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Clockwise from left: sea daffodil; brilliant poppies; fragile rockrose

Dry terrain near the seashore is the perfect habitat of the monstrous giant agave, or century plant (Agave americana), which can grow as tall as seven metres. Originally from Mexico, its spiky blue-grey leaves are clustered in a rosette at the plant’s base. Its impressive trademark candelabra-like flowers, which appear at the end of the agave’s life, grow on stems reminiscent of gigantic asparagus, and appearing to have come straight out of a science fiction film.

That same terrain is shared with the prolific – and considerably shorter – sea squill (Urginea marittima). This has slender rod stems, the top parts of which are lined with white blooms. The leaves dry up around the base of the plant but its most characteristic feature is its huge onion-like bulbs, which can weigh up to 2kg, and more often than not protrude above the ground. Because the bulb continues growing even after it has been uprooted, in olden times the plant was attributed with magical powers of regeneration. Still today people hang it in their houses at New Year to guarantee good health and luck for the inhabitants.