Arts in Provence

ARTS IN PROVENCE
Welcome to the Arts in Provence Blog. This is a blog about life in Les Bassacs, a small hamlet in the South of France, where we organise summer painting courses. You can find out about the courses by going to our website.

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Wild Narcissi

Field of wild narcissi near Les Bassacs





































In common with most of Europe we have had an exceptionally warm spring and the air is heavy with the smell of blossom.  The cherry blossom came and went very quickly, so ripe cherries should be with us in 6 weeks or so.  I spotted this new field of narcissi between us and St Saturnin les Apt.  
Triandrus Poeticus

I have to really resist the temptation to pick armfuls of the sweetly scented flowers.  They are wild to this part of western Europe and once established, proliferate easily in the slightly marshy spring-fed ground, usually under the fruit trees.  This variety is known as the Poet's narcissus or in French, Jeannette Blanche