I like to think that Israel is not just a disturbing item on the news, mostly wrongly biased in favour of the Palestinians, showing them as the victims of Israeli oppression. It is not just a tragic place, where palestinian suicide bomber blow themselves in public places and people get shot on the roads (Since the year 2001. It has not always been like that...) Well, the situation is very complex, both sides suffer, and these two different societies and cultures claim the same piece of land, and find it hard to co-exist.

It is not surprising that the two nations are fighting each other on this precious land, because it is a very beautiful country, not just holy to many religions, but can be spectacular in its diversity of natural scenes and cultural diversity.

Every year around April flowers start to blossom all around until the end of June, in waves and cycles. First starts the wave of white and pinkish flowers, then the red and purple ones blossom and the last wave are the yellowish-orange flowers. I like to go out every year during the springtime and take photos, as if I search for the ultimate flower. I keep taking pictures of the same flowers again and again, trying to get a better angle, a more lush view.

  

  

  

  

  

The two most spectacularly blooming sites in Israel are also the holiest to religious people, Nazareth and Jerusalem. Is it coincidental? May be not.

The mountains around Jerusalem are covered with flowers and some of my best photos are taken from there. Jerusalem is spread over a few hills, and all around it are mountains. There are plenty of Almond trees scattered around the city, Shita and Lotem bush, on the outskirts of Jerusalem there is a mountain called: "The pilot's mountain" in memory of the Israeli pilots and other air force soldiers who were killed in the wars. This mountain is also a nature reserve, covered with flowers during May, some wild orchids can be found there too.

  

  

  

  

  

The mountains around Nazareth and the Galilee are also covered with flowers during the springtime. The most spectacular flowers are the two Iris's, the Nazareth Iris and the Gilboa Iris, flowers that can blossom only at these parts of the world. Unfortunately it is almost extinct now. I got a photo of a Nazareth Iris from a field in Nazareth that is not wild anymore, and is buried under a new suburban neighbourhood.

  

  

  

  

  

Jesreel Valey and the Gilboa Mountain are famous biblical regions where there are plenty of spring flowers. Winter 2003 was very blessed with water, and the result was spactacular in the spring time.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

I like to stroll in the fields around my house, they hold many surprises for me and my camera every season of the year, especially during the spring time. The fields are mainly sandy, and there are beautiful dunes around next to the beach. Some very beautiful flowers grow there:

  

  

  

  

  

Please feel free all of you to come to Israel (not just virtually) and go around sightseeing, don't be afraid! If you make sure to come during the springtime, you will be able to see all these gorgeous flowers. Make sure to take a good camera with you.

  

  

  

If you wish to see my Spring 2004 slide show please go to: http://www.forumsci.co.il/HPLC/Spring_2004/index.htm

On 2008 I have collected my best wildflowers photos into one collection: go to http://www.forumsci.co.il/HPLC/Israel_Wildflowers_sm/index.htm and browse through it to see the beauty of our flowers.