The small town of Sóeller, Mallorca, is in a fertile valley surrounded by the impressive “Serra de Tramuntanas”.
While we spent most our evenings at our finca {farm} up in the hills, it was fun to visit the town and sit in the square for lunch and do a little shopping.
On another day we set off on a hike through the rural countryside surrounding Sóeller, including a pass through the charming village of Fornalutx, and a small hamlet called Biniaraix.
Along the way we saw many gates, I would have loved to walk through them to learn more about the people who lived behind them and their culture.
Some were more formal,
and others very rustic, but each one was quite intriguing.
Some of the walkways beyond the gates were positively beckoning, but we resisted temptation and stayed on the well worn trail.
The lush, terraced countryside was primarily planted with citrus trees.
Walking along these groves, we were surprised to see so much citrus left on the ground to rot. Later, we found out that most of these groves were planted many years ago, when there used to be a bigger market for Mallorcan citrus.
Today, the landowners find that they cannot make a profit from harvesting the fruit and bringing it to market, so whatever is not consumed by the household or neighbors, is just left to the animals and insects.
There were also many orchards of olive trees. Given the number of hotels, restaurants and homes {including ours, Finca Hermosa}that are filled with lore and built around ancient equipment for making olive oil, I hope this is still a profitable industry on the island.
Don’t you love this gorgeous gray~green landscape with the rustic fenceposts and rock walls?
The donkey is a celebrated creature on Mallorca, their images are often featured in art and on historical pieces. It was {is?} donkey’s like this who turn{ed} the giant presses to crush the locally grown olives for their precious oil.
It was almost eerie to come upon this ancient cementiri, set high in on the slopes of the Tramentaras. I was entranced by our first peek of the grass covered stone wall, with one of the more distinctive peaks of the mountain range in the background, framed by these sturdy Cyprus pillars.
Fig trees were seen along the path occasionally. As the sun became stronger, and the oils on the leaves warmed, that fabulous fig fragrance would waft by as we walked.
It is my dream to have a fig tree outside a window of my home someday….it is such a treat when that natural fig fragrance fills the house on a sunny day.
The origination of the name “Morning Glory” became much more apparent when we saw vines full of this deep blue version of the flower climbing all over the country side. Doesn’t it look like the sun is actually rising through the center of the bloom??
Hard, green, glossy and pretty to look at now, but, oh how I’d love to come back in the fall and harvest some of these pomegranates when they are ripe.
This photo really doesn’t do justice to the image I was trying to capture. This beautifully aged farmhouse was perfectly frocked with a wild, flowing skirt of gorgeous coral and orange colored bougainvillea.
And now, I need some help, Splendid Readers. Do any of you have any idea what this delightfully quirky bloom is? It smells a little like a sweet pea and grew on a vine, so I am thinking it may be some type of bean.
Also, I am sure you California girls will identify this in a second. I remember seeing it all over Santa Barbara as well. I love that shade of blue, but what is this called?
Anyone?
Emily, what a gorgeous post. I can smell the figs from here. And the citrus! Such abundance, although it makes me a little sad to think of it rotting on the ground. Thanks for another little virtual vacation on an otherwise ordinary day! I think I need to read it again!!!
Hello Jeanne ~ it is sad to see all of those beautiful lemons going to waste. If we lived there, I am sure we would collect up basketsful to ensure they were properly enjoyed!
I don't know about the white "bean" bloom, but the blue is "Plumbago". It grows like a weed all over St. Simons Island, GA, where I live. This time of year it is especially full and beautiful….even with the beastly heat we are experiencing. Love the pictures….thanks for sharing!
I posted the name "Plumbago" for the blue flowering plant. I believe that the white bloom is one of the wild orchids that the area is known for. The vine appears to be of that type. I love gardening and had to find out what the unusual bloom in your picture was!
Emily, what a fabulous series of posts! Love them!
The blue flowers in the last two photos are Plumbago.
It is called plumbago. It is allover Southern California.
I have all the plants you showed in your post, right in my backyard.
What a total joy for every one of your senses!! I love your pictures, they almost gave me a feeling of being there for just a minute, the landscape, the beautiful gates, the lush vegatation, FIGS!! Love them..in fact have a write up as we speak on my current post about my love for them! What a wonderful vacation, I am sure every one of your senses was put into overdrive!! Mine would be..always wanted to go to Mallorca, hopefully one day!!
Thanks for sharing.
Oh my gosh ~ plumbago ~ thank you so much everyone for enlightening me on the beautiful blue bloom. Melissa Lee ~ thanks for digging deeper into the orchid mystery…I may have to do a little more research myself.
I envy everyone of you who has anyone of these blooms nearby! Enjoy!
Love my vicarious visit!! It's always amazing to see the actual plants of fruit and flowers that don't necessarily grow where you live (such as pomegranates). I adore figs = in any form!! And of course I can't help you with any bloom – just not my area of expertise.
The blue flowers are called Forget me Not…