Early Spring Flowers on the Quinta

 

Flores na Quinta

The images within this short blog were taken on the 9th March 2023 which is nearly a year ago now as I type this. All of them are pretty small and as I didn't have a macro lens with me, I had to make do with what I had which was a 70-200mm f2.8 for those interested. As you spend time somewhere you slowly start to notice the little detail in what surrounds you. In this case it was the little flowers dotted around the place. A lot of them were the type you'd walk past and not even notice if you were on your way somewhere.

The top imagine in this blog is the Mediterranean Marigold (Coleostephus myconis) for example. Hardly a rare plant, but if you take your time to look at the detail on the petals close up, you may just start to appreciate it a little more. It's native to a number of warmer countries in Europe like Greece, France or Italy, but it has made its way across to other places like Portugal, Spain and even across the Ocean to to Brazil, Chile and Uruguay.

Wild Radish (Raphanus raphanistrum) 

There are a few plants that look very similar to this, but this is my best guess. Native to west Asia, Europe and North America but considered to be an invasive species in Australia. It has a tap root like a cultivated radish you may buy in a shop, but it doesn't swell like the cultivated variety.

Field Stachys (Stachys arvensis)

This one comes from the mint family but is apparently poisonous to livestock. Let's hope the sheep don't like the look of it!  

Diplotaxis catholica

 

Shepherdcress (Teesdalia coronopifolia)

Dark Chamomile (Chamaemelum fuscatum)

Not sure if this is the one you'd make tea out of? Any ideas?

Ruby Dock (Rumex bucephalophorus)

Linaria amethystea

This one was my favourite so I left it for last. Seems to be endemic to the Iberian Peninsula, but I can't however find much info on it, leave us a comment if you know anything about it!