As with many of the other Mediterranean islands Crete is one large limestone mountain. It is rather long (290km) and thin with the main settlements and tourist areas in a narrow strip on the north coast. Wildflowers, including many orchids, grow in profusion. However due to the hot dry summers there is a band of plants coming into flower then withering away which moves up the hillsides as the snow melts in spring. It is therefore possible to visit in summer staying on the beach and miss all the exciting plants flowering up in the mountains.
- Samaria gorge nature reserve - reached by a rather 'interesting' road climbing up through orange groves, past mountain villages and finally across the Omalos plain. The gorge is popular with tourists during the summer and may be impassable during the winter. In spring there are find displays of golden drops (Onosma erecta) and several species of orchid including Orchis quadripunctata, O. sima, O. provincialis, and Ophrys fuciflora. On the apparently bare mountainsides above the gorge there were bright blue flowers of Anchusa cespitosa, dwarf yellow buttercup Ranunculus brevifolius (?) and Ricotia cretica (?) with its very large seedpods. (The people are generally very friendly. On the outward and return journey to the gorge we happened to pick up the same agricultural workers hitch hiking so the in the evening the women welcomed us back to their home for some hospitality).
- Other sites - one problem with finding wildflowers in other areas is that they rapidly get eaten by goats and sheep. A solution is to visit ancient ruins which are scattered all over the island, livestock are generally excluded. Species found at or near these areas include Paeonia clusii (on hillside nearby), Asphodeline lutea (on hillside nearby), Orchis coriophora, Ophrys cretica, Dracunculus vulgaris, Convolvulus oleifolius, Ophrys sphegodes, Serapias lingua, Asphodelus albus (found everywhere as the goats don't eat it), Tragopogon porrifolius and Allium subhirsutum. The ancient sites are also good for reptiles and insects. [not sure whether to give a list of sites and plants]
Below Serapias vomeracea (?)[left] about to be bulldozed for more holiday accommodation, Cistus salvifolius[centre] growing on the road to Samaria gorge, Paeonia clusii[right]
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 | Golden drops Onosma erecta
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References
Mediterranean wildflowers (1993) Marjorie Blamey and Christopher Grey-Wilson. Harper Collins. 560p. Over 2000 species illustrated, very good pictures and text although not a complete coverage of species - you will always find a few not in the book.
Flowers of the Mediterranean (1965) Polunin, O. and Huxley. 662p. Oxford University press, London. 1900 of the commonest species described in detail, over 1000 plant photographs.
Mountain flower holidays. (1979) Bacon, L. 293p. produced by the Alpine garden society. Very useful for many parts of Europe.
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