in the year that are most at risk this first winter and am hoping my Mimosa will survive as it is in full bud. All in the lap of the gods now🤞
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SUNNY SUNDAY WALK IN KORINTHOS, JANUARY 2021
1 Kalamia beach, the way I like it, to ourselves
The wind was coming off the snow topped mountain so we retreated inland in search of garden flowers
2 Mirabilis jalapa
3 Polygala myrtifolia
4 Solanum rantonnetii
5 Begonia rex
6 Senecio angulatus
7 Malvaviscus arboreus
I was going to crop the roof tiles off this photo until I saw the bomber
8 Pyracantha coccinea
9 Mirabilis jalapa
Any plant name corrections gratefully accepted
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No political connotations intended, ;), but our Bidens that we thought might only be a short term performer seems to be making a comeback.
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🤣
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By Jo(ve)! (sorry, couldn't resist). Mine has long since died down. But the myriads of little seedlings that germinated during the summer under the cover of the parent plant inspired me to collect seed and treat it as an annual. If the seeds do germinate this year it will be interesting to see if they come true, or revert to yellow. It will also be interesting to see if the parent plant re-emerges in spring. I doubt it, though.
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Disastrous start to the day here -awoke to find heavy rain falling as sleet as the temperature dropped well below what was forecast. This after a day of heavy, continuous rain.....everything in the garden looks well and truly battered, subdued and the sky heavy and grey. Nothing to do but wait and see with fingers crossed.........
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WHITE FLOWERS SNAPPED IN FEBRUARY OF OTHER YEARS
Capsella bursa-pastoris, Shepherd's purse, near Stymphalia, Corinthia in 2014
Argyranthemum frutescens, Paris Daisy seen in a friend’s garden in Kiato, Corinthia again in 2014
Codiaeum variegatum, Croton in flower in 2018 in our home. It got too big for the space allotted so we let it go
Crassula ovatum, Jade plant in 2006 on our south facing balcony. It is going into flower right now and several of its offspring are on the balconies of other flats in the block
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They are all lovely.
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YELLOW FLOWERS IN FEBRUARY OVER THE YEARS
2011 Narcissus tazetta in a Friend's garden here in Corinth
2011 Yellow freesia from our balcony
2013 Oxalis pes-caprae , Bermuda buttercup, Corinth
2014 Euphorbia helioscopia, Sun spurge, the ancient port of Lechaion, Corinthia. Unfortunately, the hole in the fence round the ancient port. has now been expertly closed
2016 Erysimum corinthium near the Heraion, Corinthia. I see I have already sent this photo to a thread ‘Plant of the Day’
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ORANGE FLOWERS SEEN IN FEBRUARY
I don’t know if this orange freesia was on our balcony or a low balcony I pass on the way to the shops.
I took the photo in February 2014
The photo of the Crocosmia, Montbretia was taken in 2013
Both flowers seen in Corinth
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Hilary the orange coloured flowers are for me more pleasing. They appear warmer.
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GREEN PLANTS IN FEBRUARY
Not flowers but greenery
2011 Schefflera
seen in Corinth and subsequently chopped down, by the owners, to knee height
2014 Brassica oleracea, Romanesco broccoli.
I probably bought this just to take its photo
2016 Crithmum maritimum, Rock samphire, Κρίταμο
Kokosi, Almiri, you can see photos of Kokosi on the Forum
2021 Pelargonium graveolens, Sweet scented geranium, Αρμπαρόριζα
In a churchyard in Corinth
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BLUE FLOWERS IN FEBRUARY
We start off with a Grape Hyacinth I snapped in the area of the Ancient port of Lechaion in 2014. The flowers are lying on top of one of the fallen marble columns. I have this photo in a couple of places on my computer, in one place I have named it Muscari commutatum and in another Muscari neglectum
Next, we have Bellevalia Hyacinthoides seen near the Heraion, Perachora, Corinthia in 2016. In the close up photo the flower appears to have a pink tinge which is a reflection of my very pink anorak. I think the plant was identified for me by this Forum
Lastly, we have Speedwell, Veronica glauca seen February 29th 2016.
In my diary I write that on our way to Corinth from Sparta
‘ stopped at blue field near Tripolis’
I am glad to find that I have a photo of the field to share with you
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CYCLAMEN
Cyclamen outside our front door
In flower continuously since before Christmas
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PURPLE FLOWERS IN FEBRUARY
I snapped both these flowers somewhere off the road between Tripolis and Sparta in February 2016
Anemone blanda, Grecian windflower
Iris unguicularis, Algerian iris
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Thank you Hilary for all those flowers you have posted. I don't always have the time to remark on them but please know they are much appreciated.
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Glad you enjoy seeing the flowers from over a year ago when we used to be able to explore Greece
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PINK FLOWERS IN FEBRUARY
All these flowers, apart from the Hyacinth, were seen either in a friend’s garden or at the local florists
Hyacinth in Corinth in 2014
Dianthus, both in Kiato in 2014
Azalea, Kiato and Corinth in 2014 and 2016
Cineraria in Corinth in 2016
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MORE PINK FLOWERS IN FEBRUARY
Prunus communis, Corinth
Prunus armeniaca near Kalendzi, Corinthia
Silene colorata, Ancient port of Lechaion
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All I can say is that they are all Beautiful and they bring spring nearer.
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WHITE FLOWERS IN MARCHES PAST
Freesia Sparrmanii, where did I get this name, I am not at all sure about it now?
We used to have these popping up every year in the trough on the front balcony, then they disappeared
Laurus nobilis and Viburnum tinus growing magnificently in the back yard of the block of flats. It’s a great jungle down there, home to birds, insects and the passing cat.
Lygos raetam growing by the side of the road parallel to the railway lines in Ai Theodori, Corinthia, Greece
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Names can sometimes be cruel. Take the case of Rosa canina for example. The specific name means pertaining to dogs. In this instance rather cruelly applied metaphorically to what was considered an inferior kind, that is a scentless not a scented species. Personally I find it no less attractive for that.
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RED FLOWERS IN MARCH
Three red flowers in March
The first in the National Gardens Athens, 2011
The second near the village of Galataki, Corinthia, 2011
The third in the Retiro Park, Madrid , 2015
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ORANGE FLOWERS IN MARCH
Kalanchoe fedtschenkoi. The photo was taken years ago but several of its children are flowering wildly at the moment on the front balcony
Buddleia madagascariensis. The photo taken years ago, we had bought this plant at a MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN SOCIETY plant exchange and planted in the backyard of the block of flats. It grew very well on neglect, in fact too well for a neighbour who replaced it with something else, which died. However, it had escaped to the empty plot next door and seems to like the neglect there
An orange/ copper coloured freesia growing in a pot on a balcony I pass on my way to the shops. It appears year after year and is probably in flower right now
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VARIOUS EUPHORBIA IN GREECE
1 & 2
Euphorbia dendroides seen on a MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN SOCIETY excursion to Kea, Cyclades in April 2002
3 & 4
Euphorbia rigida seen off the road between Tripolis and Sparta, Lakonia at different years in March
5
Euphorbia characias seen at Ancient Corinth one March
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THREE BLUE FLOWERS
Anagallis arvensis, seen near Galataki a village in Corinthia
2011
Vinca minor seen in my favourite field between Sparta and Corinth
2014
Globularia alypum Not sure where I saw this probably deep in the hinterland of Loutraki, Corinthia
2019
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TWO PURPLE FLOWERS
Freesia, these used to grow on out front balcony but the bulbs must have been thrown away with the old soil and the Bermuda Buttercup plants
Fritallaria meleagris seen in the grounds of the New Castle at Sherborne, Dorset, UK
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Wonderful plants and flowers Hilary. I have been somehow shut out of the forum for a few days. I am constantly asked for my password.
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Glad you like the photos .
More tomorrow
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THREE MAUVE FLOWERS
Lunaria annua seen on the banks of the Evrotas river, Lakonia in 2010
Identified by this Forum
Lavandula dentata seen in the National Gardens, Athens, 2011
Linum bienne 2016
Seen growing at the base of a tree in the pavement in Corinth
Identified by this Forum
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I give it a 10!!!!
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Thanks for the ten
Here is the discussion about the
Honesty plant
http://www.mgsforum.org/smf/index.php?topic=258.0
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THREE FLOWERING TREES
Prunus sargentii seen in the gardens of the New Castle at Sherborne, Dorset in 2008. Specimen trees were labelled which is just the way I like it
Prunus subhirtella growing in the grounds of the Cathedral Church of Saint Paul in Corinth. Luckily it escapes the drastic pruning of the other trees growing under a different jurisdiction. I am not sure if I have the correct name
A Magnolia tree flowering in the town of Sparta in 2015
Hopefully all three trees are now in flower and can be seen by those living in the various areas
I visited the one in our local church grounds last week. It was looking healthy
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MORE YELLOW FLOWERS MARCH
Alkanna orientalis near Mapsos, Corinthia
Calicotome villosa near Galataki, Corinthia
Medicago arborea, National Gardens Athens
Gagea fibrosa Near Galataki, Corinthia, identified by this Forum
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Pyrus amygdaliformis, Almond-leaved pear
From the date I seem to have seen this tree near Ancient Corinth on the 17th March 2013. I have no recollection of the tree at all
I got excited when I heard that the archaeological sites were to be opened and I had dreams of wandering round the less popular areas of the site at Ancient Corinth looking for wild flowers. My dreams were shattered when I read that the sites must be in your immediate neighbourhood and that you couldn’t go by car
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I have just realised that we have been contributing to this thread for over a year, since March 16th 2020. I was going to post some photos of white flowers today then I discovered I had used them already. I need to start yet another note book to record just what I have sent to this post
Dear me , what problems some people have
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WHITE FLOWERS IN APRIL 2
Aesculus hippocastanum in Madrid
Convolvulus cneorum in Corinth (I am not sure about the name)
Cydonia oblonga in Xylokeriza, Corinthia
Hellebore, in Paris
Spirea arguta in Aranjuez, Spain (identified by this Forum)
Ornithogalum arabicum, in a pot on our balcony
None of them this year
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They are all lovely Hilary. Thank you. Our Ornithogalum arabicum have not flowered as yet this year. I made a name plate in mosaic to mark the area as I have a tendency to pull out anything like resembles wild garlic.
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Ours made lots of leaves but no flower this year
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RED FLOWERS IN APRILS PAST
Pieris, Paris
Primulas, Paris
Dark red rose, Ancient Corinth
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YELLOW FLOWERS IN APRIL
Easter 2009 we cat sat in Sparta and went on drives every day
Argyrolobium zanonii on the way to Polydrossos
Doronicum orientale in Polydrossos
Cerinthe major in Sparta
Hypericum aegypticum at the Botanic garden at Kaisariani with THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN SOCIETY in 2010
Pallensis maritima in Corinth
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Echium angustifolium
We saw low mounds of this plant with pretty pink and purple flowers somewhere near Ancient Corinth last Sunday
The choice was either Echium angustifolium or Echium plantagineum and I am going with the former.
