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Although this talk is based on a holiday taken over 10 years
ago, the memories of the spectacular views and wonderful plants are still
vivid. Our hotel was near the northern tip of the island, but the good
road down the east coast enabled us to visit most places of interest. Lindos
(top left), with its huge fortified rock covered in remnants of many historical
ages, would have been a much more convenient base - ear-marked for our
next visit!
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The centre of the island is quite mountainous in places, but the
higher slopes of Mount Profitis Elias (top right) could be reached by a
good road. Here the sparce woods sheltered a profusion of wonderful flowers
- many species of orchid, the sweet-scented Cyclamen rhodia, white-flowered
peonies, and lots more besides. Around the coast the most spectacular orchid
was the local form of the Late Spider Orchid (left), with huge flowers
and a wide variety of markings. In damper shady places the dainty golden
bells of Fritillaria rhodia (right), found only on Rhodes, often
brightened our day.
The west coast was less accessible but very rewarding, particularly
around Monolithos (below left) where a Crusaders' fort, perched atop an
impregnable rock, was beautifully set-off against the blue of the Mediterranean
Sea.
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But in spite of the appeal of all the rarities, it was the
profusion of common flowers like Poppies and Crown Daisies (below right)
that so often provided the perfect complement to a view.
 
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