Widnet il-bahar in Wied Babu

Zurrija · Post by **Zurrija** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 9:02 pm

Last Saturday I managed to fulfill my winter wish: to go down Wied Babu to see widnet il-bahar in blossom.
From books I knew that it's flowering time is May-June, so suddenly I found out myself in the middle of month June not visited Wied Babu for national plant of Malta yet.

Unfortunately I couldn't really find a better time for such an activity but Saturday late morning. I went down from village of Zurrieq where I live towards Blue Grotto. I remembered that sometime in winter I noticed shrubs of widnet just behind metal bars of Blue Grotto belveder. So I was figuring out that there must be some plants around this place.

I had to walk all the way to belveder on the dusty and disturbed road under constraction. It was Saturday, a lot of locals and tourists were going this direction but road works were on. It caused a lot of dangerous inconviniences while I was walking/ You have to be really careful there, no matter by vehicle or on foot you're going.

When I went down to belveder, I found those shrubs and many0many more, but on unaccessible side. So I thought that maybe on Wied Babu side of belveder, where the fence is not high (I'm not over-fence-jumping champion) there is an easy way down.

There is such a way actually. It is easy to spot it as the fence in that place is lower. I wasn't in right shoes but still managed to go down easily.

The scenery which was in front of my eyes really made me forget all the troubles I had to overcome to come down here. Wied Babu is a really breath-taring place, but it is even more picturesque with dosens of intensive-purple widnet il-bahar flowers covering its slopes!

It was really a nice experience all in all. I just wanted to share it with Forum members.

jackpot · Post by **jackpot** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 8:43 am

100% acceptance!

sandra · Post by **sandra** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 2:50 pm

Beautiful. Truly worth the hard work!

IL-PINE · Post by **IL-PINE** » Fri Jun 23, 2006 4:44 pm

When you cross through all those bushes and end on the cliff part of Wied Babu you will meet many shrubs of Widnet il-bahar. It is surely one of Malta's National plants.

Post by **MWP admin** » Sun Jun 25, 2006 6:14 am

For an easier encounter with numerous specimen of this national plant, go at Fawwara approx at the cliff sides, aprox near the chapel area. One question guys, do you think it will be still in Flower in beg of July? Last year I had my wedding & HM in this period and did not had time and mind to photograph it.

jackpot · Post by **jackpot** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 9:22 am

For a much more easier encounter with numerous specimen of this national plant, go by car the arterial road from Mellieha to Mellieha Bay and you will find the plants at the separation strip (or in numerous flower-beds in the cities)...

Admini: I am sure that you will find 1 or 2 flower heads open still in July.

sandra · Post by **sandra** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 9:00 pm

Yes.. you definitely cannot miss them. Very easy to spot. Just take care you dont get run over! It isnt the best place to take photos.

IL-PINE · Post by **IL-PINE** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 7:35 am

A better place is just when you come out of Chadwick Lakes from the road leading towards Mosta. A large number of plants have been planted along the roadside.