As usual I should have noticed what the leaves were like, how many stamens there were and how big, in millimeters, the flowers were.
I always think I will identify the plant at home and then find I hardly know anything about it.
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Hilary I love this plant. I believe you have the correct name of angustifolium. We come across it a lot when we walk around our area here. I love the different colours on the same plant. I also love Lithodora hispidula for the same reason. I have tried years back to grow the former in our garden. It was removed from the path next to the road for its own safety and lasted just one spring.
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It looks like a very useful plant for Mediterranean gardens , however, there were only three round humps where we saw it.
A bit like the Globularia alypum , which you like, there are always just one or two plants
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PINK ROSES IN APRIL
As the title says pink roses seen in April
They were probably seen in Corinth, Sparta or Loutraki
The last two photos are of roses in flower at this very moment in Madrid.
My daughter in Spain sent them to me , the photos not the roses.
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They are all beautiful Hilary. Thank you for posting them.
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I can't find the thread that we have posted photos of May wreaths on in the past so this will have to suffice for this year's effort.
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Beautiful
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Lovely. I wouldn't be able to find almost any of those flowers in my garden yet. Perhaps we'll have to start a tradition of a June wreath here in Rome if we want to produce anything as beautiful and varied as yours.
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ROSES IN MAY
It seems I was too generous with flower photos last May and now have very few to send you.
Here is a bunch of roses to start off the month.
Some you might have seen already and others might be new to you
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Roses from a friend's garden
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What lovely roses. Gorgeous!!!
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More roses from a friend's garden
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I posted a photo of Tiarella 'Running Tiger' last year. This year it has grown a little and produced lots of flowers, now past their best. Here is a photo taken a couple of weeks ago. It has got a little overgrown by vincas and the like. What surprises me is that in summer, when the sun is at its full height, this plant gets a couple of hours of full, midday sun. Even though it is normally in light but full shade, I wouldn't have expected it to cope with full summer sun. Tiarellas are obviously tougher than I thought.
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ROSES SEEN IN THE GARDEN OF FRIENDS
The last three photos of the roses in the garden of friends
My friends told me that when they first started planting roses in their garden, they had planted 90 different colours. Slowly over the years the number of roses dropped drastically when, one by one, they succumbed to the illnesses roses are prone to
No names of the roses were mentioned but the remaining rose bushes were thick with flowers and the stems of some very thorny
I thought you might like to read
A ROSE GARDEN NEAR ROME by Ida Tonini
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 54, October 2008
For photographs of this garden, see THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN SOCIETY website
http://www.mediterraneangardensocietyarchive.org/54-rosesrome.html
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Papaver somniferum, Oriental poppy
Three flowers on our balcony grown from seeds obtained from THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN SOCIETY seed exchange
Always looking for some connection to articles in THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN I was thrilled to find an article I have not recommended before.
THE GARDENS OF POMPEII
By Gian Lupo Osti
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 18, Autumn 1999
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The photos of all these lovely roses sent me to the computer to see once more the photos I took of the David Austen roses that we saw a few years ago while we were in Umbria.
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May and early June seem to be the best time for roses in Greece
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On higher altitude the roses in Cyprus are doing ok. Except for the 'Banksias' our roses are once again confused. The Aussie rose bush is tough and is flowering but the others which were planted a few years ago, are only now having buds. If they don't open soon the heat will burn their buds before they open.
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David your Tiarella 'Running Tiger' looks refreshingly cool. It also has such lovely flowers. Yesterday my Canadian cousin sent me a photo of Amsonia tabernaemontana that he came across while walking in a park. He wanted to know if we have it in Cyprus. The answer was No. Perhaps you can look for it for your garden in Italy. Its common name is 'Blue star'.
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Alcea, Hollyhock
Seen growing in a very small garden In Sparta in June 2019
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Hi Charithea
Re Amsonia tabernaemontana. I noticed that there are still seeds of this plant on the MGS seed-exchange list. They come from France so may even be from Chantal herself? I tried to grow it several years ago but, if I remember correctly, the seeds didn't germinate for me. When I first started to try with seeds I was always too late in sowing them and many seeds never germinated for me. Perhaps I should try with this plant again? But where would I put it - there simply is no room! :-\
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More roses for the last day of May
Roses with Acrocorinthos in the background
Roses with Taygetus in the background
Pink roses in Corinth
All photos taken in May 2014
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Roses at the Water Park ,Isthmus, Corinthia in June, two summers ago
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JUNE FLOWERS 2020
On my way to the shops, I pass one very interesting low balcony which the owner fills with flowering plants in pots
Last year there was Mandevilla and a very pale Hibiscus
Further along there was a collection of large planters with this lily, Crinum asiaticum, in one of them
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KALAMAKI IN JUNE
Yesterday we went looking for flowers in Kalamaki, the village at the Saronic Gulf end of the Corinth Canal. I was pleased to find many of the gardens had plants hanging over the garden railings and was able to snap a few
Yellow Canna lilies at eye level
I liked the Lantana shaped into a tree- like bush in a pavement and the bright yellow Lantana hanging over a railing.
A white rose placed where all could see and enjoy
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NERIUM OLEANDER AT KALAMAKI
Apart from the usual pink and white Oleander bushes there were also two with more rarely seen colours.
The yellow Oleander was covered in fresh flowers while the apricot coloured one seemed to be a bit behind as there were several unopened buds and only a few flowers to snap
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OLD FASHIONED CLIMBING ROSES AT KALAMAKI
These roses formed a thick hedge around the garden of one of the houses at Kalamaki. Rather like an illustration for Sleeping Beauty when the hundred days had past since she fell asleep and all the thorns on the hedge changed into roses.
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TWO COLOURED BOUGAINVILLEA AT KALAMAKI
There were several Bougainvilleas in the village of Kalamaki but this one caught my eye.
The cat was near the car and stood still for me to take its photo, probably hoping I would feed it
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WHITE ROSE AT KALAMAKI AND THE SEA
I suppose there must have always been a small fishing village at Kalamaki and there still are a few fishing boats among the pleasure boats.
We had our first taverna meal, after many months of lockdowns and restrictions, at one of the fish tavernas near the sea.
The white rose was across the road from the sea
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Thank you again Hilary for the whole weeks postings . You are right about the old fashion climbing roses. Our old fashion climber is in flower but not much to photograph. Also two others have finally produced some roses but are half of theiri normal size. The shortage of rain last year and the early arrival of Spring-summer weather showed also on the amount of fruit produced by the plumb trees and the two of the tropical guavas.
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Hello there.
I felt a bit like the voice crying in the wilderness or as if everyone had gone to sleep as no one else seemed to be posting
Now I am trying to think where to go this Sunday for a ride where we might see something different, Bougainvillea and Oleander can get to be a bit boring after a while
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You'd be forgiven for thinking these were winter photos. I got off my local tram after work and there was what I dread to see at this time of year - piled up hailstones! A regular June occurrence. Fearing the worst, the worst was confirmed as I walked up my little street. Leaves stripped off the trees. Courtyard full of ice. Soft-leaved plants shredded. Tomorrow morning I will check my seedlings but don't hold out much hope :-(
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Oh dear
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David, that's tragic and almost unimaginable to us here in Cyprus as we have not seen a hint of rain for almost 3 months already. Daytime temps up and into the 30s, although recently a stiff breeze has helped to allay that, especially in the shaded areas. Getting quite concerning as the winter was a dry one on the whole and the water level in the dams is already dropping.
Hope your plants can recover.
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Hilary, I will be posting my photos soon. There was a problem with my iPad the last three weeks and I could not transfer photos to be reduced for the Forum. Our grandson was unavailable to help me due to his exams. My son- in -law just sorted it out. He brought our grand daughter to attend my sister's 83rd birthday party so I took the chance to ask for help. As for the Oleanders they are underestimated. They add colour and aroma, especially the double ones and they take the drought. My sister has the creamy-yellow colour and they look fantastic. Our double pink at the end of the field smells lovely in the early morning.
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Hi David, I am sorry that your plants have been devastated by the weather. Hopefully as the weather improves they will recover. Fingers crossed.
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That's heart breaking David. We have been spared so far despite storm warnings and one half hour of torrential rain - no hail this year.....so far 🤞
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A RED GLADIOLUS IN SPARTA
I took this photo in 2014, how time flies
The flower seems to have passed through the wire fence and is facing away from the garden
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YELLOW FLOWERS IN JUNE IN SPARTA IN YEARS PAST
Verbascum sinuatum
Opuntia
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PINK FLOWERS SEEN IN JUNES PAST
The yellow and pink rose was seen in Sparta
The pink roses grow in a friend’s garden in Corinth
Now I have no idea of where, in Corinth, I saw the Rhododendron.
According to my diary we didn’t go anywhere on the day the photo was taken
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Carpobrotus acinaciformis, Hottentot fig or is it
Carpobrotus edulis, Hottentot fig, Χοντρόφυλλο μπούζι
I was too generous last year with the photos of flowers in June and have now gone back in time to Crete, June 1966
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A rather pleasing image created by sunlight shining through the flowers of an unnamed Ipomoea.
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Pretty
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Going back a page, Hilary, the yellow oleander looks really beautiful. I took a cutting from a slightly paler version last year and it is flowering already. As is a peachy version which is also a cutting taken from a bush last year. They take so easily from cuttings just standing in water in the hot summer months. The last photo is of a bush I saw last weekend and took a few cuttings from. Fingers crossed.
I also bought a small plant on the internet last year, Nerium oleander 'Barcelona'. It has taken well and has 8 or 9 new shoots coming up. No flowers as yet but I am hoping it will look like this (a slightly purple hint to it rather than pure pink)https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=d5yyvqKT&id=FFA3DFFB839515559677819C58D95B044C266D11&thid=OIP.d5yyvqKToygoNqcojlr7-gHaFj&mediaurl=https%3A%2F%2Fth.bing.com%2Fth%2Fid%2FR779cb2bea293a3282836a7288e5afbfa%3Frik%3DEW0mTARb2VicgQ%26riu%3Dhttp%253a%252f%252fgardenbreizh.org%252fmodules%252fpix%252fcache%252fphotos_110000%252fGBPIX_photo_118150.jpg%26ehk%3Dk7buYG3P%252bqk8h%252bZwPLMOTmC8U0J5JaCPu5%252fT7A3UmkU%253d%26risl%3D%26pid%3DImgRaw&exph=400&expw=533&q=nerium+oleander+%27Barcelona%27&simid=608033958955131300&ck=A0BA7EC2EC41ED74E440AB634606D4AB&selectedindex=0&form=IRPRST&ajaxhist=0&ajaxserp=0&vt=0&sim=11
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Trying again with the link to Nerium oleander 'Barcelona' http://gardenbreizh.org/photos/Michel/photo-118139.html
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Some of our oleanders that are in flower at the moment. The double pink is fragrant.
