Spring arrived a few weeks ago and things are slowly coming together here on the French Riviera. Of course, Spring means rebirth, and Mediterranean plants are in bloom. And what a flowering!
Like every year, we are entitled to an explosion of colours on both sides of the plants which grow everywhere (ground, soil, wall…). These southern plants embellish all the corners of the region, from the town to the Mercantour path. A real breath of fresh air for city dwellers and hikers who don’t hesitate for a second to go picking. Indeed, after a rather dull winter, finding the beautiful days and the Mediterranean plants during seaside walks on the French Riviera is a real natural remedy to find joy and serenity. Picking them, decorating your home with them, smelling them… a real pleasure for the eyes!
And the icing on the cake, the PACA region has 75% of France’s natural areas where 2/3 of French plant species can be found. There are about 4700 flowering plants in the south of France which embellish the Mediterranean gardens, there is plenty to pick!
Here is a small list of flowering plants not to be missed this spring/summer (those I like the most):
1. Bougainvillea
This is the bloom I’m most looking forward to. Its purple and fuchsia colours have always captivated me. They decorate the villages of the south of France wonderfully and even the streets of Nice and Antibes. It starts to bloom in May, but it is in June/July that its colour is at its brightest, at its peak. Introduced by the French navigator Antoine de Bougainville after a trip to South America, bougainvilleas have acclimatised perfectly to the Côte d’Azur and are a great delight to southerners and tourists alike. It is impossible not to stop in front of them to admire, contemplate and meditate.
Bougainvilleas
2. Almond trees
It is often confused with the familiar Tokyo cherry blossom. Their resemblance is striking and once you discover the almond trees in bloom on the Côte d’Azur, you think that they too have the right to their “Star” status. The blossoming starts between February and March and brings sweetness to the winter season. While the mimosas fade away at the end of winter, the Mediterranean plant show continues with the almond blossoms, symbols of love and virginity.
These flowers have the particularity of growing even before the leaves appear.
Almond tree flowers
3. Jacarandas
One of my biggest favourites! For the record, I discovered this tree in June 2021 when I had just had a car accident in front of a tree with blue-purple leaves (I was hit by another vehicle but nothing serious… More fear than harm!). While I was on the phone with the insurance company, I was admiring this tree, so original because of its lavender blue colour… I completely forgot about the accident and the shock it could have produced in me, I was so obsessed by the beauty of this tree! It’s all about perception, I focused my mind on something positive and beautiful 🙂
Just like bougainvillea, this species comes to us straight from South America. It is a tropical plant that blooms from June onwards and has a very short flowering period (15 days only)! The camera is essential at this time of the year to immortalise this tree which decorates the French Riviera with perfection.
Jaracandas
4. Fields of lavender and sunflowers
We don’t need to introduce them anymore! The lavender fields are an incredible success and attract a large number of tourists every summer from all over the world. Like the Jaracandas, their flowering period is very short (from mid-June to mid-July) so get your cameras ready! In addition to the lavender fields, we have their cousins, the sunflower fields, which are a little less common than their sisters but just as sparkling and sunny. The ideal place to admire them is in Provence (Valensole in particular), 2h30 from Nice.
The ideal would be to spend the weekend there to visit both the lavender and sunflower fields, the Verdon gorges and the village of Moustier Sainte Marie, one of the most beautiful villages in France.
Lavender Fields
Sunflower fields
5. Fields of poppies
The star of spring with its bright red colour, the poppy fields can be found criss-crossing the roads of Provence in the same way as the lavender and sunflower fields. Finding yourself in front of a field of poppies is like finding yourself in front of a painting by Monet or Van Gogh that suddenly comes to life. These famous artists fell under the spell of this flamboyant red and drew much inspiration from it for their paintings.
Poppies
6. Fields of daisies
One of my favourite plants in spring! As soon as they appear, it makes me happy because it means good weather and beautiful days to come. They grow spontaneously in fields, meadows, paths, on lawns… They are often confused with the daisy, which is the large daisy. They are real little rays of sunshine in everyday life. They flower all year round, but mainly between March and November.
Daisy fields
7. Agapanthus
Agapanthus is one of the most exotic Mediterranean plants, which is very appealing because of its blue-purple colour. It is not easily overlooked with its distinctive style and beautiful colouring of azure and violet blue. Gardeners and landscapers love it and like to use it to embellish Mediterranean gardens. Originally from South Africa, it blooms from May to September and is a perfect addition to the gardens and parks of the Côte d’Azur.
Agapanthes
8. Albizias or Silk Tree
Planted in 2012/2013 on the Place Garibaldi, 200 meters from the Jumalee Nice perfume creation workshop, the albizias, also called “silk trees” because of their feathery leaves, bring an extra layer of colour to the picture (in addition to the yellow of the facades and the blue sky).
I like to languish on this square with a drink on the terrace in front of this very successful colour composition and the contrast of the volume between the flat facades and the bushy trees. It is very pleasing to the eye. This small tropical tree flowers from July to September.
Albizias or Silk Tree
9. Cape Plumbago
This pretty blue flower, which grows in the middle of summer in Nice, comes from South Africa. It’s a Mediterranean plant that’s very popular in Nice gardens for its long summer blooms, which begin in May or June and last until November. It grows in the open ground around Nice, provided it’s planted in full sun and well-drained soil.
Cape Plumbago
And you, which Mediterranean plants do you not want to miss?
