It’s that time of the month again: my friends from the International Bloggers Club and I compare notes from our corners of the world. In January we shared a Valentine’s breakfast, and last month we explored Easter traditions. This month’s theme is Flowers for Spring.
Originally I intended to write about Greece’s national flower, the Bear’s Breeches (Acanthus). However, after visiting several florists and gardeners, none were familiar with it under that name. It seems to be a wildflower rather than a common florist plant, or perhaps it goes by another local name. To satisfy your curiosity, here is a photo of the plant I tried to track down.
Source
Even if the Bear’s Breeches proved elusive, my town is overflowing with flowers—even this early in spring. I grabbed my camera and went for a walk. The first thing that caught my eye was the balconies…
Planters are everywhere—on fences, window ledges and railings. They turn ordinary streets into bursts of color.
Some flowers push up through cracks in the pavement, defying concrete, while others peek through makeshift barriers around construction sites. Everywhere you look, foliage and flowers soften the urban landscape.
The streets themselves are full of color—beds of blooms, trimmed hedges and flowering shrubs create a cheerful scene that announces spring.
Bushes and hedges are already in bloom, adding texture and fragrance to sidewalks, parks and cafés alike.
The best part of walking through the neighborhood is the scent: instead of the stale smells I remember from city transit systems, the air is fragrant with floral perfume. I never tire of that delicate scent—it always feels like spring arriving all at once.
Flowers are even placed on café tables, adding an intimate, welcoming touch to outdoor seating. Small vases and planters make every cup of coffee feel like a spring celebration.
I didn’t find the Bear’s Breeches in shops, but I discovered a rainbow of colors and scents everywhere I looked. Happy spring to everyone! Do you know your area’s national flower? Or do locals joke that the real national plant should be basil or oregano—ubiquitous herbs that may not be flowers but certainly define our streets and kitchens?
P.S. The mystery of the national flower is solved: it turns out the Greek national flower is actually a wildflower, which explains why it’s not common in florist shops. That means I’ll be exploring the countryside to find it next!
If you enjoyed these photos, share them with friends or save them to Pinterest. If you’d like to follow my adventures, subscribe to the blog to receive new posts twice a week by email.
The Int’l Bloggers Club: Flowers for Spring
<<Carnival in Greece HOME The Stars and the Moon in a Frame >>
This blog is for entertainment purposes only; my DIY tutorials are not professional advice. Read my full disclaimer here.
I love reading your comments and I reply to each one.