Bonjour!
I recently visited Provence and got to explore some of its villages, villes, and countryside. April was a perfect time to go1—not too crowded, not too hot, and absolutely verdant and blooming with Mediterranean plantscapes. This included the garrigue,2 shrubland growing on limestone soil and full of water-savvy aromatic plants like rosemary and thyme; small scrappy oaks, pines, and juniper; shrubs like broom and terebinth. The Mediterranean region is known as a biodiversity hotspot, with a hugely diverse flora; plus, these ecosystems have such a recognizable flavor—I always enjoy being in them. (Perhaps because I grew up in California’s version!)
I’ll share more highlights of Provence color and texture in my Detail Diary next week, but today I want to give special attention to a few Mediterranean plants I encountered.
A few plants
Terebinth (Pistacia terebinthus) ~ Anacardiaceae, cashew family
Broom (possibly Genista scorpius) ~ Fabaceae, legume family
Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) ~ Lamiaceae, mint family
Scorpion vetch (Coronilla valentina) ~ Fabaceae, legume family
Maritime pine (Pinus pinaster) ~ Pinaceae, pine family
Downy oak (Quercus pubescens) ~ Fagaceae, beech family
Besom heath (Erica scoparia) ~ Ericaceae, heath family
Aleppo pine (Pinus halpensis) ~ Pinaceae, pine family
Bay laurel (Laurus nobilis) ~ Lauraceae, laurel family
(Incredibly fragrant! And will feature in the next Flora alpina post!)
Redbud/judas-tree (Cercis siliquastrum) ~ Fabaceae, legume family
Giant orchid (Himantoglossum robertianum) ~ Orchidaceae, orchid family
There were also big purple and white irises growing wild—this photo is a garden variety but there were similar blooms all along the roadsides, just like the ones Van Gogh painted while staying in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence.
A few landscapes
(1+2 near Les Baux-de-Provence, 3 Pont du Gard, and 4 Rousillon)
…as long as you don’t mind missing out on lavender fields
Garrigue is similar to California’s chapparal.
I've wanted to visit Provence since I read a book in French class at secondary school about a boy who spends a summer in Aix-en-Provence. That was 40 years ago and I still haven't made it! I've made a note that April is a good time to go, though.
Beautiful post, Anne. Thank you.