Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
Memorable Topics – Threads and posts that are just too good to lose => Plant Information and Portraits => Topic started by: Ragged Robin on April 29, 2009, 06:15:20 PM
-
April and the Spring has only just begun with melt water pouring off the mountainside and in to the forest nature reserve nearby. Mosses, ferns and lichens are all coming to life drinking up the wet and growing everywhere on rocks, trees and leafy forest floor.
-
Robin,
nice pictures and location in the Swiss.
You mention nature reserve. Does it have a name?
-
Robin,
nice pictures and location in the Swiss.
You mention nature reserve. Does it have a name?
It must be known locally by a name but will have to find out it is close to a village called Les Granges and has all sorts of flora and fauna that are protected species :)
-
What super photos.... I hope for lots of these walks, Robin!
Your last photo of the flower and the emerging needles on the larch really says 'Springtime'. 8)
-
Robin,
I've googled a bit - is it maybe nature reserve "Pouta Fontana"?
-
Robin,
I've googled a bit - is it maybe nature reserve "Pouta Fontana"?
Armin that one is near Sion in the valley....could be interesting too...everything up here a little bit more low key!!!!!
-
Bravo RR, what a rugged landscape, it will be interesting to see it soften a little as the flora develops through the spring.
-
What super photos.... I hope for lots of these walks, Robin!
Your last photo of the flower and the emerging needles on the larch really says 'Springtime'. 8)
Thanks Maggi - it was Hristo who actually got me going as I love his adventures into the wild but the Spring has only just reached this altitude! I'm glad you liked the larch cone it's one of my favourite things I wait for, the colour is the most gorgeous deep pink in the sunlight (when it deigns to shine) 8)
-
Over the holiday our daughter and husband came out for a quick break - haven't seen them for 5 months so we made up time in the thermal pools (so relaxing) followed by cool mountain walks (very invigorating). We went up to the top of the waterfall in my previous post, hearing the massive volume of meltwater thundering down the ravine from about 1,700 metres to the valley below. Up here the temperature drops and the snow has only just started retreat to the mountain tops. In its wake the wild crocus spread like a carpet in to the distance only opening in the afternoon sunlight that reaches the meadows here. We marveled at them with the light filtering through and found some other plants brave enough to shrug of the cold and wet and be the first to flower too. This is our record of photos - please correct any ID!!!!
-
and more...
-
I really believe that these walks in the mountains is doing me good 8) I appreciate the nice companions who take me along with them too!
-
Wonderful pictures Robin !! :o
Can't wait to see (lots) more ! ;D
-
Wish we were still coming over in a couple of weeks ..... there's always next year of course!
Lovely pictures, capturing the feel of spring as well as the beauty of the plants. Thanks :)
-
Beautiful posting, Robin ... many thanks.
-
Maggi, Luc, Tony & Cliff,
Thanks for all your generous comments, knowing that you are interested in the walks makes every venture more rewarding :)
-
Thanks Robin for bringing us along with you on your walks.
-
Robin,
I love those crocus meadows 8)
Thanks for showing.
-
Thanks for you interest Gunilla and Armin.....
it is great to share these sights on walks such as the crocus meadows which I have never seen to such an extent here before; they really are amazing, covering the whole area, but difficult to give the full impression in a photo.
-
it is great to share these sights on walks such as the crocus meadows which I have never seen to such an extent here before; they really are amazing, covering the whole area, but difficult to give the full impression in a photo.
Stop it!!! You are making me very jealous ;)
-
Hi RR, thanks for the posting of the Crocus vernus in the meadows, great to see, as many years ago whilst camping / walking in the mountains near Grenoble we were too late for the Crocus vernus by a week or two! Happy adventures!
-
Robin,
Thank you so much for showing me somewhere I will never see in person. Meadows of wild crocus..... :o :o :o :o :o Beautiful. 8)
-
Glad you enjoyed the crocus meadow, Tony, Hristo and Paul - it's short lived but incredible - especially as every crocus form in itself is beautiful but en masse they peter out in to the distance like grains of rice ;)
-
great show! the mosses and lichens are a key part of our boreal forests here too--looking lively even during melts in late winter...
