[Alisdair]

Lovely embroidery.

[Hilary]

Gloriosa, Flame Lily

A stamp issued by the Republique Du Cameroun in 1963

As you can see it is triangular, a great joy for youthful collectors.

I am afraid I don’t have a photo of this plant

Here is a useful link with many photos of the Flame Lily
http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:535953-1

Only one reference to the Flame Lily in THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN and that is only a thought by Freda Cox if she should obtain one for her new home
MOVING HOUSE by Freda Cox , ΤΜG number 42 October 2005

[Hilary]

Papaver rhoeas, Poppy

A stamp issued by the Royal Mail in 2006
LEST WE FORGET
REMEMBRANCE DAY POPPIES

The photo was taken at Ancient Corinth at the end of April 2017

If you go to THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 89, July 2017 and read
A VERY MEDITERRANEAN SURPRISE: SARDINIA, by Sally Beale you will read about poppies fluttering between the ruined walls of ancient Nora
The cover drawing, by Mega Bozkurt, of THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 70, October 2012 is of Poppies

[Hilary]

Hibiscus 

Anguilla issued a four stamp series of stamps in 1970 named
FLOWERS OF THE LESSER ANTILLES 
All the stamps depicted are grown in Mediterranean gardens

Hibiscus seems to be a favourite of postage stamp producers. I have posted these photos before but in the end one photo of a red hibiscus flower looks just like another. Unfortunately I have never seen a bright pink one as depicted on the stamp

This is an opportunity for me to start recommending that you read the latest
 THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 94, October 2018.
HIBISCUS SPECIES by John Joynes

[John J]

Hilary, as soon as I saw your post I went out to see if I could find a pink flower on any of our hibiscus plants. Unfortunately the only one I could find had already closed. There were a couple of reds and a rather attractive orange that had just opened.

[Hilary]

I like the photo of the red Hibiscus with the shadow

[Hilary]

Hibiscus syriacus

A stamp issued by South Korea in 1981- 1990

The photo was taken in a friend’s garden. The flower is actually smaller than it looks in the photo

To read
LANDSCAPING A GOLF COURSE by Isabel Carvajal y Urquijo
Go to THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN   number 14 Autumn 1998.
Hibiscus syriacus were planted at one hole where the predominant colour of the flowers was pink

[Hilary]

Morel Morchella esculenta.

A stamp issued by the Royal Mail in 1988 to celebrate
The 200th Anniversary of the Linnean Society of London.
There are four stamps in the series depicting a swan, a fish, a water lily and this mushroom.

If you are like me and know nothing about mushrooms you can read about this one here.
https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/trees-woods-and-wildlife/plants-and-fungi/fungi/morel/

Mushrooms, but not this one, are mentioned several times in
 THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN
I have chosen issue number 7 for you to read
 GARDENING IN SOUTH- WEST FRANCE by C.R.Illingworth

[Hilary]

Autumn colours

A stamp issued by Guernsey in 2016.
This SEPAC issue is a series of four stamps and named THE FOUR  SEASONS
This one is autumn.
SEPAC = SMALL EUROPEAN POSTAL ADMINISTATION COOPERATIONS
You can read about this organization here
https://www.sepacstamps.eu/

Apparently the photo was taken in Sausmarez Park in Guernsey.
Read all about the park here
 https://www.gov.gg/ParksandGardens

Unfortunately I don’t know the name of the tree depicted.

Now to find an article in THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN which would be ideal to go with a stamp from Guernsey, not a Mediterranean country, and autumn colours.

After a long interesting and complicated search I came across
SOME MAPLES [ ACER ]
SUITABLE FOR GARDEN USE
 IN MEDITERRANEAN CLIMATES
By Philip McMillan Browse.
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 8, Spring 1997 

[Hilary]

Cryptocephalus coryli, Hazel Pot Beetle

The Royal Mail issued a 10 stamp series featuring ENDANGERED INSECTS of the UK in 2008

I will be posting a scan of the stamp and a scan of part of the information leaflet from the presentation pack. which was sent to me by my friend, Helen, in Scotland.
Since I don’t have photos of insects I won’t be adding any photos to these posts, however, anyone wanting to add their photos is very welcome.

This beetle seems to live only in the UK and some countries of Europe so maybe I shouldn’t include it here
Since Melissa Hamilton is on a mission to inform us on how to attract wildlife to our gardens and balconies I will post it here.
Read GOING NATIVE: GARDEN DESIGN FOR WILDLIFE by Melissa Hamilton in THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 85, July 2016

[Hilary]

Ananas comosus -  Pineapple

Issued by  Gabon in 1962 this stamp depicts a pineapple

I bought a pineapple for photographic purposes then gave it to my little granddaughters. They had never eaten Pineapple before and the loved it.

In THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 69, July 2012, Jaime Ruiz tells us about gardening in  Mallorca

THE IDLE THIRD TERRACE:
TROPICAL EXPERIMENTS IN MALLORCA, PART 1

[Hilary]

Petrea volubilis, Blue Petrea

Anguilla issued a four stamp series of stamps in 1970 named
FLOWERS OF THE LESSER ANTILLES 
All the stamps depicted are grown in Mediterranean gardens

I have a very poor photo of Petrea volubilis taken on Kitchener’s island, Aswan.
Most of the group went to ride camels at the Nubian village but I asked to be taken to the island, which is a botanic garden, in the middle of the Nile. Others from the group liked the idea and came with us. We enjoyed the visit especially as it was an Egyptian National Holiday celebrating the beginning of spring   when all the locals were on holiday, skipping, playing games and a group of young women ululating 

Read   FAVOURITE CLIMBERS
 IN OUR GARDEN ON THE COSTA BLANCA by Carol Hawes.
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 76, April 2014

[John J]

Hilary, I first came across this plant in the Soller Botanical Garden on Mallorca when the MGS AGM was held on that island in 2011. A few years ago we found one in what I can only describe as an 'eccentric' nursery here in Cyprus and acquired a small plant. It is establishing extremely slowly and is a long way from achieving flowering size but we live in hope.

[Hilary]

Many thanks for the photo.

By the way, has it rained at all on Cyprus?





 

[John J]

Hilary, it has rained a bit up in the mountains, though not enough to do much more than freshen up the earth. Yesterday at our daughter's house, which is on the other side of Limassol about a half hour drive away and at a slightly higher altitude, they had a short, sharp shower that included a period of hail. Here where we are not a drop.