The Flowers of Greece

Its been springtime here in Greece since we arrived towards the end of April, and although one doesn't really associate Greece with flowers, I must say that the displays of them have been absolutely stunning. In my usual fashion I've snapped a lot that I've come across and thought I'd share them with you...

The bougainvillea was just starting to flower when we arrived, and since then has been getting bigger and brighter every day - it has to stop soon surely, or perhaps just taper off and take a breather, then burst into more flowers because I remember they were still flowering when we were here last November.

 The colours have been unbelievable, from the usual crimson and scarlet reds, to brilliant oranges, apricots and whites. They spill off the sides of fences all along the roadsides - it seems that every white house here should have some bouganvillia draped against it. They also launch themselves off balconies in the cities and the side of dilapidated buildings and peek over the walls of smart houses! 

My usual walks down through the cobbled streets of Koroni are slowed down oohing and aahing as they're always somehow more impressive than the last time I passed them.









So as well as the bougainvillea, which must surely get first prize, there have been the fields of yellow daisies - masses of them just filling up vacant lots (fortunately!) and lined up along the roadsides and through the olive groves. These are often mingled with huge purple thistles - waist high and just like the ones you associate with Scotland. There're also big fields of these, giving a vibrant purple haze against the blue water.


Of course, I mustn't forget my favourite flowers, the poppies. Not quite up to French standards as far as volume, but still pretty good, especially when they're mixed in with the yellow daisies. These were also scattered amongst the olive groves, along the edges of the roads, and for some reason often in the middle of the ancient Greek temples and ruins. They are a darker red than those in France.

Now the roses are something that really surprised me the first few weeks we were here. Its just not a flower that I expected to see flowering so happily here. They seem to be everywhere and are still going strong even though the heat has arrived in full force - every colour under the sun. The ones I have in the vase above were those given to me by our neighbour, Vassilly - Chinese roses I'm told!

Everywhere we go in Europe there seems to be rows of oleander bushes. The Cote d'Azure in France is teeming with them along the roadsides near the beachfronts. In Italy they line the freeways, and here in Greece they're also planted along the centre of the freeways and the side of main roads. They seem to grow wild almost anywhere else - continually flowering throughout spring and summer in their pinks, white and reds, and occasionally apricot.







I should really have mentioned geraniums well before now. Nearly every single house has pots overflowing with some type of geranium lined up along the steps or terraces, including ours I might add! The brilliant red ones seem to be the favourites - such a lot of colour for so little effort, and of course, they brilliantly offset the white walls and blue shutters.









Just started in the fields and replacing the yellow daisies, is what I think is Queen Anne's Lace - though I doubt its called that here. Before they turn white, they have the most intricate green and mauve flower head. Of course, in true Greek style, these are huge and once again waist high or more. They also line the roads and fill up empty fields.

The orange trumpet vine (am nor sure whether that's the correct name!) has also just started flowering as well, and seems to be taking up residence next to the bougainvillea. Early days yet, so not many photos!

Oops nearly forgot the capers! I always did wonder how capers grew - I thought they grew on a little shrub of some sort. We've been wondering about these pretty flowers we kept seeing along the laneways and up the side of walls. It seems these are caper plants, and the caper is the small pod that appears before it turns into the flower itself. Its all a matter of timing to pick them before they get too big, then soak them in vinegar, et voila capers for your salad or smoked salmon!

Along with all these visually beautiful flowers, there are the night scented ones - the daytura and jasmines - not that they aren't beautiful - I just don't have any photos of them as yet!

On reading back over this, one would wonder how we can manage to get along the roads with all these flowers leaping out at us, but they are just one more distraction that comes with driving on the country roads in Greece - along with obstacles like goats, fruit sellers, rubbish bins, haphazardly parked vehicles, and of course, Greek drivers!