the crocus meadows and corydalis etc are great! our caltha might be just starting, barely--nothing full like the one you show; we try to pick some for mother's day, sometimes there isnt much yet....i havent had a chance to get out in the bush/wetplaces to look for flowers yet..busy digging...lol
-
Cohan, I'm glad you like mosses and lichens - me too - would love to see some photos of yours locally when you take time off from digging ??? Also it would be great to see some of your cacti and succulents - such amazing plants - the first one i grew as a child was an Aloe variagata and I still grow it today and give away it's babies to family and friends :)
Also I'm a great user and believer in the powers of Aloe for healing - I'm known for the reponse 'put some aloe on it' ;D
-
Also it would be great to see some of your cacti and succulents - such amazing plants - the first one i grew as a child was an Aloe variagata and I still grow it today and give away it's babies to family and friends :)
Also I'm a great user and believer in the powers of Aloe for healing - I'm known for the reponse 'put some aloe on it' ;D
Snap! I still have a couple of little plants!
Mind you, nowadays I tend more to Arnica , especially in gel form, which is just amaxing for any surface skin damage and essential for any bruising, bumps.... wonderful stuff!
-
Not getting knocked about are you Maggi? ;D
-
Cohan, I'm glad you like mosses and lichens - me too - would love to see some photos of yours locally when you take time off from digging ??? Also it would be great to see some of your cacti and succulents - such amazing plants - the first one i grew as a child was an Aloe variagata and I still grow it today and give away it's babies to family and friends :)
Also I'm a great user and believer in the powers of Aloe for healing - I'm known for the reponse 'put some aloe on it' ;D
i just havent got out in the bush that much this year--a couple reasons, i guess--most of my free time late winter was taken up sawing firewood! then, because there was more snow, and much later--getting around out there was more of a hassle, so i just didnt!
i will probably go out tomorrow, to see if i can find any Caltha for mother's day! not sure if there will be any, slow spring...
i have thought about posting some cactus flowers, but apart from hardy ones in the garden(just barely begun getting those) it seems so offtopic, not sure where/if to post any!
i've heard good things about arnica too, maggie, havent tried yet..
-
There must be a rock garden topic in to which your plants can be shown, Cohan....what is the thing that fascinates you about them most? For me it's survival in difficult conditions and that certainly fits in with things i've read in posts on the forum! :)
-
Cohan, just start a Cactus page in Flowering now! 8)
-
Cohan, just start a Cactus page in Flowering now! 8)
ok, will do!
now i am out to the bush/sloughs to look for flowering caltha or petasites for mother's day! wish me luck with this cold spring we have had!
-
I do wish you luck with your Mothering Sunday Search..... but remember, if all else fails, there's always chocolate! 8)
-
I do wish you luck with your Mothering Sunday Search..... but remember, if all else fails, there's always chocolate! 8)
lol--no chocolate today, but there is cheesecake for later :) and earlier, we presented a couple of flats with viola and pansy and a white mini rose which will go in a planter below her window..
i didnt find any caltha in flower, but many in bud, clipped one, we will see if it opens; lots of petasites, clipped a couple of those too--very sweetly scented..
-
i didnt find any caltha in flower, but many in bud, clipped one, we will see if it opens; lots of petasites, clipped a couple of those too--very sweetly scented..
This morning it all started with wondering what petasites were ::)....
then I started to search the web :o
then I realised they are growing everywhere here :)
then I wanted to thank you for your posting ;)
Cohan, you have done me the most enormous favour with your obvious love and knowledge of wild plants! Today I found 2 websites that help me with identification of what is growing in general and my zone. I'm always wondering about and trying to find out the names and links of what I see when out walking here (or anywhere else for that matter) and now the clues are beginning to fit the jigsaw puzzle of the plant world, thank you so much... ??? ::) ;D
Two sites that are terrific for me:
http://www.borealforest.org
http://www.naturephoto-cz.com
-
This morning it all started with wondering what petasites were ::)....
then I started to search the web :o
then I realised they are growing everywhere here :)
then I wanted to thank you for your posting ;)
Cohan, you have done me the most enormous favour with your obvious love and knowledge of wild plants! Today I found 2 websites that help me with identification of what is growing in general and my zone. I'm always wondering about and trying to find out the names and links of what I see when out walking here (or anywhere else for that matter) and now the clues are beginning to fit the jigsaw puzzle of the plant world, thank you so much... ??? ::) ;D
Two sites that are terrific for me:
http://www.borealforest.org
http://www.naturephoto-cz.com
isnt the discovery great fun?
petasites are very common here too--we have one which is mostly in wet grassy areas --these flower the most (probably because they are in the sun!) and another in wooded areas--this one has plants everywhere, you see a leaf or two, but usually no big clumps or displays..
probably some people find them rather boring--certainly not the most dramatic flowers, and not rare at all! BUT, i think they can be quite nice, and in several seasons--esp the arrow leafed form p sagittatus--it has prettier flowers, earliest here of anything, then the flower stalks get taller and taller as they seed, making a great display of fluffy white seed heads, and leaves can become very large-up to 30cm long and rather upright, sometimes in large stands..
i'll post more pics in a different thread...
have fun with your summer of discovery!
