Cretan-homes, Crete property estate agents

 April Newsletter

The weather is beautiful, the orchids are coming out thick and fast and there are not enough hours in the day.  I have spent the last two weeks photographing as many flowers as I can, and, unfortunately, yesterday accidentally deleted 130 new images taken over the week-end.  Such is life!!

However, I do have some stunning orchids to show you this month, as their variety is truly amazing.

It is difficult to chose a favourite, as I have so many.  It honestly seems to be the one I am photographing or painting at the time, but a fore-runner must be Ophrys tenthrendinifera (no easier to type than to say).  This rather ugly name has been given to a real star amongst the terrestrial orchids of Crete, as can be seen from the photograph.

There are two large ‘genera’ or families on Crete – Orchis and Ophrys.  There are also 12 small ‘genera’, making the island a paradise for botanists and botanical artists and photographers. There are, at present, around 67 species in the orchid family confirmed here, many of which have interbred making identification more complex for the botanist and non-botanist alike.

The orchids started really early this year, due in part to the unduly mild winter and the wonderful sunshine we have been experiencing.  This presents a problem for those of us wanting to photograph – everything is appearing at once and there is so much to do.

A pretty little, delicate and slender orchid is Orchis quadrapunctata.  The specimen I photographed seems to have only three spots at its throat!  This could be a cross with another fairly early orchid – Orchis anatolica, confusing matters even more.

My last choice for this month is an Ophrys – Ophrys ariadnae  or Ariadne’s ophrys, whichever you prefer.  This ophrys grows mainly in the east of the island and can be found quite easily around Pano Elounda.

If you have any flowers, for which you would like identification, maybe we can help at Flowers of Crete.  Just send us a good quality image, preferably telling us where it was growing, what sort of conditions and including a photo of the leaves if possible.  We can’t guarantee a positive identification, but we will do our best to help.

There is so much work to do at the moment, if you feel that you can help in anyway, we would love to hear from you with offers.

Our guided walks and excursions are now starting and this year we are also taking bookings for a computer-aided slide talks for interested groups. We have also produced a CD of flower images, music and birdsong as a memento of your time in Crete or as a gift for friends.  Proceeds from the sale of this CD will go towards promoting the protection of wild flowers on the island.

And a final note: If you are developing a piece of land that you suspect may have orchids or any other protected species on it, please get in touch at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .  We will advise you on how to conserve the species on your land or move them to another location where they can flourish in safety.

Julia Jones (Feise)

Flowers of Crete

Odos Filellinon

Pano Elounda

Tel:  (0030+)28410 42177

Website: www.flowersofcrete.info