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Plumbago auriculata, Cape Leadwort
A blue flower to start off July
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Although this is really "wildlife" I have put it here as it is also related to the Corona virus situation. In many ways, I have worked more over the last year than usual. But not having had to travel into work has allowed me to be in the garden at times I wouldn't normally have been able to be there. Therefore, I have seen species of insect that I was not aware were in the area. I had never seen a Peacock butterfly in my garden (or in the area) until a couple of weeks ago. And yesterday I spotted my first Holly Blue.
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Beautiful
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PINK FLOWERS IN PAST JULYS IN CORINTH
Hibiscus syriacus
Mandevilla
Nerium oleander
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David, the Holly blue butterfly looks so delicate. I have not seen many butterflies flying around our flowers lately. The Budlejas are all waiting for them.
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Passiflora, Passion flower
This plant is climbing up a wire fence not far from out home. My husband reminded me that I wanted to snap the fruit on our way back from a taverna, yes, the tavernas are open once more.
Not content with just taking a photo of the fruit I snapped the flower and unopened bud, a Carpenter bee and one fruit which looked as if it had been chewed.
If it’s not a Carpenter bee please let me know
I hope you enjoy seeing the photos as much as I enjoyed taking them
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I haven't taken any photos of our edible Passion flowers yet but the other day I did take one of a purely ornamental variety we have.
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Pretty
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A BALCONY IN CORINTH
On my way to the shops, I pass by a couple of interesting gardens and a few balconies with different plants. The woman who tends this particular balcony seems to change the pots round quite often. These were in flower this July
Alstroemeria hiding behind some other plant
Clerodendron thomsoniae
Fuchsia
Mandevilla
Pentas Lanceolata
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Hilary, I also look at people's garden when I am in Town. I have already posted my favourite purple/indigo pot garden a few years ago. Last week I was in the same neighbourhood while visiting the Dermatoligist and was please to see the addition of some sage coloured pots and new plants . The effect was very pleasing. I was in too much of a hurry to knock at the door and ask them to show me the back garden.
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ROSES SOMEWHERE IN THE ISTHMUS, CORINTHIA
We saw these healthy-looking roses this month somewhere in the hinterland of the Isthmus
Since I have no information on the names of these roses all I can say is, ENJOY
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Hilary they are all gorgeous. Thank you for posting them.
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I don't know which rose I like best
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My vote for 1st place goes to No 2 with a close runner up No 4. Thanks Hilary. :)
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Mine is three, I have it as a screen saver just now
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Funny how things influence us, isn't it? No 4 would have been equal first place if I could get some distant, faint memory of one of those saccharine 50s style soap adverts out of my mind. I have no idea what the advert was but the rose is identical.
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Echium plantagineum, Purple viper’s bugloss
Growing by the side of the road together with Crown daisies, mid-April, here in Corinth.
I was stumped by the white flowers growing among the blue / purple viper’s bugloss.
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Antirrhinum, Snapdragons both white and red
Gaura lindheimeri, now Oenothera lindheimeri,
and white gravel
Seen mid-June when we went out for a ride looking for flowers to snap under the midday sun. These two were seen in a seaside area of holiday homes, not far from Corinth.
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Hilary, I don't remember seeing a white floweringEchium platagineum before. I like it. I love the airiness of the Oenothera lindheimeri . After many years of trying to grow them I have had success. I love the reddish ones but I am happy also with the white ones.
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I think the white Echium must have had had some illness
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Personally I have a 'thing' against white gravel. Yes, it looks pristine when first laid, but over time it gets dirty. In the summer sun it glares and reflects the light and heat, the poor plants get it coming both ways as the heat is reflected back up onto the underside of their leaves. Here in Cyprus I know of people who have replaced their white gravel for a darker colour after a few years due to it becoming grubby looking. We have used a type of brown 'gravel' that looks more natural and actually will gradually break down over very many years.
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A FLOWER IN AUGUST
Lantana camara
There used to be several bushes of Lantana with its pretty pink and white flowers in the central square of Corinth.
All gone now
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Solanum elaeagnifolium
Snapped at Maronia beach in August 2006
The region of East Macedonia and Thrace in northern Greece
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Lantana, mostly orange
Growing over the summer cinema wall, in Corinth
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Justicia brandegeeana
Seen one August in Sparta
And as a bonus seen in a greenhouse in Madrid one March
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Lantana , dark pink and orange
Another flower in August
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VEGETABLES
August vegetables, a gift from Epirus
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I have always loved aubergines with garlic and tomatoes. I cook them often. I learnt to like peppers and courgettes. By the way our Justicia brandegeeana is thriving. I have cut it down to the base like I was advised to do and it is flowering now.
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We have eaten aubergines in tomato and garlic for two days, now to learn how to deep freeze the rest
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I went for a walk with my nine-year-old granddaughter a couple of days ago ostensibly to cross the bridge over the dry river bed but in fact to look for a Rosemary bush I wanted to immortalize.
We were both very happy with our walk as she met a friendly cat and I found all these plants to snap. The Rosemary bush was not at all presentable, so no photo
The only one I have named for you is the one with dark red leaves, Oxalis triangularis
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Agapanthus and Plumeria rubra
I went for a walk one windy day in July looking for more interesting plants and came a narrow garden with a friendly owner who was thrilled when I took a photo of her plants. All too often I am looked upon as a suspicious character while taking innocent photos of garden plants, albeit from the other side of the wall
The white Agapanthus must have been awesome when in flower
The red flowering plant looks to me, from photos I have seen, to be Plumeria rubra, Frangipani.
Red Frangipani stars in THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 19, Winter 2000 in
PLUMERIA RUBRA ACUTIFOLIA:
PALERMO’S MUCH LOVED PLANT
By Marcello Cascino
There is also a drawing of the plant by Flavio Zanon which I have scanned for you
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Mirabilis jalapa, Four o’ clock flower, Δειλινό
Most of the flower photos from Septembers past in my archives are from visits to the UK and maybe not suitable for this thread of THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN SOCIETY Forum
However, Mirabilis jalapa is very much in evidence round the trees in the pavements here in Corinth at the moment
In fact, we even have a volunteer in the entrance to the block of flats
These three flowers were seen in Sparta a few years ago
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Catharanthus roseus and Cycas revoluta
Some more plants in the neighbourhood
The bed where the Cycas has been growing for at least ten years was recently covered with white gravel and planted with Madagascar periwinkles
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Personally I don't like white gravel. It looks very pretty at first when it's pristine white but over time it gets dirty and grubby. Also it reflects the heat of the sun so the poor plants get it both ways, direct as it comes down and up under their leaves as it bounces back off the gravel.
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I had never really thought about the adverse effects of white gravel before. I just instinctively preferred beige/light brown gravel. Or, a throw back to my UK Lake District days?, slate chippings. Specially if they have a greenish tinge to them.
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Hilary, I would like to respond to yours last two posts. First the flowers of Mirabilis Jalapa. My late brother had them growing every year in his town house. They were amazing. The colour mix was unbelievable. I put down seeds from his flowers but I never had exciting colours. They seemed dull and mundane. The other is the Madagascar periwinkles. Every crack in the road here in the village has these things growing. They call them Daphnoutia but I don't have any. I planted some and they died.
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I would love to see a photo of the Madagascar periwinkles growing in the cracks in the roads.
They must like hot dry places
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YELLOW FLOWERS IN THE PERIVOLAKIA
Yellow flowers in the new Town Square, always known as the Perivolakia although its official name is Panayis Tsaldaris Square.
In June I went to see what planting had been done in the newly revamped square and found most of it to be yellow flowers
Jacobaea maritima, Dusty Millar
Lantana, yellow
And another yellow flower the name of which escapes me
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And the photos
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Hi Hilary,
The last photo above looks like what is sold as Gazania marittima here in Rome. What the difference is between that and G. nivea, I don't know. Some of the photos of G. nivea show a black base to the petals but others don't. The plant could be something different, of course. I am no expert.
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Thanks, someone else suggested Gazania
The flowers looked smaller tan what I thought was Gazania
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I found this photo from 2015 on my computer and there it is the Gazania which is growing in the Square
ΓΚΑΖΑΝΙΑ ΕΡΠΟΥΣΑ, Gazania rigens
Somewhere I read that is a ground coverer and according to my husband and the dictionary έρπουσα means creeping
Thanks for pointing me in the right direction
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Oxalis corniculate var. atropurpurea, Creeping wood sorrel
I nearly tripped over this tiny plant growing in a crack in the pavement in midJune. Then, most annoyingly, I couldn’t remember where I had seen it.
Later, In July, I came across another plant and picked some of the leaves.
Hopefully I have identified the plant correctly as the purple version of Creeping wood sorrel
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Hilary here is a photo of the periwinkle that its growing out of the wall. I did not have to go far with my Ipad to photograph it.
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The Periwinkle looks strong and healthy
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One of the new coffee shops which opened at the Kalamia, our local beach in Corinth, was still setting up shop mid-July.
Since the day was too windy and the sea too rough, for me at least, I went along to check out what all the greenery was
Virginia creeper, Parthenocissus quinquefolia
Schefflera
And what I imagine are Cypress bushes
I don’t know if they are going to leave all these plants to look after themselves during the winter
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WHITE FLOWERS IN CORINTH IN SEPTEMBERS PAST
Heliotropium europaeum, European heliotrope
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Chinese hibiscus
Hibiscus syriacus, Rose mallow
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Lovely flowers. I loved the Rose mallow.
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A COUPLE OF ORANGE COLOURED FLOWERS FROM PAST SEPTEMBERS
Tecomaria capensis, Cape Honeysuckle growing over a fence in Corinth
A pale orange rose growing in the Goude Park. Sparta
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YELLOW FLOWERS IN SEPTEMBERS PAST IN CORINTH
Momordica charantia
Tribulus terrestris
A Wedding Anniversary/ Birthday Present Orchid
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Hilary I love both your orange coloured flowers. We have an un -named orange rose and it has been flowering since last week. It is such a soft sweet colour. Although I love blues I acknowledge that orange brightens up the place. We have yellow and orange Cosmos growing among the Salvia patch and it really stands out. I have been given seeds of
Momordica charantia but have not put them anywhere yet. I don't much care for its flower or it's colour.
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YELLOW FLOWERS IN SEPTEMBERS PAST
I think I was told that the first plant is Helianthus tuberosus and the second Euryops chrysanthemoides
Both of these plants were seen in Sparta
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Hi Hilary,
I think the silver/grey foliage might mean it is possibly Euryops pectinatus
cheers
fermi
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Thanks for the suggestion
The photo was taken at 7.30 in the evening in the Goudes park, Sparta. Lakonia
I probably learned the name of the plant from my son who was involved with the planting of the park at the time
However, as we all know, the proper names of plants can be a hit and miss affair
Whatever its name is ,it seems to be a good strong plant suitable for large areas which need filling
It is good to know someone is reading these posts carefully enough to give suggestions as to the proper name of the plant depicted
-
A small garden in September
We went to visit a friend’s small garden in mid-September, the first time in 19 months.
The apricot tree had grown immensely while a group of Pittosporum tobira plants were looking rather sad after the heat of the summer.
