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Monday Morning Photo - Wisteria Time in Andalucia

How quickly spring comes around after the short winter here in the Sierra Sur de Jaén. After lots of very much needed rain we´re back to the normal cloudless blue.  My garden is shooting incredbily with the moisture and now sunshine. And my beautiful wisteria flowers grandly albeit it short-lived. The big black carpenter bees love it. Each flowering season reminds me of the Botanical Gardens in Malaga and the ´tunnel´ of wisteria that I haven´t yet caught in bloom. April is a good time to plan to go if it´s on your list.  Here´s the botanical garden link La Concepción Botanical Gardens. And a sneaky peak at the wisteria. See the Monday Morning Photos list.
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Saffron Harvest

A little late this year my saffron harvest is minimal. Not only has summer gone on and on with little rain but my garden has been rotavated. I carefully dug up, or so I thought, the saffron crocus bulbs I´d planted alongside my steeping stone path.

Expecting no harvest at all this year as the bulbs are still waiting to be replanted, imagine my surprise when up some popped one by one.

Saffron Crocus
Saffron Crocus - crocus sativus


The usual way of harvesting the stamens is to pick the whole flower, then remove the stamen and throwing the flower away. I can´t do that, what a waste. I pick the stamens from the flower while still growing so I´ve got the saffron and can still enjoy the flowers. Simple things!

One or two of the bulbs/corms even flowered in the tray I put them without soil or watering them.

Once dry I put them in an empty glass spice jar. My favourite recipe for saffron, other than paella of course, is Lime and Saffron Chicken.
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