May Newsletter

by Julia Feise

Spring disappeared very quickly this year as a result of the warm, dry winter – everything seemed to be over in a flash. Even at higher levels around Elounda and Aghios Nikolaos the orchids are almost finished.

But there is plenty still to enjoy.  Paeonia clusii is still in flower in the mountain forests.  If you find this beautiful endemic, please don’t pick it, just photograph its breathtaking flowers and leave them for others to enjoy. This peony can also be found in a stunning shade of pink, but this is much more rare than the white shown here.

Paeonia clusii                                    © Julia Jones

And almost everywhere at the moment can be found the pretty and varied Campanula or bellflowers.  There are eighteen species to be seen on Crete and all are very attractive.  As these are often grown in Northern Europe as garden flowers, you might want to collect some ripe seeds to grow in your own gardens in Crete, but please don’t take any back home for the same purpose, they can easily and cheaply be purchased there in garden centres.  Of the eighteen species, seven are endemic to the island, including Campanula pelviformis shown here.

Campanula pelviformis                                           © Julia Jones

On the subject of gardens in Crete, please spare a thought for what you are planting.  The palm trees sold in most garden centres on the island are imported and can contain a beetle which will do severe damage to the native palm Phoenix theophrasti.  As our palm here is in several small and concentrated areas, such as the beach at Vai, if the trees do become infested, that could be the end of the palm on the island.  The other major worry is that the two species can be cross-pollinated and this could also result in the destruction of a very precious and ancient palm.  DNA tests have recently shown that the Cretan palm could be the forerunner of the date palm. Please think before you buy!

Another consideration, when you are planning your garden in Crete should be the planting of species that will not become invasive, such as the ubiquitous Bermuda Buttercup, which is seen all across the island in Spring. Wherever possible ask the garden centre for native species rather than imports.  There are so many lovely flowers here, which are prized in the UK, that are never seen in garden centres.

I was very amused whilst in England at Easter to visit Kew with John Fielding, and to see many Cretan species housed in a multi-million pound alpine house, which tried to recreate the environment we have around us here.  These plants, which we can see for free every day, are electronically guarded to prevent theft! One particularly well-protected species, and rightly so, was Origanum dictamnus or Cretan dittany – a very strange and beautiful plant that is protected and endangered here.  Several of the large hotels on the island are now planting species such as this in their gardens to ensure their continued presence on the island, if we can also do this in a smaller way, then we are doing our bit to preserve the flora which is so precious here. Seeds from cultivated plants can be found in specialist nurseries in the UK and can be planted here to thrive in private gardens.

Origanum dictamnus               © Julia Jones

And for those of you who are interested in orchids, it is still possible to find Anacamptis pyramidalis in mountain pastures and on roadsides.  This lovely orchid is one of the last to flower before the summer drought sets in.  This specimen was photographed above Karvousi and was particularly robust and in full flower.  Superb!

Anacamptis pyramidalis           © Julia Jones

The new Flowers of Crete website will be online shortly with an up-to-date flower calendar and diary.  Please do check it out.  Also the first Flowers of Crete Orchid Calendar is to be published in June for 2008.  Anyone interested in joining our work or in ordering a calendar, please get in touch.

My flower excursions are now underway, and I will be taking trips in Hania and Rethymno once a week from the end of May, as well as my usual trips in the Aghios Nikolaos area.

Julia Jones

Flowers of Crete

www.flowersofcrete.info

www.arcadianart.com

E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Tel: 0030 + 28410 42177