Spring Among the Ruins

Episode HSPR-106

Starting in Athens' Plaka, where lavender wisteria rambles through the soft grey leaves of ancient olive trees, whitewashed pots and olive oil drums overflow with aromatic freesia and orange trees burst with blossoms, host David Tarrant visits the Parthenon and looks for the spring herbs that peek out from the cracks of fallen columns. Driving south down the Peloponnese, he discovers roadside spring blooms. He arrives next in the pedestrian-only village of Monemvassia, where flowers have been growing here since before the rock was separated from the mainland. Finally, Tarrant travels to the ancient Byzantine hillside ruins of Mystras--a tapestry of color at this time of year. If Greece is the birthplace of civilization, then Mystras might just be the birthplace of spring. Here Tarrant is greeted by great clumps of blue campanula, gnarled figs and giant fennel.