Flowering thyme  - 14th July 2006

Thyme is possibly the only plant here in Crete that you can find at sea level and right on top of the highest summits. It starts flowering in late June and the flowering will gradually move up to higher and higher altitudes, providing pollen for the bees well into August. They will fly all the way to the summits of the White mountains in order to get to the last flowers that will contribute to the making of the delicious Cretan thyme honey.

This particular bush was located at around 1500m. The little shells that you can see hanging on the rock in the bottom picture are a local type of snail, not a sea creature.

You can click on the picture to enlarge.