A few photos of flowers, trees and scenes from western Crete from trips in April 2004 and 2005. We start off around the mid-western areas based at Spili, searching out many of the 40 or so orchid species found here, with a host of other spring flowers. Drives to the south coast takes in lovely Plakias, Triopetra and as far east to the ancient ruins of Festos, with endemic plants such as Ebenus cretica. An excursion to the northern side of Psilioritis (Mount Ida) takes us up to the snow line where Crocuses, Romuleas and Glory-of-the-snow shine in the spring sunshine around melting snow patches. From Spili we travel southwest to Hora Sfakion and up to the high village of Anapoli, our base for exploring the breathtaking Aradena Gorge, and a drive up to the snowline to Kakovoli for Crocus sieberi, very old weather-pruned Cypress trees, and perhaps Anchusa cespitosa flowering. One early season had a host of Paeonia clusii in full flower. The last part of the trip goes further west to the Omalos plateau with fabulous Tulipa bakeri and chances to see Lammergeier.
