New seeds

We now have new seeds available at our online store featuring beautiful natural wildflowers of Crete and other varieties in a range of flower colours, leaf forms and plant sizes. Many are grown naturally in our garden and are carefully picked by hand.

Galactites tomentosa also known as the purple milk thistle is a lovely wildflower native to Crete. It has large purple flowers with thin thorn-like petals which attracts bees and butterflies, the leaves are long and lance-shaped with small thorns around the edges and white mottled-markings. It is an upright annual that grows to about 100 cm in height and prefers slightly sandy/loam soil in full sun. This plant makes a lovely addition to a wildflower meadow especially when combined with natural grasses and flowers.

Geranium robertianum pictured below is another wildflower which has tiny pink flowers and deeply dissected leaves which release an aroma when crushed and when rubbed on the skin are believed to help repel mosquitoes. It is an upright annual that grows to about 10-30 cm in height with reddish hairy stems and prefers slightly sandy loam soil conditions in full sun to part shade. This plant looks attractive as a ground cover in large pots under trees or large shrubs such as roses.

Other plant varieties include erodium cicutarium which has bright pink flowers and Erodium trifolium with clusters of white flowers and violet markings. There will also be more seeds available later in the year.

View plant varieties at pelargonium species world

Creating a Wildlife Garden

Photo by Vincent Van Zalinge-unsplash.com

A wildlife garden can bring beauty and tranquillity to your surrounds with butterflies, birds, bees, and other wildlife.

Bringing wildlife to your garden has many benefits, we have a better connection with nature where we can learn to co-exist with the natural environment and encourage insects such as butterflies, dragonflies, bees, birds, reptiles and amphibians to your surroundings while creating a peaceful and relaxing retreat.
Making a wildlife garden supports the local flora and fauna while providing them with a nature inspired habitat such as a sanctuary for solitary bees, ladybirds, & beetles made out of bamboo canes, old logs, bricks, twigs and straw or a wildflower meadow, a rock garden, a pond, bog garden or a water feature to encourage frogs, birds and dragonflies.
Flowers & nectar rich plants not only look attractive in the garden but can also appeal to insect pollinators such as bees, butterflies and moths which collect pollen and for birds which eat seeds and berries.

A bird house, bird table, hanging feeders or a bird bath can also help encourage birds to your surroundings especially if they are close to the house where you can view them from your window.

Trees, shrubs, hedging and wall climbers are also great for providing a hiding place or an nesting area for birds and also lizards.
Earthworms are great for aerating and improving the quality of the soil and can also provide food for various wildlife.
Leaving in weeds such as dandelions, daisies, thistles, poppies, bell flowers, doves-foot, bind-weed and wild carrot not only encourages bees, butterflies and other insects but can look amazing in a wild flower meadow with long grasses in a small area of your garden or mixed with plants within a raised border, Ants are also good for gathering and dispersing seeds.

Adding a variety of different shaped flowers to your garden can encourage several types of insects.
Flower shapes include tubular, bell, funnel, saucer, rosette and funnel shapes which come in many colours and sizes.
Some bees, wasps, moths and butterflies have long tongues known as proboscis which feed on pollen and nectar and can reach far into the flower, Some flower types are also only pollinated by hummingbirds.

Other ideas to encourage wildlife include: Creating a home for solitary bees, creating a wild flower meadow, bog garden, water feature or a pond, attracting more butterflies and creating a haven for birds.