-
The grass is growing by the day in the meadows and in between the stalks a myriad of wild flowers jewels. It great to just amble along and watch the butterflies and insects floating over them. They are in such a hurry to find the latest nectar that they are here and there and gone before I've had time to focus.
-
more meadow flowers
-
In the woodland the silence is broken by a blackbird calling and the crack of a twig under foot.....plenty of good smells everywhere! The new growth on pine and birch weaves a pattern with mountain ash flowers.... light and dark mingle and flowers reach for the sunlight through the branches overhead whilst others linger where it's damp.
-
More woodland scenes....
-
woodland smells...
-
I hope you don't mind Robin, but a few plants you pictured very nice here are wrong named.
For instance Viola biflora is not like this.
Geranium sylvaticum should be G. sanguineum and Ranunculus alpestris looks more like a Potentilla.
The Doronicum is a Hieracium.
But I fully agree, walking in spring in a mountain maedow is something special.
-
Lovely images Robin, many thanks for posting. Just a gentle nudge that your Ranunculus alpestris is actually a potentilla ... probably P. sterilis or P. micrantha.
If you feel REALLY flush with money then I would heartily recommend Flora Helvetica by Konrad Lauber and Gerhart Wagner, but don't expect to be able to carry it in your rucksack. :D
-
Exceptional timing, Luit ... you beat me by less than a minute! :D
-
It is a very steep learning curve Robin, but always a joy to go to lessons. :D Your Ajuga pyramidalis is probably A. reptans or A. genevensis ... I would need to see the foliage.
Do not worry too much about names ... they will come.
-
Robin, a lovely walk with super photos but what I am enjoying as much as anything are your delightful descriptions..... a real pleasure to read, Thank You :D
-
Thanks to all, I was waiting for the avalanche of miss-ID's but I only have my french book of flora of the Mountains and searching on the web. However, if it is not a bore to correct me I would greatly appreciate some help on the ascent of the steep learning curve ;D
-
The grass is growing by the day in the meadows and in between the stalks a myriad of wild flowers jewels. It great to just amble along and watch the butterflies and insects floating over them. They are in such a hurry to find the latest nectar that they are here and there and gone before I've had time to focus.
great stuff! love the violas, the geranium, and all the rest :) lovely setting...where were you before you moved there, in a city, or in the country as well?
-
Exceptional timing, Luit ... you beat me by less than a minute! :D
Cliff, it would have been 5 minutes, if I did remember all the plants I wanted to comment.
But now I had to go back from reply to the page several times. Ooooh, my brains... :'(
Robin, maybe you could make lists in the text too??
I use ACDSee for this and am really satisfied by this.
-
Lovely Robin.
More please. ;) ;)
Eric
-
Great pictures Robin !
You sure give us the "Mountain" feeling - even down here in the flat lands.... ;D
Thanks for posting !
-
Great pictures Robin !
You sure give us the "Mountain" feeling - even down here in the flat lands.... ;D
Thanks for posting !
I'm glad to bring the mountains to the flat lands, Luc, and glad you are enjoying the atmosphere. I really enjoy the ventures from the flat lands stretching to the horizon with bulb fields too and the park displays of tulips in Spring are just amazing. :)
I think it was you who posted something about visiting the narcissus fields near Montreux some years ago ? I am going there in the hope a visual feast sometime within the next week. It only lasts a month from May 7th - June 7th so I'm lucky to be here and will take photos, of course ;)
-
Exceptional timing, Luit ... you beat me by less than a minute! :D
Cliff, it would have been 5 minutes, if I did remember all the plants I wanted to comment.
But now I had to go back from reply to the page several times. Ooooh, my brains... :'(
Robin, maybe you could make lists in the text too??
I use ACDSee for this and am really satisfied by this.
Luit, sorry to give you a headache trying to comment on my miss-ID's. :( I shall put a list of plant names at the head of my postings in future but don't know of ACDsee - will look it up on the web.....by the way can you tell me which Viola it was that I posted as V.biflora?
