Coronavirus situation

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Charithea

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Re: Coronavirus situation
« Reply #75 on: April 02, 2020, 11:45:14 AM »
Thank you again.  It smell like Spring. We are not allowed to go to the beach for now.  So all the lovely flowers coming up by the beach and on the hill can not be photographed. We are counting on you to bring  wild nature to us.
I garden in Cyprus, in a flat old farming field, alt. approx. 30 m asl.

Hilary

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Re: Coronavirus situation
« Reply #76 on: April 02, 2020, 05:33:22 PM »
No shortage of sea spray today.
This morning we could hardly walk against the wind so most of our walk was along the parallel road to the sea with a quick dash down to see the waves and the new snow on Mount Ziria (2376m)
So, no photos of wild flowers today but one of a  complacent cat, another of a few birds busy eating and lastly a photo of a bright group of flowers around a tree
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: Coronavirus situation
« Reply #77 on: April 03, 2020, 07:11:41 AM »
Today promises to be another sunny day, but with a cool breeze, and our Wisteria has been encouraged to burst forth.
Apologies for the quality of the second photo but I was trying to capture the deep red of the Salvia 'Royal Bumble' before the sun got to it and bleached it.
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)

Umbrian

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Re: Coronavirus situation
« Reply #78 on: April 03, 2020, 09:40:13 AM »
My self set Sweet Peas are beginning to climb up the temporary structures I provide for those that appear in suitable places. Others that choose inconvenient spots are carefully moved in early spring and usually soon catch up. Soon they will be providing me with bunches of beautifully scented flowers for a few weeks before the temperatures get too high - definitely something to look forward to😊
MGS member living and gardening in Umbria, Italy for past 19 years. Recently moved from my original house and now planning and planting a new small garden.

Hilary

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Re: Coronavirus situation
« Reply #79 on: April 03, 2020, 12:17:21 PM »
Yesterday we went out walking in the wind, today it is raining and cold and not at all inviting.

The area where we live in Corinth is named Τα Καλάμια, The Kalamia, I believe it has another name but everyone knows it as the Kalamia meaning the Canes. This flat area near the sea used to be farm land and I think the canes were planted round the fields to protect the produce from the wind off the sea. There are still some of these canes growing in empty plots hence the photos   

I took several photos of the Kalamia, Arundo donax, yesterday blowing in the wind and was pleasantly surprised to see how well the photos turned out

The last photo is from 2014 when I went out looking for the perfect round bush of Kalamia rather than a straggly group
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: Coronavirus situation
« Reply #80 on: April 04, 2020, 02:45:32 PM »
No walk today as it is wet, windy and cold again. The mountains are hidden by low clouds and generally it is miserable

 I looked for a bright photo to cheer you up, or was it to cheer me up, and found this one of Chaenomeles japonica taken in April 2011 in Sparta. There is a small park near the crossroads of two wide roads where several of these bushes grow, they must be in flower now.

 Looking back in my files, the ones which have not disappeared, I found a photo of the whole plant
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

Umbrian

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Re: Coronavirus situation
« Reply #81 on: April 05, 2020, 08:01:59 AM »
Finally got round to planting a newly acquired Euphorbia purpurea yesterday. I still cannot resist buying plants although no longer gardening with the unlimited space I had for twenty years in my first garden in Italy. Definitely could not pass this Euphorbia by though spotted on one of my last trips to a vivaio before we went into lockdown. I consider most Euphorbia to be very garden worthy plants but here different varieties are difficult to come across and up to now have only had characias, mysirintes and rigida.
Luckily in this case a perfect spot of free ground presented itself behind Erysium 'Red Jep' where I think it looks perfect. Sometimes I plant and replant after a few days when feeling I have not got it right. An old neighbour in the UK once made me smile when observing that my plants must tremble in the ground when seeing me approach - wondering 'who's turn today to be uprooted and moved"  So many happy memories from such a rewarding passion, especially during these difficult times.
MGS member living and gardening in Umbria, Italy for past 19 years. Recently moved from my original house and now planning and planting a new small garden.

Hilary

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Re: Coronavirus situation
« Reply #82 on: April 05, 2020, 11:33:44 AM »
MUSEUM OF THE OLIVE AND GREEK OLIVE OIL, SPARTA
Looking for something else entirely I came across these photos which I thought you might find interesting. The photos were taken at the above museum several years ago and unfortunately, I didn't snap the explanatory notices

One photo shows various types of jars which were used to transport olive oil and olives in ancient times.

After a great deal of searching I found that the mosaic art work depicting olive branches is by  Christina Nakou.

If you are ever planning to visit Sparta and Mystras in the future allocate some time to visit this museum in Sparta.
At the moment all Greek museums are closed

https://www.piop.gr/en/diktuo-mouseiwn/Mouseio-Elias-Kai-Ellinikou-Ladiou/to-mouseio.aspx
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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Charithea

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Re: Coronavirus situation
« Reply #83 on: April 05, 2020, 11:52:45 AM »
Good day and thank you both for lovely photos and information. I love jars very much. Whenever we go to Nicosia I insist on going to the National Museum so I can admire the jars. I would like to have a few large ones but difficult to transport and are very expensive.
I garden in Cyprus, in a flat old farming field, alt. approx. 30 m asl.

Umbrian

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Re: Coronavirus situation
« Reply #84 on: April 06, 2020, 10:22:21 AM »
Can hardly believe that is mosaic work - so perfect - thanks for posting Hilary :)
MGS member living and gardening in Umbria, Italy for past 19 years. Recently moved from my original house and now planning and planting a new small garden.

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Alisdair

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Re: Coronavirus situation
« Reply #85 on: April 06, 2020, 10:30:46 AM »
Yes I exactly echo your feeling about those olive branches, Carole! When i first skipped through the photos I thought they were real, and it was only when I read Hilary's description that I realised they were mosaic. (And thanks for your hellebore/erysimum photo - such a peacefully harmonious composition, I had to sit there just looking at it for a while....)
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: Coronavirus situation
« Reply #86 on: April 06, 2020, 02:02:25 PM »
Narcissus

Some bright flowers on this dull, wet, windy and cold day here in Corinth

Narcissus ‘Flower Record’
Narcissus ‘Pink Charm’
And
Narcissus ‘Red Dawn’

All blooming in the Royal Botanic Garden, Madrid  in April 2018
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: Coronavirus situation
« Reply #87 on: April 07, 2020, 01:01:34 PM »
Our 2 varieties of Rhaphiolepis, indica and umbellatus are coming into flower.
Also a Tritonia crocata 'Plymouth Pastel' that came from Fleur, thanks for that.
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: Coronavirus situation
« Reply #88 on: April 07, 2020, 01:49:41 PM »
Everything looks very fresh
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: Coronavirus situation
« Reply #89 on: April 07, 2020, 01:51:52 PM »
Reading issue number 65, July 2011 of THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN and noting which article I had not ‘used’ before, the writers I had not mentioned before and, those unsung heroes, the illustrators who hardly ever get a mention
I decided that it was time to recommend that your read
SPAROZA: A GARDEN ’HOTSPOT’ by Miyon Yoo

Adding to this post photos of a few of the plants mentioned in the article but the photos taken elsewhere
1 Aptenia cordifolia, our front balcony
2 Ballota acetabulosa, Xylokeriza, a village in Corinthia
3 Anthemis chia, Galataki, a village in Corinthia
4 Clivia miniata, Sintra, Portugal


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