[Hilary]

Hibiscus esculentus, GOMBO, Okra

A stamp issued by The Ivory Coast in a series of three stamps named MEDICINAL PLANTS

Okra is mentioned in
SOME DROUGHT -TOLERANT FOOD PLANTS:PART 1.
By David Bracey
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 56, April 2009

[Hilary]

Juglans regia, Walnut tree

A stamp issued by Ukraine in 2012, There are four stamps in this series, named TREES, designed by Vladimir Taran

Walnut trees are mentioned in several issues of THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN, I chose
QUINTA FAY by Kirsten Honeyman
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 68, April 2012

[Hilary]

Datura stramonium, Thorn apple, Jimson weed

Pakistan issued this stamp in 1998

The photos were taken in 2010 and the plant is still growing strongly eleven years later

Datura is mentioned in
THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 1999,
FRENCH AND ITALIAN RIVIERA
By Freda Cox
 THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 19, Winter 2000

[Hilary]

For Christmas 2019 Greece issued a series of four stamps designed by Anthoula Lygka.
The stamps depict animals mythical and otherwise decorated for Christmas

The photo is of Holly, Ilex, snapped in Epirus a few years ago

Holly is mentioned in
OUR ‘GARDEN OF EDEN’ By Hamish Warren
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN
Number 28, April 2002

[Charithea]

A very festive stamp.

[Hilary]

Erithacus rubecula, Spideog, Robin

Eire issued a series of fifteen stamps named BIRDS OF IRELAND in 1997

The Robin features on several Christmas stamps and is mentioned in several issues of THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN
For the first Robin stamp of the season I found a reference in this article

GOING NATIVE:
MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN BIRDS 
AND MIGRATORY BIRDS
By Melissa Hamilton

THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 86, October 2016

[Hilary]

Christmas Holiday Knits
A stamp issued by the USA in 2007

There are four stamps in the series, unfortunately I only have this one
They depict a Reindeer, a Fir tree, a Snowman and a Brown Bear.

Not to be outdone here is a snap of some Christmas trees I knit on the beach a few years ago
And a photo of a fir tree, Abies,  in Elati, Epirus

Looking in the index of THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN I found several references to Abies
I chose
THE MAKING OF TWO VERY LARGE GARDENS by John Walker
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 96, April 2019

[Hilary]

CHRISTMAS ROBIN
 This series of five stamps issued by The Royal Mail in 1995 was designed by Ken Lilly

A photo of a Robin  seen at Dervenakia, Peloponnese in November

Robins are mentioned in
A SOW’S EAR-MAKING A GARDEN IN THE GARD, FRANCE
By Celia Matson
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 22, October 2000

[Hilary]

12 A CHRISTMAS CAROL by Charles Dickens 1843
The Royal Mail, U.K. issued this series of five stamps in 1993 designed by Quentin Blake

Various characters are depicted Scrooge, Mr. Scrooge’s Nephew, Bob Cratchit and Tiny Tim, Mr. and Mrs. Fezziwig and The Prize Turkey

In this stamp Mr. and Mrs. Fezziwig are smiling at a young boy carrying a branch which is entwined in Ivy

So here is a photo of some Ivy we saw in Lakonia

Ivy is mentioned in nearly every issue of THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN
I decided on
DESIGNING AN OTTOMAN GARDEN
By Nicholas Stavroulakis
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 9, Summer 1997

[Hilary]

For Christmas 2019 Greece issued a series of four stamps designed by Anthoula Lygka.

The stamps depict animals, mythical and otherwise, decorated for Christmas

This one is decorated with red berries

And here is a photo of red berries. Now this is a plant I pass at least once a day in the summer on my way to the beach but I have not gone to the trouble of identifying it or snapping it when in flower!

[Hilary]

Christmas Robin

One of the Christmas stamps issued by the Royal Mail, U.K. in 1995
The stamps were designed by Ken Lilly

This one shows a rather cold Robin sitting on a street sign

Robins are mentioned several times in
GOING NATIVE:
GARDEN DESIGN FOR WILDLIFE
By Melissa Hamilton
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 85, July 2016

[Charithea]

Wonderful stamps Hilary and very suitable for the weather we are having here. We have been having rain and some snow up the mountain. We have not seen any Robins thought.

[Hilary]

Camellia ‘Hari Withers ‘
In 2003 Australia issued a series of five stamps named
AUSTRALIAN CULTIVARS.
I can only assume that the date on each stamp refers to the year the cultivar was first available to gardeners 

The photo of a pink Camellia is from my archives

Camellias are mentioned in many issued of THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN
I chose
REFLECTIONS ON OUR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GARDENS IN THE TIME OF THE PANDEMIC
Edited by Ann Semaan Beisch
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 101, July 2020
For photographs see THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN SOCIETY website
https://www.mediterraneangardensociety.org/101-socal.html

[Hilary]

Bougainvillea, BUNGA KERTAS

A stamp, one of eight, issued by Malaysia in 2010

Both photos of  Bougainvillea were taken in Corinth

Bougainvillea is mentioned in
PREJUDICES AND PRIDE
By Caroline Harbouri
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 99, January 2020

[Hilary]

Spiranthes sinensis, Chinese spiranthes
This stamp was issued by Taiwan in 2007 a series of four stamps

Recently I have found a website giving information about these stamps and the plants depicted.

I quote

“Adapting to Taiwan’s extremely varied topography and to its humid tropical and subtropical climate, the family Orchidaceae has evolved a diverse array of species, more numerous than those of any other flora family in Taiwan. Because orchids are elegant, fragrant and tough (able to withstand adverse environmental and climatic conditions), they are often compared to people with noble and incorruptible character. To introduce the beauty of Taiwan orchids, Chunghwa Post has planned a new series of definitive stamps: “Orchids of Taiwan.” The first set will feature four stamps, each showcasing one of the following four species: Phaius tankervilleae, Spiranthes sinensis, Vanda × hybrida and Cattleya sp. The designs of the stamps follow:

”
Here I will add the information about Spiranthes sinensis
I quote

“. Spiranthes sinensis (NT$5.00): A terrestrial orchid with linear-lanceolate leaves. The plant favors low-altitude open fields and sunny grasslands. Flowering occurs during spring, when dozens of tiny flowers spiral up its slender spike. Spiranthes sinensis is nicknamed “spiral dragon herb” in Chinese because its flowering spike resembles a “dragon pillar” of Taoist temples.”

Spiranthes spiralis is mentioned in
GARDENING IN A SPANISH NATURE RESERVE
By Beate M. Henz
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 81, July 2015

For photographs of this garden and its plants, see THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN SOCIETY website
http://www.mediterraneangardensocietyarchive.org/81-reserve.html