[Janet Ibbotson]

My garden is on the North East coast of Skopelos at about 100 metres above sea level.  Today was the first real day of spring and I promised I'd try to post some pictures.   Most of the garden is not irrigated and has to survive on little attention in the summer months when we rent the house out to guests.  Hence I try to focus on shape and foliage rather than flowers.

[Umbrian]

Well done Janet - you have some lovely planting showing how variations in form and colour, even if mainly foliage, can make a very attractive garden. I particularly like the stepped path area where one of my favourite ' backbone' plants - Euphorbia-  makes its mark and softens the hard landscaping. In the photograph it is in flower but even when not it continues to have an impact.

[Alisdair]

Lovely pictures, Janet, and a lovely garden; thanks so much - keep them coming!

[Charithea]

February is said to be the coldest and wettest month of the year here in Cyprus, when old men put on their woolly hats to go to the coffee shop to play tavli. This year we are having sunshine and temperatures 20+  . I want to share some of the sunshine captured in one photo and the warmth of the garden  with you  that are still experiencing Cold.... Here are some photos taken early this morning. The Buddleja madagascariensis had to be pruned because last week's storm split some of its branches. The other photo is of Iris unguicularis and the Orchids which we think are Cyprepidium.  The older plant was put out in the garden because it was refusing to flower and then suddenly it put up four stalk and it is flowering .

[Hilary]

Great

[Charithea]

I am posting some of our February flowers. We had lots of sunshine, then came two days of heavy downpours and now the 'the chill' has arrived.  Nevertheless there is a lot of new growth. Starting with Aloe ferox  Rosa damascena Russellia equisetiformis Limonium perezii Salvia eigii and new growth of eigii with cyclamens

[Hilary]

All looking good

[Charithea]

 Friday morning offerings.   Very long stemmed Australian rose, name unknown, Strelitzia reginae, Thunbergia alata, that is taking over the back fence and Ferula communis which is a common sight in Cyprus  that decorates roadsides and hilly places.

[Charithea]

I have taken some photos today.  Ferula comunis in flower, lots of Salvia eigii , Phlomis lunariifolia and a promising Salvia, name unknown.   Seeds came  from Diomedes garden.  It is its second spring in the ground and it is growing steadily. It has such soft hairy leaves.  If any one knows its name please let me know.  Otherwise I will have to wait until it flowers to send it to Ioannis G for identification.

[David Dickinson]

Hi Charithea

Looking at the leaves of your Salvia, I immediately thought they were just like an arrow head. There is a salvia called the Arrow-Head Salvia - S. sagittata. I wonder if that is it? Just a guess as I have no knowledge of the plant. If it is, the flowers are a lovely blue. Oh dear, I feel another spending spree coming on. This could easily replace my Lepichinia hastata, which isn't doing so well.

https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/salvia-sagittata/

[Charithea]

Hi David.  Thank you for your suggestion and as we Cypriots say  ' Από το στόμα σου στου θεού τα αυτιά ´ Rough translation 'from your mouth to God's ears'. The Salvia Sagittarius is amazing. To have one that might be this beautiful 'colour' is  tantalising. We have cut a leaf and compared it to the photo and they look similar. The salvia is very near the Salvia candelabrum which is getting ready to flower.

[Charithea]

Hi everybody and a Happy Easter to those that are celebrating this event. Our grand children have gone round the garden egg hunting.  John had placed the eggs in suitable places to avoid damage to the plants.  Our Wisteria sinensis is in its glory.

[Charithea]

Spring has definitely arrived.  We are in the 30s now.  I am posting some of our flowers that are defying the heat.

[Charithea]

Just one photo of my now spreading Salvia 'Blue Note '.  I am unable to take a reasonable photo of our Salvia 'Cherry Pie' which is also spreading near the Blue Note.

[Umbrian]

Lovely deep colour Charithea- a somewhat strange habit with some long stems erect but mainly spreading.....