Whilst walking on one of the beaches during the wintertime, I had often noticed clumps of flat ribbon-shaped leaves growing out of the sand and wondered if they might be Sea Daffodils. I never seemed to be there at the right time to see their blooms, but this September, I was rewarded by their magnificent display!

They certainly were Sea Daffodils and were also growing in profusion. This was a very lucky find, as they are subject to indiscriminate picking and are therefore becoming quite rare. They flower from July to September, with large, white fragrant flowers.Sea Daffodils in Spetses: in bloom in September

Their beauty inspired the ancient wall paintings of The Palace of Knossos on the island of Crete and Thera on the volcanic island of Santorini.

by Rosalind Forster