Here are a few photos of the plants which were looking in good health
The Kalanchoe plant with pink edged leaves had produced tiny offspring when we were there in February 2020. I am posting a photo of that also
The tortoises were nowhere to be seen, all hiding in a corner away from the heat
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Lovely plants Hilary. I don't think I have seen the last plant before.
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A cat on the beach
We have seen dogs, pigeons, sparrows, crows and seagulls on the beach but never cats
One day I didn’t brave the waves but treated myself to an ice cream before sitting on a chair to knit when this little head appeared under the lounger and licked the ice cream bowl clean
October tomorrow and many flower photos waiting in a queue
The thread doesn't want to send the photo.
This is the second time this has happened although the photo is well below the limit
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WHITE FLOWERS IN OCTOBERS PAST
In October 2011 we went on a bus trip to Kastoria and stopped for a quick meal at a wayside rest stop near Kalambaka.
The yard was full of flowers, all in bloom, and I am amazed at how many I managed to snap.
These are the white ones
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Am I correct to assume that the first photo is of a Chrysanthemum? The Nurseries here, I noticed , lately tend to sell the colour variety. The one in your photo looks cool.
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Yes the first photo is of a Chrysanthemum, I don't remember if it was in a pot or in the ground
The second photo is of a Mandevilla, or so I decided at the time
-
I believe it is a Mandevilla. There are a lot of them in the Nurseries here in a variety of colours looking very attractive.
-
trying to send a post
-
Just to prove me a liar there was somebody at church with a large pot of White (small flowers) Chrysanthemums at a mnimosino.
-
Still some problem with the photos
An error has occurred
-
I just tried to send a post. It looked like the photo had attached but when I hit "post", neither the message nor the photo was sent. I got the error message which read:
"Your attachment couldn't be saved. This might happen because it took too long to upload or the file is bigger than the server will allow.
Please consult your server administrator for more information"
It was not too big and it attached, or appeared to do so, in normal time. Do we have an administrator still?
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ORANGE FLOWERS IN OCTOBERS PAST
These are the orange flowers, Chrysanthemum and Gazania seen at the rest stop outside Kalambaka in October 2011
-
Whew, at last!
Both the text and photos have been posted
-
YELLOW FLOWERS IN OCTOBERS PAST
One from the rest stop outside Kalambaka in 2011, Arctotis, and Nymphoides peltata seen the next day at Prespes
.
Both plants identified by this Forum, if I remember correctly
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A PINK DAHLIA AT THE KALAMBAKA REST STOP
October 2011
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SHADES OF PINK, FLOWERS AT KALAMBAKA REST STOP
October 2011
I make cards, using some of these flower photos, to give as presents. The photo which causes the most feedback is this two toned Dahlia
-
And a photo of the tall Dahlias at the Kalambaka rest stop in October 2011
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Hilary, the two tone dahlia is unusual so it captures ones attention. We visited our local Nursery today and there were lots of Chrysanthemum/i]. I love the ones that look like their name ( gold flowers) especially when the sunlight plays on them. We bought leucophylla to replace some other plants on our hedge.
-
I looked up Leucophylla but what came up didn't look like anything you would buy for your hedge
Do you have a photo of it?
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WHITE FLOWERS IN OCTOBERS PAST
In Sparta
Zephyranthes candida in a pavement
A white rose in the central division of one of the main roads
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Slight technical hitch on Charithea's posting, Hilary. The plants are Leucophyllum frutescens.
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I don't think I have ever seen that plant
Looks pretty
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Hi Hilary. My apologies. I got my languages mixed up. We bought 12 plants yesterday. The wife of the Nursery owner is 'foreign' but speaks amazing Greek. She shouted at her son to bring 12 'Leucophylla', She was applying the correct Greek grammar rules. Neutral words take 'a' for their plural. I have fallen in this trap many times as I use both Greek and English in my daily life. I am posting a photo of an existing row of Leucophyllum frutescens. The problem though is that in some photos it is called 'langmaniae' but I can not verify it as naming plants correctly seems irrelevant in most Nurseries here.
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The plant looks lovely
We went to a nursery recently for some plants for the entrance to the block of flats
Schefflera and Benjamin seem to be internationally understood
I couldn't resist some very small cacti for the kitchen windowsill , they were named collectibles
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Hilary, Leucophyllum frutescens are an ideal plant for mediterranean gardens. Once established they are very drought tolerant. They take cutting back and shaping well, can be used for hedging or as standards, are good container plants. They flower several times a year and are a mass of colour when they do. Highly recommended.
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PINK ROSES IN SPARTA
Seen in October 2017
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A COUPLE MORE ORANGE FLOWERS FROM OCTOBERS PAST
Portulaca grandiflora seen in Corinth and an orange rose seen in Sparta
-
Both are lovely. They give out a warm glow.
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YELLOW FLOWERS IN OCTOBERS PAST
Dandelions and Portulaca grandiflora both seen in Corinth
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A MAUVE ROSE IN SPARTA, IN 2017
I thought I had two different photos but now I see it is the same rose
-
Hilary, what a lovely soft colour. I once had a blue rose. I had planted it in memory of a young friend who was killed in a sporting accident. The sun used to bleach it and finely the heat finished it off.
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MORE PINK FLOWERS
More pink flowers from the Kalambaka rest stop, October 2011
Gaura lindheimeri and Mandevilla
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TWO PINK FLOWERS IN KASTORIA,
October 2011
Pink evening primrose, Oenothera speciosa, and a Petunia
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Kastori October 2018
When we visited the village of Kastori in October 2018 I posted about the area outside of the village where we saw cyclamen and snowdrops but never finished posting about the plants we saw in the village.
Kastori, Lakonia on the side of Taygetus, where we stopped first to admire the wide central road, lined with stone houses, and the church at the end. of the road
There are several places offering rooms to let and a certain amount of effort has been taken to prettify the village, Narrow flower borders outside some houses and flowering plants in pots
Two photos have been waiting since then for me to try to identify the plant
Could the plant with white berries be
Symphoricarpos albus, Common snowberry
and
could the plant with drooping stems be
Persicaria amplexicaulis v pendula?
-
THREE PINK ROSES FROM NOVEMBERS PAST
All three seen in Sparta
-
What beautiful roses! Our rose bushes except the unknown orange one in the pot, have not got any leaves yet..
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A TRACK SIDE GARDEN
Someone created these flower beds, near Corinth, beside the now defunct railway line.
Cosmos, Tagetes and Zinnia
As usual there was a wind blowing and the Cosmos would not stay still
The Peloponnese Railway reached Patras from Athens in 1887 and was discontinued in 2011. This track was of a narrow gauge of 3ft 3/8 inches which apparently is one meter. The new electrified railway which eventually will reach Patras, is of standard gauge
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RED BERRIES IN AUTUMN
We stopped on our way back from Sparta in November 2012, somewhere on the Parnona mountain range, looking for autumn colour
We really must go out again and look for autumn colour
-
I like the idea of planting flowers in 'disused ' places. It takes away the feeling of decrepitude. The bright colour of Cosmos is eye catching.
-
Behind my house is a large area of disused farmland. I have decided to try to re-wild it a bit. Over the summer I have been collecting seeds of any wild plants I could find growing in and around the Rome area. I don't want to introduce anything that would not have grown here naturally before the use of weed killers and the like. But there is very little variety at the moment so I decided to give nature a helping hand. No building can take place because below the ground are very extensive catacombs.
The idea is to seed two areas. One in via Labico and the other around the Mausoleum of Saint Elena Tor Pignattara. If I can get 2 small areas at either end of the area established, they may just spread out and eventually meet in the middle. Let's see how things are in 5-10 years time. You can get an idea just how barren the area is by looking at the satellite photos on Google maps
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Mausoleum+of+Saint+Elena+Tor+Pignattara/@41.8783254,12.54652,584m/data=!3m3!1e3!4b1!5s0x132f6214491f1af9:0xad0f75e818024198!4m5!3m4!1s0x132f6215b527cf39:0x48b39fea39fd5bec!8m2!3d41.8783214!4d12.5487087
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Wonderful idea David - keep us posted 😊
-
It is a great idea. Good luck. Do take pictures occasionally so you can see the changes and when you think it is not going well look back where you started from.
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What sort of species are you re-sowing, David?
cheers
fermi
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You're not supposed to ask questions I can't answer, Fermi :-[ I simply grabbed seeds from plants whenever I got the chance without knowing exactly what they were. I included grass seeds, various types of thistles, verbascums, some things that were vetch/pea like, clovers, toadflax, teasel, euphorbias, and "miscellaneous" is in the mix too. I planted out a Euporbia dendroides last spring and I need to check up and see if it as survived. We have had a lot of rain recently, so, if it has, there should be signs of life. Crepis rubra is not really a local plant but it is found further south in Italy, so I will try. It grows for me in the garden. Maybe there is a chance in sheltered spots in the park nearby.
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I should also use an embarrassed emoticon for my spelling. Readers will be thinking I am spelling "has" without the "h" as (correct this time!) I am from Yorkshire, where aitches don't exist. Not so. It is simply that the "h" key is playing up on my keyboard and I often have to go back and try several times to fill in the missing aitches. Missed one in my last post :-[
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A WHITE ROSE
Seen somewhere in Corinth, November 2012
-
Lantana camara
One bush growing near the port and the other at the summer cinema, in Novembers in Corinth in 2014 and 2015
-
Hope everybody had a good Christmas. I went into the garden this morning trying to find some colour. The most colourful things were leaves, after all the rain we have had. Ceratostigma plumbaginoides, Vitex trifolia purpurea and the fallen leaves of Kerria japonica.
I presume the Ceratostigma is plumbaginoides. The species name wasn't on the label. It is very low growing. I particularly like the vitex leaves which have purple undersides all year round.
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Hi Hilary. We had a sunny Christmas and hence the bar b.q. Mostly the oldies getting together while the younger generation did most of the hard work. I have started pulling out my old enemy, the vinegar sticks, to rescue my young plants. We have flowers in the garden but I take bad photos. With some of them the sharpness is missing when I snap them. The Salvias that came from Marathon have grown a bit and some are flowering . We have Salvia jamensis 'Violette de Loire', S. 'Danielle's Dream, One that has amazing red flowers but I don't know its name and another with very fine pale blue flowers and dainty leaves. The usual one such as [idiscolour, Mystic Spires Blue, 'Anthony Parker' Amistad, elegans and desoliana, are also in flower.
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You inspired me to look through old post in the Coronavirus situation Thread
Well that cheered me up
It has been raining for the last few days and we are confined to the flat
Better, you may say, thinking of the OMICRON strain
I will snap a couple of flowers on the balcony later in the day
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Two Cyclamen outside the front door
Survivors from last year
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A Happy New Year to all those who use this Forum and especially the faithful few who contribute ...... may 2022 see things settling down a little and may we continue to find encouragement in our gardens. 🥂💐
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WHITE FLOWERS IN JANUARY
It just so happens that all three photos are of plants in our home, over the years
Galanthus elwessii.
