Ceba Marina. Urginea Maritima.

Urginea maritima or Sea squill was also known as Scilla maritima, and is a bulbous plant with spikes of fleshy, starry white flowers, which show yellow centres and green stamens when open. Leaves are upright, green with a bluish bloom, strap-like, with an overall spiky habit, forming a fleshy clump up to 100cm.

Flower spikes come from bulbs after the leaves have gone over in the spring, and mature over the summer into the autumn, the foliage disappearing completely. Bulbs need a dry, well-drained, sun-baked soil, and are half submerged beneath the soil. 

Flower spikes can grow to a metre tall. This is a Mediterranean perennial which is common in Menorca, found on coastal cliffs, mountainous regions, and olive groves. Grow on any sun-baked free-draining stony ground, or in containers, protect from winter wet and hard frost. 

The bulbs which are as large onions often appear disinterred only attached to the ground by their weak fleshy roots.

Although it is considered a plant with medicinal uses, it can be poisonous.

Crocus Flavus

Every year a few weeks after the first rains at the end of the Summer, in the paths and trails surrounding the hotel these little yellow flowers appear as an indicater of the Autumm aproaches.

Crocus flavus (syn. Crocus luteus, Crocus aureus), (Dutch yellow crocus) is a species of flowering plant of the Crocus genus in the Iridaceae family. It grows wild on the slopes of some Mediterranean countries with fragrant bright orange-yellow flowers which Tennyson likened to a fire. It is a small crocus (5–6 cm (2–2 in), despite the names of some cultivars, compared to the Giant Dutch crocuses.

Marvel of Peru

Mirabilis jalapa also known as Marvel of Peru or 4 o'clock flower is a Perennial herb original from tropical America wich it is said was introduced in Europe from the Peruvian Andes in 1540

Mirabilis jalapa has become naturalised throughout tropical and warm temperate regions and it is common in many places in the island.

 

A curious aspect of this plant is that flowers with different colors can be found simultaneously on the same plant.

Additionally, an individual flower can be splashed with different colors. Flower patterns are referred to as sectors (whole sections of flower), flakes (stripes of varying length), and spots. A single flower can be plain yellow, pink or white, or have a combination of sectors, flakes and spots. Furthermore, different combinations of flowers and patterns can occur on different flowers of the same plant.

 The flowers are pollinated by long-tongued moths of the Sphingidae family, such as the Sphinx Moths or Hawk Moths and other nocturnal pollinators attracted by the fragrance.

September Sunset

This September is giving us colorful sunsets. According to the popular proverb, the red skies at sunset are prelude rainy or windy days.

 Sa Cudia Cremada

 Curnia

 Windmill at Sant Climent

Festes de Gracia 2015

The fiestas, which honour the Virgen de Gràcia, take place on the 7th and 8th September. 

The ringing of church bells starts the fiestas off at 4 PM on the 7th, and then all the riders gather together and parade through the streets until they reach the chapel of Gracia where they stop to pray. 

 Picture by J. Carreras

Then they make their way to the square in front of the Town Hall, where they hold the jaleo which is truly spectacular and thoroughly enjoyed by locals and visitors alike.

There is another jaleo on the morning of the 8th, followed by horse-racing down the long and straight street Cos de Gracia in the afternoon. It is really exciting and vibrant.

Click for a video of the Jaleo 2015 

It has become fashionable over the last few years to ask a famous celebrity to open the fiestas officially alongside the mayoress of the city from the balcony of the Town Hall overlooking the square. This happens on the night of the 6th and then everyone sings a song together which is dedicated to the city.

The worst storm in the last 33 years.

According to the local papers this has been the worst storm in the last 33 years. There were 460 lightning recorded in Es Castell 

between 12 noon and 3PM.

Calas Fons became a river.

Bowles Tournament Hotel del Almirante 2015. Provisional Results.

The competition has just started two days ago but...

...the Ladies are three games ahead!