Ferns are plants that don’t have flowers. Across medieval Europe, the absence was worrying, and explained as ferns having invisible flowers, and seeds that only appeared on Midsummer night, when they could be collected. The seeds then had the power to make you invisible. In Slavic tradition, the flowers were not invisible, simply very rare…
The world looks a lot different this month. I look back at my photos of the Vrboska karneval and am shocked at the sight of such a large crowd. Was it truly only 4 weeks ago? We are now, like much of the rest of the world, staying at home keeping ourselves to ourselves. Croatian…
It’s been an interesting Spring, rather wetter than usual, so we really appreciate when the sun comes out. That’s especially true when the forecast said clouds and rain, but outside the window we have a perfect blue sky! So it was on Thursday last week, and we took ourselves up to Pitve to hike the…
We’ve been enjoying the springtime sight of Hvar’s wild flowers for many years now. I’ve taken lots of photos, diligently looked up their names and created flower guides to keep track of what we’ve learned. But until quite recently, I’d not seen any wild orchids on our wanderings. They are quite seasonal, so you have to be on the lookout in April and May, and know what you’re looking for. So the first few orchids had to be pointed out to me, after which I got the idea, and started to look more carefully. It’s amazing how many of these delicate flowers are there among the greenery, just waiting to be seen!
The inland villages of Hvar are connected by a network of old pathways, in use since medieval times. Some are rough tracks you can drive on (given a vehicle with suitably high clearance), while others are walking trails, somewhat rocky in places and which may at times lead you into tangled patches of brambles. These…
The almond is the first tree in bloom hereabouts, and gives a very cheery signal that the year has turned, and we’re heading into Spring! A native of the eastern Mediterranean, Prunus Amygdala can be found all around southern Europe, and anywhere else with a similarly mild climate. On Hvar, we probably have the ancient…
It’s the end of June, so it’s lavender harvest time! Shame, really, as I love to see the purple hummocks decorating the hillsides. Unlike Provence, where the lavender is grown in great long stripes, here the bushes are kept separate, giving more of a pattern of dots. And, given the steepness of the fields, the…
Our lovely stone courtyard is turning green for summer, slowly but surely. It’s a different kind of gardening than I’m used to, involving more hardscape, pots and quirky artwork, but it’s looking good for much less work. We really enjoy sitting out there and we have visiting bees and toads and geckos, so it’s working…
Good news! Our nesting swallows from last year have returned to us again. At least, we assume this is the same pair, moving back into their nest from last year. And it obviously saves time not having to rebuild your home from scratch, as we’ve reached the fledging stage some 2 weeks earlier (June 6th…
March is certainly throwing a serious amount of weather at us, and such a variety too! After last week’s snowfall and overnight frosts, we’d resumed a more normal temperature, and were really enjoying some quite warm balmy days. And then this morning, we were caught totally unawares by a hailstorm as we took our walk…
Go Hvar 
You must be logged in to post a comment.