I was sent the bulbs from the UK and this is my one and only success
Hyacinth
A white orchid. This plant produces flowers year after year and is now bathing in the sunlight, through the window, and will be moved, in the evening, to its place near a radiator
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ORANGE IN JANUARY, 2015
A photo of a flower arrangement one of my neighbours made using florist's roses and greenery
Solanum pseudocapsicum, helpfully labelled, in a Friend's garden
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YELLOW FLOWERS IN JANUARY
Chrysanthemum snapped in Corinth
Jasminum nudiflorum seen in Sparta
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PURPLE AND WHITE FLOWER
Dianthus caryophyllus seen in Sparta, January 2014
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BERGENIA CORDIFOLIA IN JANUARY
Bergenia cordifolia, Heartleaf bergenia
Yet another flowering plant seen in Sparta
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The deserted beach at Kalamia, Corinth
Sunday, a cold windy day with snow on top of Gerania, the beach without its umbrellas and pretty mauve flowers at the base of the shower
There were many people out walking in the sun but we didn’t see any winter swimmers
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YELLOW FLOWERS IN FEBRUARYS PAST
The Primulas and Ranunculus must have been for sale in a flower shop.
The yellow wild flower was snapped near the ancient port of Corinth, Lechaion
The Acacia dealbata and Nicandra physalodes posed on our front balcony for the last photo
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MANDRAKE IN FEBRUARY
Mandragora, Mandrake near the Ancient Port of Corinth, Lechaion
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The Mandrakes are out here too, Hilary.
-
beautiful
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STAR OF BETHLEHEM
Ornithogalum umbellatum
Seen near the Ancient Port of Corinth, Lechaion in February 2014
Unfortunately, since then the hole in the fence has been seamlessly mended
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RED FLOWERS IN FEBRUARYS PAST
Cestrum elegans seen in a garden in Ai Theodori, Corinthia
Kalanchoe, the photo was taken on a rainy day, hence the flash, in Corinth
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YELLOW FLOWERS IN FEBRUARY
Aeonium arboreum and up close with insects
and
Sedum praealtum
Flowering now on our south balcony
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WHITE FLOWERS IN MARCH PAST
I am glad to say there are plenty of flowers in the March folder to share with you
1 Begonia semperflorens in Corinth
1 Anthemis chia near Galataki, a village not far from Corinth
3 Cistus salvifolius, near Galataki
4 Justica adhatoda in the National Gardens in Athens
5 Spirea cantoniensis in Sparta
Please correct me if I have the names wrong
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All of them beautiful Hilary.
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RED FLOWERS IN MARCH 2018
We saw all these flowers in March 2018 when we were in Madrid and had visited the PALACIO DE CRISTAL DE LA ARGUANZELA
I don’t know if I have shared these photos with you on another thread but probably not as they were all flowering in the tropical area of the green house
Acalypha chamaedrifolia, origin Asia
Aeschynanthus lobbianus, Mona Lisa, origin Asia
Costus barbatus, origin Costa Rica
I apologize for being off the Mediterranean topic today
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ORANGE FLOWERS IN MARCH
An African daisy growing on our balcony in 2014
Calceolaria, outside a flower shop in 2016
Impatiens hawkeri in the Madrid hothouse in 2018
Justicia brandegeeana, ditto
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YELLOW FLOWERS IN MARCH
Narcissus in the New Castle gardens, Sherborne, UK
Forsythia round a statue in Madrid
Asclepias curassavica in the tropical part of the Madrid hothouse
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GREEN IN MARCH
Chamaerops humilis, the underside of the leaves, Corinth, 2016
Euphorbia characias, Ancient Corinth, 2014
Veronica acinifolia, seed pods, ditto
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A BLUE FLOWER IN MARCH
Echium webbi seen in 2013 in a flower shop in Madrid.
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PURPLE PANSIES
Seen in 2017 at the Tripolis Rest Stop, Peloponnese, Greece
-
Love the colour of the Echium webii. We don't have it in our garden. Perhaps we will come across it sometime!
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TWO MAUVE FLOWERS IN MARCH
A magnolia in Retiro Park in Madrid and
Salvia verbenaca in a field between Sparta and Tripolis, Peloponnese
Someone must have identified the salvia for me as I have discovered I am hopeless at that task
-
A MAGNOLIA TREE
I posted a close up of a Magnolia flower yesterday which we had seen in the Retiro park in Madrid. Later I found this photo of the whole tree. I wonder if it has grown much since 2015 when we saw it
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A MIXED BUNCH OF PINK FLOWERS
Camellia in Madrid
Asphodelus aestivus, Ancient Corinth
Anemone outside a shop in Sparta
Chaenomeles, Madrid
Azalea, outside a shop in Corinth
Calliandra haematocephala, in a Greenhouse in Madrid
And to top off today’s flowers some freesias from our front balcony in 2014
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MORE WHITE FLOWERS FROM MARCH IN YEARS PAST
Star of Bethlehem, Isthmia
A daisy and insect, Sparta
Romulae columnae, in a pot in Corinth
Fumaria capreolata, White ramping fumitory in Sparta
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ANEMONES IN MARCH
Three from near Galataki, a village near Corinth
The two windblown flowers are from Nestani, Arcadia, Peloponnese
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MORE YELLOW FLOWERS IN MARCH
Narcissus flowers in the grounds of Sherborne Castle, UK, 2008.
Sedum palmeri growing in a pot outside a door in Sparta, 2012. I must remember to take photos of the leaves of the plant, not just the flower
African daisy in a pot on our balcony, Corinth, 2014
Mahonia aquifolium, Madrid, 2015
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Petunias
It is petunia time again, an instant display of bright blooms bought from nurseries.
These were in the yard of a very busy taverna
I read
SEEN FROM THE GARDEN SHED:
A NURSERYMAN’S VIEWPOINT
By Hugo Latymer
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 16, Spring 1999
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PINK ROSE BUSH
We walked through a graveyard on Sunday and were pleasantly surprised to see this rose bush among the plastic flowers.
-
Chamomile in May near Assos. Corinthia
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A self-seeded poppy in a friend’s garden in May
Years ago my friend told me she had ‘got rid of the poppies’ but it seems the poppies had other ideas
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A bright pink rose seen at the Sports Camp outside Loutraki in May 2022
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A white rose seen at the Sports Camp, Loutraki
Hilary
Sunday 22nd May 2022
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Oxalis seen in a friend's garden in Kiato in May
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A red rose seen at the Sports Camp, Louraki in May
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A Purple and white petunia seen in a friend's garden in Kiato in May
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White roses at the Sports Camp, Loutraki, in May
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Orange flowers and Nasturtium volunteers in May in Kiato
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A pale pink rose at the Sports Camp, Loutraki, in May
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White flowers and Nasturtium volunteers in a friend's garden in Kiato
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Kalanchoe among several other succulents in a friend's garden in May
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[I also bought a small plant on the internet last year, Nerium oleander 'Barcelona'. It has taken well and has 8 or 9 new shoots coming up. No flowers as yet but I am hoping it will look like this (a slightly purple hint to it rather than pure pink)https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=d5yyvqKT&id=FFA3DFFB839515559677819C58D95B044C266D11&thid=OIP.d5yyvqKToygoNqcojlr7-gHaFj&mediaurl=https%3A%2F%2Fth.bing.com%2Fth%2Fid%2FR779cb2bea293a3282836a7288e5afbfa%3Frik%3DEW0mTARb2VicgQ%26riu%3Dhttp%253a%252f%252fgardenbreizh.org%252fmodules%252fpix%252fcache%252fphotos_110000%252fGBPIX_photo_118150.jpg%26ehk%3Dk7buYG3P%252bqk8h%252bZwPLMOTmC8U0J5JaCPu5%252fT7A3UmkU%253d%26risl%3D%26pid%3DImgRaw&exph=400&expw=533&q=nerium+oleander+%27Barcelona%27&simid=608033958955131300&ck=A0BA7EC2EC41ED74E440AB634606D4AB&selectedindex=0&form=IRPRST&ajaxhist=0&ajaxserp=0&vt=0&sim=11
[/quote]
The plant I referred to above is now flowering. If you are looking for a more unusual Oleander, 'Barcelona' could be interesting. It really does have a mauve tinge and the buds are dark with a near purple colour.
-
Looks good
-
A bunch of roses from a friend's garden in Corinth
maywas a good month for roses and it looks as if June will be as rewarding
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Convolvulus and a busy bee at a taverna in Kiato
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A deep pink rose seen at the Sports Camp, Loutraki, in May
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A bright lantana flower blooming in August 2010
To cheer anyone up who feels down
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Salvia splendens
Seen at the end of August 2010
This plant is mentioned in THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 35, January 2004 in SALVIAS AT SPAROZA by Caroline Harbouri as being
‘ so beloved of park gardeners everywhere’
-
A blue Salvia snapped in September 2022
A ‘new’ plant on an eye level balcony I pass on the way to the shops
It made my day
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WHITE FLOWERS SEEN IN SEPTEMBERS PAST
Both flowers were snapped at Hyde Hall Gardens, UK, in September 2015
Zinnia and Impatiens tinctoria
-
Oh dear, Did I forget the photos?
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RED FLOWERS SEEN IN SEPTEMBERS PAST
Mostly in Greater London
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ORANGE FLOWERS IN SEPTEMBERS PAST
All seen in Hyde Hall Gardens, UK, September 2015
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YELLOW FLOWERS IN OCTOBERS PAST
Dittrichia graveolens seen in Corinth in 2013
Hyoseris radiata also seen in Corinth in 2011
Hypericum triquetrifolium seen in Ancient Corinth, in 2011
-
MAUVE FLOWERS IN OCTOBERS PAST
Cyclamen graecum at Ai Theodori, 2011
Mirabilis jalapa In Corinth, 2011
Scilla autumnalis near Ermioni, 2013
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FUCHSIA COLOURED FLOWERS IN OCTOBERS PAST
Impatiens balfourii, Monodendri, Epirus
Ipomoea purpurea, Corinth
Oxalis purpurea, Sparoza
-
PINK FLOWERS IN OCTOBERS PAST
Pink Chrysanthemums from a friend's garden
A Canna Lily seen in the Diomedes Botanic Garden
Ocimum basilicum, Basil, Kastoria
-
RED FLOWERS IN OCTOBERS PAST
Ipomoea x sloteri, Ai Theodori, Corinthia
Red Rose, Karyes, Lakonia
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ORANGE FLOWERS IN OCTOBERS PAST
Aphelandra tetragona, seen in a hothouse in Vienna
A carved pumpkin seen in Ermioni, Argolis
A bouquet made from autumn leaves given to a friend of mine, in the UK
-
YELLOW FLOWERS IN OCTOBERS PAST
A close up of a Canna Lily
And
Dittrichia viscosa. I am not at all sure I have the correct name
-
MAUVE FLOWERS IN OCTOBERS PAST
Bougainvillea spectabilis in Sparta
Colchicum cupanii on the way to Karyes
Cyclamen in Karyes
-
This year's Cyclamen plant at the front door
-
White Chrysanthemums in Novembers past
-
More white Chrysanthemums
-
RED FLOWERS IN NOVEMBERS PAST
Begonia in Sparta
Odontonema tubaeforme in Kiato
-
ORANGE FLOWERS IN NOVEMBERS PAST
Chrysanthemums in Konitsa
Gazanias in Ioannina
An orange rose in Sparta
-
YELLOW FLOWERS IN NOVEMBERS PAST
Euryops chrysanthemoides in Kifissia, Athens
A yellow rose in Kiato
-
Polygala myrtifolia
I have no idea where I saw this plant or how I acquired a piece of it to snap at home
-
PINK FLOWERS IN NOVEMBERS PAST
Cosmos
Lantana
Verbena
Probably all seen in Corinth
-
PINK FLOWERS FROM NOVEMBERS PAST
Begonia and Dianthus
-
Poinsettia, Euphorbia pulcherrima
Outside a flower shop several years ago
-
A beautiful butterfly on our balcony in December 2010
-
A YELLOW FLOWER FROM A PAST DECEMBER
Aeonium arboreum
Flowering on our south facing balcony in 2008
-
December 2022
Vegetation on the beach at Vrachati, Corinthia
-
Melia azedarach, Bead Tree, Pride of India
In the archaeological site of Ancient Corinth last December
-
A walk in the sun today looking for flowers to snap.
