[Hilary]

Gazania splendens.
Yet another stamp from the Royal Mail series GREETINGS STAMPS issued in 1997.

The photo was taken at a lunch stop in October 2011 on the way to the north of Greece.

Gazania seems to be another one of those useful flowers beloved by roadside fast food shops and petrol stations.

You will find it in a long list of other useful plants in THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN  number 36, April 2004.
THE ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS,
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA.
by Meg Bentley

[Hilary]

Passiflora caerulea - Passion flower

Another stamp in the series named GREETINGS STAMPS issued by the Royal Mail in 1997

The photo was taken  in a garden in the village of Ancient Corinth

Read THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN , number 7, Winter 1996/7
GARDENING IN SOUTH-WEST FRANCE
by C.R.Illingworth

Honeysuckle,Passiflora and scented jasmine clamber over the walls

[Hilary]

Leucospermum cordifolium
A stamp from the 1977 series FLORA- PROTEA PLANTS issued by South Africa.
We even have an old postcard showing a Sugarbird sitting on the flower

An added attraction during flowering time are the numerous birds found near the plants. In the early hours of the morning the abundant nectar flow attracts a variety of small insects, which in turn attract the Cape Sugar bird and three species of Sunbird. These insectivorous birds consume the small insects as well as the nectar, and in the process transfer pollen from one flower to the next. The flowers are not self-pollinating and depend on the  small Scarab beetles and the birds for pollination. The birds are accustomed to the visitor in the Gardens and provide great photo opportunities when feeding on the flowers

Although I didn't find a reference to this plant in TMG I did find a good photo on the main website of THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN SOCIETY. Search for Leucospermum cordifolium  and it will send you to October 2013, The Southern California Branch

[Hilary]

Gentiana acaulis  Stemless Gentian
Continuing with the Royal Mail series GREETINGS STAMPS issued in 1997, today we have the deep blue Gentian.

I took the photo in 1964 somewhere near Wilderswil, Switzerland.

THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN  number 76, April 2014 mentions Gentiana but I don't know if it is this one.
SOME MEDITERRANEAN GARDENS ON THE BLACK SEA
by David J. Bracey

[Alisdair]

There aren't that many plants that have truly blue flowers like this, without any hint whatsoever of pink or purple

[Hilary]

Magnolia grandiflora
One more stamp from the Royal Mail series GREETINGS STAMPS issued in 1997.

The photo was taken of a Magnolia flower on a tree in the middle of a pavement in Sparta.
Magnolias are in flower once more in Sparta, in gardens, in public places and in the pavement outside a private house.I see I took this particular photo one June

You will find a M. grandiflora mentioned in THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN  number 12, Spring 1998.
CHATEAU DE LA GAROUPE by Joanna Millar and Juliet Walker

[Hilary]

Hippeastrum rutilum
Continuing with the stamp series issued by the Royal Mail in 1977.

These flowers are sprouting  in many flower shops, pots on balconies and gardens at this very moment.

The photo of an Amaryllis was taken on a friend's balcony a couple of years ago.

How to deal with Amaryllis bulbs when they start dying down can be learned if you read
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN issue number 2, Autumn 1995
THE GARDEN IN AUTUMN by   Jenny Bussey

[Alisdair]

Hilary, your photo shows clearly what an amazing food source those flowers are for the little bees - I'd never realised.

[Hilary]

Camellia japonica variegata

A stamp from the Royal Mail series issued in 1977.

The photo was taken in a small garden in Madrid.
  El Jardin del Principe de Anglona.

I found a reference to Camellia bushes in THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 38, October 2004.
REFLECTIONS ON A FIRE GARDEN by Nancy Swearengen

[Hilary]

Iris latifolia
My mother's favourite plant was the Iris.
This one in the 1977 Royal  Mail stamp series GREETINGS STAMPS  comes from the Pyrenees.

The photo is of an Iris which grows in the USA, Iris Louisiana, Black Gamecock, and which I snapped in a garden in Sparta.

Irises are mentioned many times in THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN,
I refer you to issue number 2, Autumn 1995.
DOMAINE DU PRIEURE by Joanna Millar

[Hilary]

Paranomus reflexus.

Yet another stamp from the series, FLORA, PROTEA PLANTS, issued by South Africa in 1977.

I quote from the very informative website 
https://www.plantzafrica.com/plantnop/paranomref.htm

‘Paranomus reflexus is an unusual, decorative fynbos shrub with showy winter flowers; it is probably the best known paranomus but it is not often seen in gardens, yet it is as deserving of a place as its relatives, the pincushion and proteas.’ 

As I have said before the Protea plants of South Africa are mentioned in several issues of 
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN.
Today I recommend issues number 16 and 59 both with articles written by Anda Wayland about gardening in South Africa

[Hilary]

Tulipa gesneriana - le Perroquet Rouge
The last stamp of the series GREETINGS STAMPS issued in 1997 by the Royal Mail.
I have never seen one of these frilly, feathery tulips so no photo.

Tulips are mentioned many times in THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN.
I have chosen issue number 70, October 2012 for you, and me, to read today.
A CONVERSATION IN THE MOORISH GARDEN OF CREVILLENTE
By Pedro Jose Moya

[Hilary]

U,K, GREETINGS stamps.
The whole 1977 series issued by the Royal Mail as it looks in the presentation pack.

In addition to the stamps there is a sheet of stickers to be used on the envelopes.

Magnolia, Irises, Tulips, Camellias Fuchsia, Gazania, Hippeastrum and Passiflora all to be found in Mediterranean gardens, I am not so sure about Gentians.

I had found references to all these plants in THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN  so just go back through the last ten + posts in this thread to find them.

[Hilary]

Narcissus – Daffodils
This stamp is from the series FOUR SEASONS issued by New Zealand in 1982.
Unfortunately I only have the stamp for SPRING. Below is a quotation from the New Zealand Post. I wish all countries had such an informative website

“That New Zealand is a country of year-round beauty is amply illustrated by the four stamps forming this attractive Four Seasons Scenic stamp issue. The stamps each represent a facet of the New Zealand landscape at a particular time of the year. The winter and spring scenes are in the North Island and the summer and autumn scenes are from the South Island.
Issue information
Summer - 35c
This scene shows Kaiteriteri Beach near Nelson.  The beach is a popular resort attracting many tourists each summer.
Autumn - 40c
St Omar Park, Queenstown, which is situated on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, represents the colours of autumn beautifully.
Winter - 45c
The snow-capped Mt Ngauruhoe features on this Tongariro National Park scene.  This mountain is 2291 metres in height and is the most continuously active of New Zealand's volcanoes.
Spring - 70c
Spring is represented by a scene on a Wairarapa farm just after lambing- depicting new born lambs and their mothers grazing among brightly coloured daffodils in a lush green pasture’’

The photo of daffodils was taken one spring in the grounds of the New Castle, Sherborne.

For those of you waiting to read which article I am going to point you towards today, go to
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN issue number 21, July 2000.
MY GARDEN IN THE ADELAIDE HILLS by Margaret Paterson.

[Alisdair]

By coincidence Hilary I'm going to put a narcissus picture on the MGS Facebook page heading tomorrow (Wednesday) - a lovely little heavily scented jonquil from the western Mediterranean, Narcissus assoanus (used to be called Narcissus requienii)