Plants of the world on postage stamps

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Alisdair

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Re: Plants of the world on postage stamps
« Reply #195 on: May 19, 2017, 09:28:55 AM »
An extraordinarily good match for the one in the stamp!
Alisdair Aird
Gardens in SE England (Sussex); also coastal Southern Greece, and (in a very small way) South West France; MGS member (and former president); vice chairman RHS Lily Group, past chairman Cyclamen Society

Hilary

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Re: Plants of the world on postage stamps
« Reply #196 on: May 20, 2017, 05:18:42 AM »
Adansonia digitata, Baobab, Cream of Tartar Tree, Kremetartboom

A stamp from South Africa  issued in 1961

Read all about the Baobab  here
https://www.plantzafrica.com/frames/plantsfram.htm

The Baobab is also mentioned in the latest journal of our society.
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN Number 88, April 2017.
A VISIT TO SOUTH AFRICA
PART 1 BOTANICAL GARDENS

Valerie Whittington in her article writes

Quote
The glass-roofed conservatory boasts several desert plants from the arid regions of southern Africa. At the centre a spectacular baobab, the largest succulent in the world, towers over the other plants.

For photographs of some of these gardens [ mentioned in the article ]
  see the MGS website
http://www.mediterraneangardensociety.org/journal-88.html
MGS member
Living in Korinthos, Greece.
No garden but two balconies, one facing south and the other north.
Most of my plants are succulents which need little care

Hilary

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Re: Plants of the world on postage stamps
« Reply #197 on: May 21, 2017, 06:36:19 AM »
Rosa, pink and yellow

The USA postal service  issued this stamp in 1988 in a two stamp series named LOVE.

As luck would have it one of my friends passed by yesterday with a bunch of roses from her garden and some free range eggs
.
I didn't delay in snapping the roses as they wilt quickly in the heat.
The eggs we ate.

There are many references to Roses in THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN.
I  have chosen an article from issue number 64, April  2011
TRACING  FOOTPRINTS:
LOST OTTOMAN GARDENS IN CRETE by Nicholas   

MGS member
Living in Korinthos, Greece.
No garden but two balconies, one facing south and the other north.
Most of my plants are succulents which need little care

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Alisdair

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Re: Plants of the world on postage stamps
« Reply #198 on: May 21, 2017, 10:43:55 AM »
You've matched the flowers perfectly again!!
Alisdair Aird
Gardens in SE England (Sussex); also coastal Southern Greece, and (in a very small way) South West France; MGS member (and former president); vice chairman RHS Lily Group, past chairman Cyclamen Society

Hilary

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Re: Plants of the world on postage stamps
« Reply #199 on: May 22, 2017, 07:19:22 AM »
Sericulus chrysocephalus, Regent Bowerbird

This Australian stamp was issued in 1980 in a series named BIRDS.

I came across an old stamp album of one of my children while trying to sort out a cupboard and found yet more stamps featuring flowers or garden visitors.

Read about this interesting bird here
http://birdlife.org.au/bird-profile/regent-bowerbird

I was quite desperate trying to find an article about Australia that at least mentioned birds in THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN.

Eventually I found

Quote
Another shrub favoured by the birds,
not the Regent Bowerbird by name but that will do for my self-imposed rules

In issue number 21, July 2000.
MY GARDEN IN THE ADELAIDE HILLS, by Margaret Paterson

MGS member
Living in Korinthos, Greece.
No garden but two balconies, one facing south and the other north.
Most of my plants are succulents which need little care

Hilary

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Re: Plants of the world on postage stamps
« Reply #200 on: May 23, 2017, 07:17:31 AM »
Paeonia tenuifolia

While reading through THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN, issue number 81, after recommending it to you in connection with Tabebuia I came across an article set in Poland.
Wow! A friend of mine has lent me 15 or 16 Polish flowery stamps to scan and use for this project. The article is primarily about Clematis plants but peonies are mentioned growing in the “community gardens in Warsaw”