I was rewarded with this pink rose
-
Another flower seen on my walk in the sun this week.
A lonely, lovely Morning Glory flower.
-
Lantana and cat seen on the sunny walk I took this week
-
From my walk on a sunny day in December
This pale Bougainvillea reaching out to the sun
-
Pittosporum tobira early in December
Trained as a small tree and full of berries
-
White roses against a white wall early in December
-
Another plant in flower at the beginning of December
A rather bedraggled chrysanthemum
-
A white wall and purple Bougainvillea at the beginning of December
-
And the last photo from my walk on a sunny day early in December.
At the local coffee shop, a Pigeon waiting for an opportunity to eat my apple pie.
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More flowers in December
Taking a different route to return home from the shops I found several flowers to snap
White roses looking good although they are near an area which is quite often very windy, next to the dry river bed
-
Taking a different route to return home from the shops I found several flowers to snap
A yellow rose in the same garden as the white rose
-
Taking a different route to return home from the shops I found several flowers to snap
A miniature orange rose growing in a pot on a low balcony
-
Taking a different route to return home from the shops I found several flowers to snap
Miniature pink roses growing in a pot on a low balcony
-
Taking a different route to return home from the shops I found several flowers to snap
Euphorbia pulcherrima, Poinsettia growing in a pot on a low balcony.
The owner must have been able to keep this plant from a previous winter
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Taking a different route to return home from the shops I found several flowers to snap and the fruit of this tree
A Bitter Orange tree in the middle of a pavement outside a house
Bitter Orange, Seville Orange, Citrus x aurantium, Νεραντζιά
-
Euphorbia pulcherrima, Poinsettia
Municipal Planting
Many Poinsettia planted down the central divide of several main roads in Corinth.
And a close up of some planted at the entrance of a small office block.
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Municipal planting
White ornamental cabbages planted here and there in the center of Corinth
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Municipal planting in Corinth
Purple ornamental cabbage
I was so busy trying to get the cabbage in focus that I didn't notice the mushrooms until I was leaving the town square!
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Yellow flowers in December
These are growing in cement troughs outside a coffee shop in Loutraki
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December 2022
A new addition to our balcony
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December flowers and a large bee
I was thrilled to see this busy bee yesterday and glad that I had gone out armed with my camera.
The bee took no notice of me whatsoever.
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January flowers on the balcony
Inspired by Lucinda Willan’s counting of the plants in bloom on New Years Day at Sparoza I took a look at our south facing balcony on the third of the month.
First this Bougainvillea, which had been ill for a couple of years, and now has decided to flower
-
January flowers on the balcony
Secondly Nicandra physalodes
This plant has self-seeded in several pots
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January flowers on the balcony
Thirdly a white flowered Madagascar Periwinkle
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January flowers on the balcony
Tiny pink flowers on a cactus plant
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January flowers on the balcony
Aeonium arboreum
I noticed several members of our family taking snaps of this plant during the Christmas holidays
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January flowers on the balcony
Euphorbia milii
Of all the years we have had this plant I had never observed how the flower opens
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January flowers on the balcony
Crassula ovata
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January flowers on the balcony
Sedum praealtum
Also a view where, if you look closely, you can see snow on a distant mountain
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January flowers on the balcony
A pink Madagascar Periwinkle flower
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January flowers on the balcony
Maurandya barclayana
This flower opened yesterday morning
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January flowers on the balcony
‘The early bird catches the worm’
However, I wasn't early enough.
During the summer someone had emptied a pot of Tradescantia onto the earth below the trees in the backyard of the block of flats. However, just before Christmas I noticed that there were large fat juicy bulbs exposed in the mound of earth together with the Tradescantia.
Having decided that the Tradescantia would look good in the trough at the entrance to the block and the bulbs, which looked as if they might be daffodils, would enhance our balcony.
When I eventually went down to deal with this situation, I found the Tradescantia and all but one of the bulbs had already been saved.
This is the remaining bulb which turned out to be Narcissus tazetta. The other bulbs had not yet flowered
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January flowers on the balcony
Kalanchoe Blossfeldiana starting to bloom
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Butterfly on the balcony, in January
Vanessa atalanta L., Red Admiral
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January flowers on the balcony
Crassula muscosa, Rattail crassula
I have been searching through this plant for days now trying to find the tiny flowers. I should have used a magnifying glass.
The plant always produces a very strong perfume when the flowers are in bloom so I knew there would be some flowers somewhere.
Trying to describe the smell I looked for inspiration on the Internet and found
‘musky sweet smell’, ‘pungent acrid smell’ and ‘strongly scented ‘
I am going with the strongly scented
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A posy in January
Look what a friend gave me this week.
A posy of flowers from her garden
Marigolds, Narcissus, flowers from a succulent plant, a spray of unopened Montbretia and pretty yellow and green leaves.
At last, I tried to identify the leaves. Could they be from a Euonymus japonicus plant?
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Orchid
The latest orchid in the house.
It has been in residence since September and is still going strong
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Orchid
In the eye doctor's waiting room last October
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Flowers in Pots in May
Several of my neighbours have created small gardens outside their front doors with plants in pots.
Most of these gardens are filled with leafy green plants but one was a burst of colour last May.
Enjoy
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Flowers in Pots in May
Pink snapdragons
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Flowers in Pots in May
Red Geraniums
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Flowers in Pots in May
White Geranium
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Flowers in Pots in May
Dark pink and maroon Pelargoniums
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Flowers in Pots in May
Purple snapdragons
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Flowers in Pots in May
Shocking pink Geranium
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Flowers in Pots in May
Tall plant with white flowers
It looks like Philadelphus, Mock Orange, to me but I am not sure
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Flowers in Pots in May
Geraniums on a windowsill
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Flowers in Pots in May
A general view
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Dry seed heads in a vase in Naupactus at the end of January 2020
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February flowers on the balcony, 2023
First, the Clivia has been producing its bright flowers for most of February
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February flowers on the balcony, 2023
Then, at last, the Kalanchoe fedtschenkoi opened its flowers.
This is a miracle plant which survived last year’s snow as there was a pot with a very tatty plant lurking underneath the Clivia. All the other plants of Kalanchoe fedtschenkoi, there were two or three, froze. I took cuttings from the tatty plant and now have three very healthy-looking plants.
This was the only succulent of the balcony to suffer from the snow
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February flowers on the balcony, 2023
Then there was the first Freesia trying to fly to the sun.
I brought it inside the house so that we, rather than the neighbours opposite, could see it.
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Greece in mourning today
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Flowers on the balcony in March, 2023
A dark pink Freesia
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On Sunday we went out for a drive to find an almond tree
The scenery was beautiful but the almond trees almost nonexistent. We were lucky to find this one at the side of the road
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Flowers on the balcony in March, 2023
A yellow Freesia
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Flowers on the balcony in March, 2023
A dark orange Freesia
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Flowers on the balcony in March, 2023
A fuchsia-coloured Freesia
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Flowers on the balcony in March, 2023
Kalanchoe blossfeldiana
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Papaver dubium, Long-headed Poppy
I had acquired the seeds for these plants from Chantal who runs THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN SOCIETY seed exchange.
I sowed the seeds in late autumn and they are producing daily flowers now, in March.
Papaver dubium is mentioned in
NATURE’S SURPRISES
By John Rendall
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 58, October 2009
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March 2023
Flowers on the balcony
Sedum adolphii
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Fuchsia coloured Cyclamen
In November 2022 and today, March 25th 2023, with a fresh crop of flowers and leaves
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March 2023
Blossom in the back yard
Prunus armeniaca, Apricot
This grew from an apricot stone which someone had thrown into the strip of earth in the yard of the block of flats where, mostly evergreen, trees grow.
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The tale of a Cyclamen plant.
December 2021, the first photo, two cyclamen plants outside the front door.
When the plants dried up for the summer I gave them some fertilizer and hid them in a shady corner.
November 2022 Only one plant revived and it produced huge leaves as if it was on body building medicine.
March 2023 red flowers at last.
The lesson seems to be
No more fertilizer or at least less
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March 2023
Carpenter Beetle
A rather dozy Beetle on the back balcony
And a photo of another Carpenter Beetle, in July 2021, on a Passiflora flower
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March 2023
Flowers on the balcony
Graptopetalum paraguayense
Mother-of-pearl-plant
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Flowers from Aprils past
I might have posted some of these photos again on other occasions. However, I hope you enjoy sharing with me my photos of spring in the Peloponnese and Athens.
The first photo was taken in 2009 and the last in 2018
I have attempted in naming the flowers but I could be wrong
Tropaeolum majus
Nasturtium
Snapped in Corinth
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Flowers in Aprils past
Cydonia oblonga
Quince
April 2006
Snapped in Argos
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Flowers in Aprils past
Cercis siliquastrum
Judas Tree
Snapped in Mystras April 2009
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Flowers in Aprils past
Iberis pruiti
I hope I have the correct name
Snapped on the foothills of Mount Parnon, Lakonia. April 2009
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Flowers in Aprils past
Argyrolobium zanonii
I hope I have the correct name
Snapped in April 2009 in the foothills of Mount Parnon, Lakonia
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Flowers in Aprils past
Doronicum orientale
Leopard’s bane
Polydrossos, Lakonia, April 2009
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Flowers in Aprils past
Borago officinalis
Borage
April 2009 on the foothills of Taygetus overlooking the Messenian Gulf
Hilary
Friday 7th April 2023
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Flowers in Aprils past
Orchis anatolica
I hope I have the correct name
Snapped on the foothills of Mount Parnon, Lakonia in April 2009
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Flowers in Aprils past
Cyclamen rhodium vividum repandum
I don’t know how I decided on this name or maybe someone told me it.
