The Spring Flowers of Crete

Edie's cousin Denise has a great love of plants and landscaping, and they had a lot of fun looking at the spring wildflowers in Crete, some of which are unique to the island.  Denise was also astonished by the range of plants which grow outdoors in Crete, that only exist as houseplants or annuals in the Illinois climate:  geraniums, thyme and rosemary.  We were also delighted by plants such as hen-and-chicks growing in a variety of unusual planters.  Here are some of our finds -- if we find out the names of them, we'll let you know! 

White snapdragons growing out of a crack in the street steps at Sitia

Hen and chicks growing outdoors in a jug

An unusual runner Denise spied, with spiral-shaped flowers

Not wild -- but we enjoyed the sight of artichokes growing in a field near the Ha Gorge.

A strange tree we encountered on the drive to Mylonas Gorge

Carob tree with carob pods (at left)

Purple Queen Anne's Lace (at right)

Wildflowers near the village of Koutsounari

Hardy geraniums outside a taverna in Koutsounari

Thyme and yellow wildflowers (rosemary?) amid irrigation hoses for olive trees

Another garden in Koutsounari, outside a tourist rooming house (German?)

-- Edie Folta, April 24, 2004

Back to the main page by clicking here