As well as their beauty, both close up and from afar, we should remember the usefulness of plants in providing habitats for other wild creatures and nectar for bees to make honey. The methoni areea is not suitable at all times for honey production but some villagers still make honey on a small scale
The types of flowers that grow on the hillsides above Methoni, from the weather station along a back road towards Pylos, are typical of those found on a habitiat known as Phrygana or "spiny garrigue". The species that thrive here do so in spite of grazing and fires, and shubs are often prickly and low growing.
In early to late spring you'll find bulbs in patches among the low growing shrubs which include sages.
A particularly striking plant in April is Serapius. Species include Serapius Lingua - the tongue orchid, and Serapius orientalis The hillside varies slightly, some places more stony than rocky and some providing pockets more sheltered than others, or damper. As a result there are a variety of mini landscapes, shades of purple and pink in one place and of gold and white in another.
Plants such as the rock rose grow wild in Greece but would be grown as carefully tended garden plants in Nothern Europe.
In a more sheltered area of semi woodland close to the chapel near the Methoni weather centre were carpets of pink flowers
Spring brings colour to the hillsides but by summer the earth is scorched, bulbs have died down and are dormant, and only the hardiest, spiny and almost leafless shrubs survive. fires are common and dangerous, but this type of terrain is able to regenerate quite quickly after the scorching heat of July and August. Back to Index