April 2009 in the foothills of Mount Parnon
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Flowers in Aprils past
Acanthus mollis
Bear’s breeches
April 2010 in Athens
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Flowers in Aprils past
Jurinea mollis
April 2010 in Athens
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Flowers in Aprils past
Crepis Rubra
Pink Hawksbeard
April 2010 in Sparta
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Flowers in Aprils past
Campanula
Mystras, Lakonia, April 2010
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Flowers in Aprils past
Centranthus ruber
Red valerian
Mystras, April 2010
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Flowers in Aprils past
Cistus crispus
Mystras April 2010
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Flowers in Aprils past
Ferula communis
Giant fennel
Mystras April 2010
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Flowers in Aprils past
Vinca major
Periwinkle
Sparta, April 2011
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Flowers in Aprils past
Chaenomeles japonica
Japanese quince
Sparta, April 2011
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Flowers in Aprils past
Orobanche ramosa
Hemp broomrape
Sparta 2011
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Flowers in Aprils past
Vicia villosa
Hairy vetch
Sparta 2011
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Flowers in Aprils past
Wisteria
Sparta 2011
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Flowers in Aprils past
Antirrhinum majus
Snapdragon
Xylokeriza, Corinthia, April 2012
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Flowers in Aprils past
Muscari comosum
Tassel hyacinth
Xylokeriza, Corinthia, April 2012
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Flowers in Aprils past
Silybum marianum
Marian thistle
Xylokeriza Corinthia April 2102
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Flowers in Aprils past
Tordylium apulum
Mediterranean hartwort
Xylokeriza, Corinthia April 2012
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Flowers in Aprils past
Syringa
Lilac
Sparta April 2013
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Flowers in Aprils past
Allium rosea
Rosy garlic, April 2016
This used to turn up year after year in our balcony trough then it disappeared.
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Flowers in Aprils past
Robinia pseudoacacia
Black Locust
Corinth 2016
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Flowers in Aprils past
A red rose at the exit of the site of Ancient Corinth,
April 2017
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Flowers in Aprils past
A pink rose in a garden in Ancient Corinth, April 2018.
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Municipal planting, Corinth, April 2023
Red Geraniums marching towards the sea
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Santolina in April in the square in Corinth.
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April in a friend's garden
I was invited to see a garden in full flower and was surprised, but pleased, to see that her lawn had become a wildflower meadow.
In the flower beds there were Geraniums, Irises, Roses, Lilac and many more.
Here are various coloured African daisies, Osteospermum.
Then the Common Marigold, which reminded me of my mother's neglected garden. Every year these Marigolds would force their way through the rock-hard soil and make a splendid show much to the surprise of the passing neighbours.
And Rose bushes, of course, with busy bees working away.
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Grevillea juniperina, Juniper-leaf grevillea
A small bush planted in a Garden in Loutraki, Corinthia
I was thrilled to see this plant as I had never come across it before.
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Jacobaea maritima, Dusty Miller
Another plant in the Town Square, Corinth
The Square has been transformed at least three times since my arrival here in 1966. There was a large flower bed filled with Dusty Miller plants then so seeing these plants in the new beds was like seeing old friends again.
This plant is mentioned many times in
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN
I chose to read
SUSTAINABLE PLANTS FOR MEDITERRANEAN HORTICULTURE IN ISRAEL’
By Ori Fragman-Sapir
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 76 April 2014
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Ruta graveolens, Rue, Απήγανος
I saw this plant in a friend’s garden in 2022 but had no idea of its name.
Then this year at a different friend’s garden I came across the mystery plant again, my friend knew its Greek name Απήγανος.
Rue is mentioned in many issues of THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN
I chose to read
DRY-STONE WALLS IN A GARDEN IN PROVENCE
By
Kate Marcelin- Rice
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 80 April 2015
For photographs, see THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN SOCIETY website
http://www.mediterraneangardensocietyarchive.org/80-walls.html
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Cynoglossum creticum, Blue Hound’s Tongue
Searching for an entirely different wild flower I came across this plant hiding in tall grass. Since I had gone armed with a glass container, scissors and damp paper I took a small cutting of the plant, isn’t the flower pretty?
Cynoglossum creticum is mentioned in THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN 92 April 2018
In
THE RENAISSANCE OF A SICILIAN GARDEN
BY
Lesley Dellagana
For photographs, see THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN SOCIETY website
http://www.mediterraneangardensocietyarchive.org/92-sicily.html
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A tortoise lover's garden
I am still visiting the gardens of friends.
The nasturtiums are allowed to run wild, as this is the spring food for the tortoises which my friend keeps until they are deemed old enough to survive in the wild. By the time summer has arrived the nasturtium leaves will have all been eaten and the tortoise menu will be lettuce and any green leaves which are available, they also like cucumber.
Apart from the nasturtiums there are other plants in the garden, more or less hidden at the moment , and a few in pots such as yellow African Daisies, Fuchsia coloured African Daisies and Pelargonium
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Wasp nest
Whenever I visit my friend’s garden she always has some curiosity of nature to share with me be it a tortoise’s egg in the middle of the path, baby tortoises and last September this wasp’s nest
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Alcea, Hollyhock
A great surprise next to a tree in the pavement, on my way to the shops
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Rosa Tequila
Seen in the rose garden next to San Francisco el Grande, Madrid, in August 2023
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An orange rose with an ant seen in Sparta, June 2014
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We saw this painting on tiles, of a very flowery Granada, somewhere in the center of Madrid in 2013.
A flowery photo from the Alhambra gardens taken in 1997, pre digital camera days
In THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 79 January 2015, you can read
AN ANDALUCIAN ADVENTURE:
PART 1 GRANADA
By Karen Leathers
For some reason the photographs of this article have disappeared but the link takes you to PART 2 CORDOBA
For photographs of some of the gardens. see THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN SOCIETY website
http://www.mediterraneangardensocietyarchive.org/80-cordoba.html
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Carpobrotus edulis, Hottentot fig
The first photo was taken in the spring of 1996.
At that time this plant could be seen at the side of the new National roads at toll booths and other public spaces. I think I took the photo of the plant, which I found very exotic, near the port of Corinth.
The second photo was taken in the spring of 2019 in the Mani and was definitely an escapee
The drawing of Carpobrotus edulis in the Journal number 18 is by Freda Cox
To read about invasive plants go to
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN
number 54 October 2008
INVASIVE PLANTS:
A WORKING GROUP IN FRANCE
By Isabelle Mandon- Dalger .
Back issues are available from the Secretary at 8 Euros per copy including postage.
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Antirrhinum siculum, Sicilian snapdragon
A plant grown from seeds acquired from
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN SEED EXCHANGE
The flowers are tiny but so pretty. I hope to manage to keep this plant over winter
The close ups were taken in June, the photo with the blue background in July and the last two photos in September.
Antirrhinum siculum is mentioned in
SPAROZA: DEREK’S GARDEN
By Sally Razelou
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 45 July 2006
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Monarch Butterfly on a red flower
A stamp issued by the USA in 2017 in a series named
Protect Pollinators.
Apparently Forever stamps do not have an expiry date but can only be used on letters weighing up to one ounce.
Monarch butterflies, Danaus plexippus are mentioned in
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA – THE 2017 AGM
By Alisdair Aird & Helena Wiesner
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 91 January 2018
For photographs of some of these gardens see
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN website,
http://www.mediterraneangardensocietyarchive.org/91-agm.html
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Echinopsis, Cactus
Two pots high up on top of gateposts here in Corinth.
I was lucky enough to see them in bloom, with a clear blue sky as background for one of the pots, and have my camera ready.
Cacti are mentioned many times in THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN
I have gone back to one of the early issues, number 17 summer 1999
And read
THE SOLLER BOTANIC GARDEN, MALLORCA
By Pilar Gomez-Centurion
Although a link is not given the website of this garden is easily found
In the IN BLOOM at Sparoza thread I see there are photos of Echinopsis tubiflora in May, June and July
I don’t know if this is the same cactus.
https://www.mediterraneangardensociety.org/bloom.html
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Tomatoes drying in the sun
Santorini late August 1980
Not being able to find an article in THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN index about drying tomatoes I chose
PART-TIME MEDITERRANEAN GARDENERS
By Helene Pizzi
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN 62 October 2010
Tomatoes are grown in the Mediterranean garden of the author
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Hibiscus rosa- sinensis
In a friend’s garden August 2010
Hibiscus are mentioned in many issues of THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN
I chose to read
GARDENS IN THE COSTA BLANCA REGION:
THE JARDINES DE MONFORTE
AND THE VALENCIA BOTANIC GARDEN
By Carol Hawes
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 80 April 2015
For photographs of these gardens, see
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN SOCIETY website
http://www.mediterraneangardensocietyarchive.org/80-montforte.html
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Opuntia vestita, Old Man Opuntia
This weird looking cactus graces our kitchen windowsill but I don't like it, although I like the pot which we bought in a street market in Madrid.
Both will be exiled to a less conspicuous place.
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Ficus carica, Fig
FIGS by Claudia de Verteuil-Holliday
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 104 April 2021
You can read here all you want to know about figs
I am adding a scan of a stamp, depicting figs, issued by Lebanon in 1962
And several photos
Bare branches of a fig tree near the sea, February 2015.
A fig tree growing inside a derelict house somewhere in the Mani,
April 2019.
A fig tree growing out of a wall in Sparta, June 2015.
Fresh supermarket bought figs, August 2017
Two photos taken near Kalamata in August 1979 of a man tending his fig crop
And a packet of Kalamata dried figs bought last week.
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Kumquat, Cumquat, Fortunella
Several years ago, this Kumquat plant became too large for a pot on a balcony and the owner planted it in an area in Sparta designated for a future park / square.
Over the years I watched the plant grow and become this wonderful small tree. The photo was taken in 2019 and I don’t think I have been down to Sparta or seen the tree since then.
All of you who have visited Corfu will have taken home a bottle of Kumquat liqueur. Yet I can’t find any reference to this liqueur in
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN
A friend of mine kindly took a photo of the Kumquat liqueur in her drink’s cabinet.
After much searching, I came across a piece where Kumquat is mentioned
GROWING MEDITERRANEAN CITRUS FRUITS IN A MELBOURNE GARDEN
By Marion Poynter
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 89 July 2017
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Pyrus amygdaliformis, Almond- leaved pear
For several years we went down to Sparta for the odd few days to help out with the two granddaughters. On our way home we used to take a side trip to walk in the countryside and, for me, to snap wild flowers. This was my favourite place to stop and my favourite tree.
We never did see the goats which apparently drank water near the tree and enjoyed the summer shade. Sometimes we heard their bells in the distance.
Here are some photos of that tree in Laconia the tree in the following article is on the island of Tilos
The article THE ALMOND – LEAVED PEAR by Michael Athen
Is in THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 104 April 2021
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A bouquet from a friend
A couple of days ago a friend of mine gave me a bouquet of flowers from her garden, let me share it with you.
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Pennisetum setaceum ‘Rubrum’, Purple Fountain Grass
This grass is growing in a container at a coffee shop near the sea here in Corinth. The poor plant suffers greatly with the wind and the very little attention it gets.
