Odds and Sods from Crete.....

First or second, dearest?

Gosh, I wish my Oleanders looked like that, same colour as mine, but sadly mine are badly neglected at the moment, hence me not posting any photos of them so far this year. Maybe later ...

Yes, they grow wild here, all over the place like Brugmansias et al ... sad, isn't it?

PS Like your blue skies as well ... they really do exist, don't they? You can vouch for that as well, strongy!

 

Hi, roders. Beautiful piccies. You've transported me back to our fav. bar just outside Ag. Nic. My MBH has had a look at them as well and loves them and she doesn't even look at this site. Thank you.

 

Yes Strongy it seemed to get hotter every day ,but thats why we go there,I wouldnt mind living there but certainly wouldn't want to work there,not manual work anyway.
All of the Greek Islands are similar,the landscape is so dry it just makes you wonder how anything grows there,but of course you dont see many Gunnera's or Hostas :D

Hi Cajery......you are a greek Island fan as well then.............roll on next year..

 

This looks like a broad bean tree,but it's actualy a Carob tree,a member of the legume family.The beans are used as a coco/chocolate substitute and they just love the arid conditions in Crete.

 

I suppose you dont see many hostas because the slugs eat them all. :D
LOL sent me some seed of the carob tree so I have a few seedlings coming on.
Dont think mine will make that size though.

 

Mine is now 8 ft high but I took the top out so it has branched at 6ft. I picked the seed up from a hotel garden in Florida three years ago but didn't know what it was till I went to Northern Cyrus last year where there were, as in Crete, thousands of them. Harvesting them in 40c+ is not my idea of fun.

 

Prickley Pear Cactus............




I do like this picture.

 

Beautiful, roders, they are in full bloom here at the mo all over the place. Quite amazing the size of some of them.

 

Nice roders, not that easy to get to flower over here, I find.

 

Think you need a bit more heat and sunshine, pete! :D I'll send you some ...

 

Lovely pics Roders. We went to Crete in April (1999) and it was hot then, so it must have been boiling now. We liked it too and said that we would go back again - if the price is right!

 

It's cheap in January and still beautiful.
But I like the sun........Do you know we never saw a cloud all week.....and I have hardly seen the sun since. :D

 

Oh yes, it is beautiful there and the countryside is so varied. We had a car for one week of the two we were there and gadded around a lot sightseeing.

 

Hi, roders. A Crete fan, actually. Just something about that island, and the people. We were actually going to re-locate there and then the g-children started appearing. Our kids must have known something :D

 

Cretan Apricots........Help yourself.