So here we go

This stamp was issued by Poland in 1964 in a series named
GARDEN FLOWERS

The article to read is POLISH SPIRIT by Caroline Davies

Also read PEONOMANIA by Myrto Aperghis in TMG, number 33, July 2003

The photo is of a peony plant growing in my parents’ garden. When they moved into their last and perfect home the area had previously been a farm so the garden was a blank slate to be filled as quickly as possible. Before the clean air act came into force for that area they had an open coal burning fire. The coalman was very friendly and jolly and brought a couple of peony plants from his garden to get their garden  plan started. The plants were very strong and survived the cold   wind, always a problem in that part of the garden, and the neglect of later years. They were still growing strong when we sold the house after 45 years. I hope someone rescued them when the house was revamped and the garden covered in paving.
MGS member
Living in Korinthos, Greece.
No garden but two balconies, one facing south and the other north.
Most of my plants are succulents which need little care

Hilary

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Re: Plants of the world on postage stamps
« Reply #201 on: May 24, 2017, 05:36:24 AM »
Digitalis grandiflora, Yellow Foxglove

Yet another stamp from the series LOCAL FLORA issued by Yugoslavia in 1961

The photo of Foxglove was sent to me by a friend who lives in Leeds UK

Digitalis grandiflora is included in a very long list of Mediterranean plants which have been cultivated in temperate gardens.
Read THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN issue 3 Winter 1995/6, the article by Derek Toms
HOME GROWN VARIETIES
MGS member
Living in Korinthos, Greece.
No garden but two balconies, one facing south and the other north.
Most of my plants are succulents which need little care

Hilary

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Re: Plants of the world on postage stamps
« Reply #202 on: May 25, 2017, 07:37:14 AM »
Hyssopus officinalis, Hyssop

Another stamp from the series issued by Yugoslavia in 1961.

I don't seem to have seen this plant,so no photo.

I quote from the article written by Jill Roberts SPRINGTIME IN THE ALGARVE

Quote
Hyssopus officinalis was introduced by the Romans in about 1A.D. This small shrub is the herb of purification. Small pale green catkins cover it and its leaves have an exquisite perfume. It is used  to make Eau-de-Cologne

The article is in THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN Number 16, Spring 1999
MGS member
Living in Korinthos, Greece.
No garden but two balconies, one facing south and the other north.
Most of my plants are succulents which need little care

Hilary

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Re: Plants of the world on postage stamps
« Reply #203 on: May 26, 2017, 07:14:07 AM »
Dietes grandiflora, Large Wild Iris, Fairy Iris

A stamp issued by South Africa in 1974

Read all about it here
https://www.plantzafrica.com/frames/plantsfram.htm

Dietes grandiflora is mentioned a couple of times in
THE MEDITERRANEAN  GARDEN
 Once more I point you to the latest issue of our journal number 88, April 2017 and to the article written by Valerie Whittington 
A VISIT TO SOUTH AFRICA:
PART1: BOTANICAL GARDENS

She writes

Quote
We saw banks of Dietes grandiflora in many places – even though these flowers also last but a day, new flowers open over an extended period. I would love to have some in my garden
 

I see that a photo of Dietes iridioides was posted  on the MGS Facebook page this week,by coincidence I already had this post prepared of Dietes grandiflora
MGS member
Living in Korinthos, Greece.
No garden but two balconies, one facing south and the other north.
Most of my plants are succulents which need little care

Hilary

  • Hero Member
Re: Plants of the world on postage stamps
« Reply #204 on: May 27, 2017, 05:16:38 AM »
Heurnia zebrina, Owl Eyes

Succulents

In 1988 South Africa issued a series of stamps, named SUCCULENTS, designed by Hein Botha.

There are 15 stamps in all and I have 14 of them. To have 14 stamps of a 15 stamp series must have taken some care and planning by the person writing to me.