I don't remember if it is left to its own devices over the winter.
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Opuntia, Prickly Pear
Many of the seasonal, beach side, coffee shops and restaurants have now closed for the winter leaving behind wooden platforms and some of the decorations. One shop had planters filled with Stipa grass and the big fleshy pads of the Prickly Pear plant. One of the pads must have put down roots and has produced a small new pad.
Other photos are of huge Prickly Pear plants near the end of the dry river bed
The last photo was taken Corfu in the autumn of 1965
Prickly Pear is mentioned in many issues of
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN I chose to read
A GARDEN IN THE MAKING by Leonard Pearcy
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 18 Autumn 1999
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Pink Roses.
It is always profitable, flower photo wise, to take a different road back from the shops.
This beautiful pink rose bush is in front of a deserted house in Corinth. Adeimandou 68
I thought the article BEAT-THE -HEAT ROSES
By Helene Pizzi
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 17 Summer 1999
Would be interesting for those who would like to have roses in their gardens and which would survive the summer heat.
This rose in the garden of the deserted house does not get any watering but I have noticed a well somewhere in the garden so water must not be too far below.
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Scorpio and Scorpions
My sign of the Zodiac is Scorpio, Oct 23 to Nov 21
No way am I a Libra, I have no difficulty in making decisions, which taverna to go to and where to sit etc.
This is a tiny charm I had on a bracelet when charm bracelets were the fashion.
A stamp issued by Spain in 1979
Scorpions, Buthus europeus and other garden pests are referred to in
GARDENING IN SOUTH-WEST FRANCE
By C.R. Illingworth
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 7, Winter1996/97
Available as a free download
https://www.mediterraneangardensociety.org/journal7.pdf
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Dahlia in a garden in Einbeck- Salzderhelden, Germany.
A nephew of mine sent me this photo so I thought I would share it with you
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Dahlia in a garden in Waterloo, Canada.
A friend of mine sent me this photo so I thought I would share it with you.
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Phalaenopsis, Orchid
This year’s Orchid.
This time with useful information on the back of the label.
No wonder that two of the older Orchids died this summer when the recommended maximum temperature is 25C. and we had a heat wave.
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A Tamarix tree and an Olive tree
Next to the sea, here in Corinth, there is a pedestrian area lined on both sides with coffee shops, tavernas and eateries. The Tamarix trees were planted several years ago, suffer rigorous pruning sometime in the winter and become these lovely shaped trees in the summer. This year there has been a group of Gardeners pruning the offshoots of the trees and cutting the grass wherever it is.
The poor Olive tree in a pot was installed by one of the coffee shops which closes for the winter and the poor tree left to its own devices which means only getting any water if and when it rains
The first photo was taken in 2019, the tree in the pot had already been there for a couple of years
The next two photos were taken on the 5th October and 25th October 2023.
The Tamarix trees, near the coffee shops, were pruned as they were shedding their tiny seeds and covering the tables, a photo opportunity I lost.
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Antigonon leptopus, Coral Vine
Snapped in July 2007 at Rabat, Malta
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November 11th
Remembrance Day
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Cyclamen
Outside a friend’s gate a few years ago.
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Flowers from the garden of two of my friends.
Narcissus papyraceus and Lavandula dentata
The Paperwhite Narcissus are blooming now in December, the third photo was taken in late November several years ago when I had asked permission to enter the garden and take the photo.
The photos of the French Lavender were taken one April a few years ago in the same garden.
I had never really noticed the beautiful leaves of the Lavender plant until now when I was given the small posy
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For the next 26 days I will be posting one photo a day of a flower. Going through the Alphabet starting with A and ending with Z.
There will be no blurb, just the first letter of the flower’s Latin name.
I hope you like the photos and maybe enjoy knowing or finding the names of the flowers.
A
-
B
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C
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D
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E
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F
-
G
-
H
-
I
-
J
-
K
-
L
-
M
-
N
-
o
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Hi Hilary. Regarding your alphabetical photos. What a clever idea. It has certainly tested our 'memory'. I can't remember if I have ever seen the flower starting with the letter M. It looks familiar but up to now I can not name it. Thank you very much for your postings. Have a wonderful New Year.
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The plant starting with M was either in a plant nursery or grown in a friend's garden from dseed
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P
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Q
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R
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S
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T
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U
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V
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W
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X
Xanthorrhoea australis, Grass tree
This drawing by Peter de Figueiredo is on page 6 of THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 108 April 2022
In the article
ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS, CRANBOURNE, AUSTRALIA:
THE CHANGING FACE OF BOTANICAL GARDENS
By
Peter de Figueiredo
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Y
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Z
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Z
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FLOWER ALPHABET 2023-2024
I made this list mostly for myself and there might be some mistakes in the names of the plants, I am no expert.
Hopefully the flower photos cheered up, those of you who live in the northern hemisphere, through the darkest days of winter.
WHAT WHERE WHEN
Abutilon pictum Sparta, Lakonia Greece 2012-05-13
Brugmansia suaveolens Seville, Andalusia Spain 1997-07-05
Camellia japonica Madrid, Spain 2018-04-05
Disocactus ackermannii Xylokeriza, Corinthia Greece 2017-05-15
Echinacea purpura
‘Rubinstern’ RHS Garden, Hyde Hall,
Essex U.K. 2015-09-26
Fritallaria meleagris Sherbourne, Dorset U.K. 2008-03-30
Globularia alypum Corinthia Greece 2019-03-03
Hydrangea Crofthandy, Cornwall U. K. 2005-09-27
Ipomoea x sloteri Ai Theodori, Corinthia Greece 2011-10-23
Justica adhatoda National Garden, Athens Greece 2011-03-29
Kniphofia rooperi RHS Garden, Hyde Hall
Essex U.K. 2015-09-26
Lathyrus nissolia Galataki, Corinthia Greece 2011-03-25
Mimulus cupreus Ancient Corinth Greece 2015-05-28
Nerium oleander Kalamaki, Corinthia Greece 2021-06-06
Orchis anatolica Mount Parnon, Lakonia Greece 2009-04-19
Portulaca grandiflora Corinth Greece 2011-10-21
Quercus pubescens Harold Wood, Havering U.K. 2015-09-13
Ruellia brittoniana Ancient Corinth Greece 2013-06-19
Schlumbergera Corinth Greece 2011-06-01
Tradescantia pallida Corinth Greece 2010-09-06
Ulmus glabra Madrid Spain 2015-04-05
Viburnum opulus Sparta, Lakonia Greece 2013-04-23
Wistaria Sparta, Lakonia Greece 2013-04-23
Xanthorrhoea australis THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN 100
April 2022
Yucca Corinth Greece 2010-08-10
Zephyranthes Sparta, Lakonia Greece 2010-10-01
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Stapelia snapped at the local plant nursery in September 2021
Stapelia is mentioned in
COSTA BLANCA GARDENS TO BE VISITED DURING THE 2018 AGM
By Alan & Carol Hawes
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN Number 93 July 2018
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Narcissus
Two kinds of Narcissus from a friend’s garden
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Matthiola sinuata on the beach in Corinth, yesterday
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A peony from the 1960’s
When my parents, who lived in the north east of England, moved to a newly built bungalow in a newly built housing estate on what had once been a farm, they had three gardens to deal with.
The front garden which faced the north and enjoyed / suffered from regular winds was the first to be dealt with as it faced the road.
Although the estate was declared smoke free for some reason or other coal fires could be used for one year.
The coal man was very interested in the garden and donated two large peony plants from his garden.
The plants thrived for 40 odd years until the bungalow was sold and the front garden paved over. I often wonder if anyone saved the peony.
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Hyacinth in a glass vase.
I did everything I was told to do but this Hyacinth grew on the slant.
Here is a photo of the Hyacinth how it grew and a photo as it should be, upright.
As a bonus a postage stamp from Finland issued for Christmas 1985.
Also a postage stamp from Spain, 2022
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Spergularia marina, Lesser Sand- Spurrey
Seen blooming in February under the Tamarisk trees at Lychnari, Corinthia.
And a couple of photos of Lychnari.
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A cactus in flower in February
This plant lives on our south facing balcony which gets a lot of sunshine.
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A white Hyacinth in front of a too blue background.
Looking through my old photos I came across one of some municipal planting in Bath, April 2008.
White pink and blue Hyacinths
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Eruca sativa
Growing in some waste land by the sea in Corinth.
This plant is mentioned in THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 64 April 2911
in
From the president, Jean Vache
TRAVELLING SEEDS
I am posting a scan of the piece mentioning Eruca for you to enjoy
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White freesia from the south facing balcony late February 2024
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Stellaria apetala, Chickweed
Even weeds are wildflowers.
This plant turns up growing in many of my plant pots and even now is growing in the balcony wall, it won't be there for long.
I had trouble/fun trying to take a photo of the flower and even more trouble identifying the plant.
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Antirrhinum siculum, Sicilian snapdragon
I am pleased to report that this plant, grown from seed, acquired from THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN SOCIETY seed exchange, managed to survive the winter and it is looking bigger, stronger and has produced more flowers.
Antirrhinum siculum is mentioned in
SIX SPAROZA PLANTS:
COLOURS IN SPRING
By Caroline Harbouri
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 76 April 2014
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Grevillea johnsonii
For sale at our local plant nursery
There is an article devoted to Grevilleas in THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 7 Winter 1996/97 which is available as a free download
https://www.mediterraneangardensociety.org/journal7.pdf
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Tropaeolum majus, Nasturtium
Going for a ride a couple of weeks ago hoping to find ‘new’ to me wild flowers I was horrified to see that most of the wild flowers had dried up and some of the olive groves even raked over.
However, to make up for my disappointment we came across this bright Nasturtium plant climbing a rough stone wall at the edge of a field, no sign of civilization in sight and the road came to an abrupt end
Nasturtiums are mentioned in
A HERBAL RHAPSODY by Caroline Davies
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 72 April 2013
And as a bonus, a scan of a postage stamp Taiwan depicting a Tropaeolum majus issued in 2015
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Syringa vulgaris, Common Lilac
While trying to find a shady place to park the car in Ancient Corinth we came across this Lilac bush growing outside of what used to be a state-owned XENIA, now, abandoned.
And as a bonus two postage stamps depicting Lilac
USA 1993 and Ukraine 2002
Lilac is mentioned in many issues of THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN. I chose to read, in issue number 51 January 2008,
IMPRESSIONS OF A BURNT LAND
By Caroline Harbouri
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Cosmos sulphureus, Sulfur cosmos
Blooming in a pot in April on the sunny south facing balcony.
The seeds were obtained from THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN SOCIETY seed exchange and they were sown last Autumn.
Cosmos sulphureus is mentioned in the sundries section of THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 75 January 2014.
Chantal Guiraud writes in THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN SOCIETY SEED SERVICE, which she runs, about the most popular seeds asked for and generally about how and when to sow them.
I must consult the top ten list the next time I ask for seeds.