[Hilary]

Camellia, white

An adhesive stamp issued by Spain in 2008

The photos were taken in the yard of the Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza in
 Madrid this spring

Camellias are mentioned in many copies  of THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN
I have chosen number 78, October 2014 for you to read
THAT GARDENING OBSESSION  by Freda Cox

[Hilary]

In the latest issue of THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN, number 93, July 2018 Caroline Davies writes in
 SHARING A CHALLENGE about Pancratium maritimum and Drimia maritima once known as Urginea maritima.

Both these plants feature on stamps issued by Israel and which I have used before.
I posted in this thread on August 2nd 2017 about Drimia maritima and on April 10th about  Pancratium maritimum
Here are the photos again
There are some wonderful photos of Pancratium maritimum grown by members of THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN SOCIETY in this Forum

[Hilary]

Martes martes, Pine Marten

A stamp issued by Eire in 1992 in a four stamp series devoted to Pine martens.

Another stamp kindly given to me by my friend L

This animal is, luckily for me, mentioned in two different issues of
 THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN
Today I am recommending that you read BUSTER AND THE BIRD- BATH by Leonard Pearcey in issue number36, April 2004
 I have already written about a UK stamp featuring the Pine Marten and an article by the same author in THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN, 33

[Hilary]

Hydrangea

A stamp issued by Japan in 1966-67
There were 18 stamps in the series named
FLORA, FAUNA AND LOCAL MOTIVES 

The photo was taken in Cornwall at the end of September, 2005

Hydrangeas are mentioned many times in THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN,
 I have chosen number 15, Winter 1998/9 for you to read
OF WEEDS AND MEMORY by Virginia Scaretti

[Hilary]

Cucumis sativus, Cucumber

 A stamp issued by Poland in 1974. There are eight stamps in the series and I only have this one, am I lucky or unlucky?

My father used to have a cold frame in the garden where he grew cucumbers. When I cleared my mother’s house I found a list of how many cucumbers he grew in one year and who were the lucky recipients, one cucumber here half a cucumber there. Were cucumbers regarded as exotic vegetables in the years of austerity after WW2? 

The photo is of the local small cucumbers, Knossos, bought in readiness for the visit of our granddaughters.
Tzatziki with everything 

While looking for something else entirely I came across this article about vegetables in  THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number  56, April  2009.
GROWING VEGETABLES  by Jennifer Gay

[Hilary]

Echeveria

A stamp issued by the Royal Mail in 1987, in a four stamp series, named FLOWERS

The photo is of an Echeveria which we used to have on the front balcony but either it couldn’t stand the heat or the competition as it no longer exists.

Echeveria is mentioned in THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN, number 93.
Read LYRICAL ABOUT LEAVES by Burford Hurry

[Alisdair]

Amazing photo, Hilary!

[Hilary]

Thank you

[Hilary]

Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Bluebell

This stamp along with another three others was issued by the Royal Mail in 1979.

I have many childhood memories of picking Bluebells in the Bluebell wood but only after we had eaten our picnic lunch as they wilt so quickly

The photo was sent to me by my friend L who lives in Leeds, these Bluebells were in flower in her local woods in the spring.

Hyacinthoides non-scripta are mentioned as having survived at catastrophic fire in Oakland California
To read about other plants which survived the fire in 1991 go to THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 38, October 2004 and read REFLECTIONS ON A FIRE GARDEN by Nancy Swearengen

[Hilary]

Aloe marlothii

A stamp issued by Botswana in 1975 in a four stamp series

All the information you need can be found here.
http://pza.sanbi.org/aloe-ferox

Today I have chosen THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 72, April 2013 for you to read JERUSALEM’S BOTANICAL GARDENS by Michael Avishai where he mentions

“the dramatic tall flowering spikes of Aloe marlothii and Aloe ferox”

[Hilary]

Nerium oleander, Oleander 

This stamp was issued by the Republic of Maldives in 1973 in a seven stamp series

Here is a photo of some flowers on the local bush, they are  bright pink and very wind blown

There are many references to Nerium in THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN and when I prepared this post , during Football viewing time, I found this reference in issue 57, July 2009
MY OWN MINI-MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN by Judy Thomas

[Hilary]

BUTTERCUPS and daisies,
⁠Oh, the pretty flowers,
Coming ere the spring time,
⁠To tell of sunny hours.
While the trees are leafless,
⁠While the fields are bare,
Buttercups and daisies
⁠Spring up here and there.

MARY HOWITT.

Buttercups and Daisies a stamp issued by the Royal Mail in 1963 to celebrate NATIONAL NATURE WEEK. The description of the stamp does not name the flowers but calls the design “A Posy of Flowers “

Who does not have childhood memories of making daisy chains and playing
 “Do you like butter?” A large proportion of the world’s population I expect

Here is a photo of a Buttercup, Ranunculus, and another of a Daisy, Bellis.
Both photos taken in Sparta but years apart

Buttercups are mentioned in THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 70, October 2012 in
 A SHORT WALK ON THE PIC ST. LOUP by Trevor Nottle

Daisies are mentioned in THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 45,
July 2006 in
THE PATH ON THE HILL, SPAROZA by Jennifer Gay

[Hilary]

Helianthus annuus

A stamp issued in 1984 by DEUTSCHE BUNDESPOST BERLIN to celebrate
The 100th Anniversary of the Birth of Karl Schmidt Rottluff 1884-1976
The painting is named “Sunflowers on a Grey Background.”

The photos were taken of a sunflower plant growing in the pavement here in Corinth.
As you can imagine sunflowers are mentioned, in passing, in many issues of

 THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN.
I have chosen  number 45, July 2006 for you to read
WIND AND WATER, SUN AND STONE,
THE LANGUEDOC- AN INTRODUCTION
By Jocelyn van Riemsdijk

[Hilary]

Hibiscus rosa sinensis

A stamp issued by the Republique de Haute-Volta in 1963
There are eight brightly coloured flora stamps in the series.
I have this one
Just in case you are wondering Haute-Volta is now Burkina Faso

I took the photo of this beautiful red flower in November 2017

The stamp came in a packet which I had bought for my 11year old granddaughter.
Since the packaging was rather old and tatty I repacked I but first scanned any floral stamps which were included

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis turns up in many issues of
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN.
Today I chose issue number 38, October 2004 for you to read
THE QUEEN OF THE TROPICS by Irmtraud Gotsis

[Hilary]

Dianthus  caryophyllus, Carnation

A stamp issued by Poland in 1964

From the date of the photo of the Carnation it must have been taken at the rest stop outside of Tripolis, Greece where there are always colourful flowers at the door of the building

There are many references to Carnations in THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN and I have chosen issue number 27, January 2002.
Read GARDEN LORE by Ariane Condellis. I love the illustration by Flavio Zanon of a plant in a feta tin. I have seen many a carnation doing very well in a feta tins

The photo of plants in tins was taken somewhere in Crete in 1966. The tins had been used either for feta or olive oil then had been whitewashed to be used as plant containers  .
I can make out Fuchsia, Begonia Carnations and Basil
, Carnation