There is plenty of information about this plant here
http://www.llifle.com/Encyclopedia/SUCCULENTS/Family/Asclepiadaceae/21240/Huernia_zebrina

Succulents in general are mentioned in THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN quite a few times 
I have chosen TMG number 71, January 2013,
KIRSTENBOSCH BOTANICAL GARDEN by Margaret Johnston for you to read
MGS member
Living in Korinthos, Greece.
No garden but two balconies, one facing south and the other north.
Most of my plants are succulents which need little care

Hilary

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Re: Plants of the world on postage stamps
« Reply #205 on: May 28, 2017, 07:43:29 AM »
Cypripedium calceolus, Lady's slipper orchid

Talking about Lady's slipper orchids this stamp was issued by the Royal Mail in 1998 in a series named ENDANGERED SPECIES

The text is from the presentation pack.

Determined to find some reference to Lady's slippers in
 THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN I found one in issue number 73, July 2013.
In the letters section at the back of the journal there is a letter by Dimitri Manthos about plants named after saints and other religious associations.
I quote from the letter
Quote
There are many plant names incorporating the word ”Lady’s”, referring to Our Lady, The Virgin Mary, e.g.Lady's slipper orchid etc.
MGS member
Living in Korinthos, Greece.
No garden but two balconies, one facing south and the other north.
Most of my plants are succulents which need little care

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John J

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Re: Plants of the world on postage stamps
« Reply #206 on: May 28, 2017, 08:43:03 AM »
I hate to be controversial but, as with Paphiopedilum (another of the Lady's slipper orchids), the Lady in question is actually Aphrodite. The cypri in Cypripedium refers to Cyprus, the birthplace of Aphrodite and hence in Greek mythology she is often called the Cyprian. For confirmation look up William T Stearn's explanation.
Cyprus Branch Head. Gardens in a field 40 m above sea level with reasonably fertile clay soil.
"Aphrodite emerged from the sea and came ashore and at her feet all manner of plants sprang forth" John Deacon (13thC AD)

Hilary

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Re: Plants of the world on postage stamps
« Reply #207 on: May 29, 2017, 07:48:59 AM »
Rosa, red

This stamp was issued by the CZECH REPUBLIC  in 2008.

Apart from what you read on the stamp
CESKA REPUBLIKA, RUZE I have no other information to offer.

The photo is of a dark red rose I was given by a neighbour.

Today I am pointing you in the direction of THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN issue 43, January 2006
GARDENING IN POTS IN MELBOURNE by Caroline Davis
MGS member
Living in Korinthos, Greece.
No garden but two balconies, one facing south and the other north.
Most of my plants are succulents which need little care

Hilary

  • Hero Member
Re: Plants of the world on postage stamps
« Reply #208 on: May 30, 2017, 05:22:55 AM »
Magnolia grandiflora

A stamp issued by the USA postal service in 2004.
It depicts Giant Magnolias painted by Martin Johnson Heade.

Many magnolia trees have been planted, here in Greece, in the last few years. All of them appear to be the same age, still young. We have seen them growing from as far south as Sparta and north of Thessalonica.

The photo was taken last week in Kilkis.

I have chosen the article
TICINO, SWITZERLAND
 11-14 APRIL 2002 by Freda Cox
in THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 29, July 2002
for you to read
MGS member
Living in Korinthos, Greece.
No garden but two balconies, one facing south and the other north.
Most of my plants are succulents which need little care

Hilary

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Re: Plants of the world on postage stamps
« Reply #209 on: May 30, 2017, 05:40:06 AM »
Magnolia
Magnolia trees are mentioned many times in THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN
The issue number 30, October 2002 devotes a whole article to this tree.
MAGNOLIA by Irmtraud Gotsis
MGS member
Living in Korinthos, Greece.
No garden but two balconies, one facing south and the other north.
Most of my plants are succulents which need little care