-
Luit, sorry to give you a headache trying to comment on my miss-ID's. :( I shall put a list of plant names at the head of my postings in future but don't know of ACDsee - will look it up on the web.....by the way can you tell me which Viola it was that I posted as V.biflora?
That is great Robin! No headache but everytime going back, I first copy what I wrote before. Just afraid pushing the wrong button
and start all over again when back to "reply" ::)
ACDSee is a program which is free when acquiring a HPscanner etc. But its very good. I know of more Forumists who use it.
The Viola might be just some Viola arvensis, but there are some specialists in the Forum, like Gerd who will know this for sure.
-
ACDSee is free on the Net too, or it used to be anyway. I have a copy of it.
-
The Viola might be just some Viola arvensis, but there are some specialists in the Forum, like Gerd who will know this for sure.
If you like, you can call it Viola tricolor. If you turn to subspecies level it will be ssp. saxatilis or ssp. subalpina.
Gerd
-
Thanks Luit and Gerd - all ID's tied up then :D
-
Half way up between the gorges and the top of the waterfall is a an incredible feature of engineering in the shape of an enormous man-made spillway of rocks; not for water but to hold back a possible avalanche in the winter that would obliterate the village below. Lupins have made it their summer home all along the ridge enjoying the views in all directions.
-
Walking down into the forest the trees close in around you and wild laburnum displays panicles of yellow flowers lighting up the shadows
-
Lovely images, Robin.
-
Thanks Cliff - it is amazing the different atmospheres that the forest presents as the year unfolds
-
Below on the forest floor stands of ferns look up and reach for the dappled sun that filters through. Small ferns sit on top of a rock or spread wide enjoying the damp leaf litter - evidence of new growth is everywhere......
-
In small clearings rocky outcrops are a perfect home for wild flowers and here and there are nurseries for forest regeneration...but how many years will it take for them to reach these giddy heights and look over the valley like the lupins? ;)
-
Wow, Robin. Excellent pictures. The views are breathtaking, and I love the Lupin colonials. ;D
-
Love those in forest shots RR, I can almost smell the dank soil, the forests here are much drier!
-
Thanks for looking Hristo - the forest is a special place to walk and enjoy away from all the normal buzz!
-
Beautiful images Robin !! They remind me of it that it's high time for me to return to Wallis again - it's been too long !
By the way, did you sow the Lupins ??? ;D
-
Walking down into the forest the trees close in around you and wild laburnum displays panicles of yellow flowers lighting up the shadows
Nice to see Laburnum alpinum in the natural habit Robin.
-
Beautiful images Robin !! They remind me of it that it's high time for me to return to Wallis again - it's been too long !
By the way, did you sow the Lupins ??? ;D
Glad you enjoyed the photos of Valais/Wallis Luc - when were you last here? The lupins are self sown but not sure where from - there is a meadow in our neighbourhood which has magnificent ones too so imagine they must be of wild origin although they don't look simple enough.
Nice to see Laburnum alpinum in the natural habit Robin.
It certainly is Uli and it is a really striking yellow against the dark green pines in the forest - a perfect combination :)
-
As I wrote Robin, it's been far too long since I was last in Wallis -
I spent Summer hollidays in de Val d'Hérence (Evolène) - Val d'Anniviers (Zinal) - Mattertal (Zermatt) - Saasertal (Saas Fee - several times) and Leukerbad.
I believe that's it as far as Wallis is concerned.
Alas that all goes back to the late seventees and the eighties... ::)
-
Some lovely places you visited Luc - wouldn't imagine a lot has changed since then except for the rate of exchange ;D
Time for a re-run?
-
Looking up to the top of the mountains one always wants to go higher and higher, the urge is so strong to reach for the sky! The Alpine pastures are in full flower now and waist deep to wade through.
-
Even as the sun goes down the cows seek shade and and scratch away the annoyance of insistent flies. Time for the last lazy mouthful of grass and flowers which yield the most amazing milk.... you can still take your own churn to in local Alpine Farm and sample some.
-
Under the trees the shadows fall and highlight the colours of wild flowers and rock dwelling plants. By the stream of cold water, banks of wild flowers dip down to the edge and enjoy the passing spray after the heat of the day.
-
At last a chance for a bit of shut-eye and a rest from a hard day collecting nectar on the way home.
-
Wonderful impressions - I feel just as being there! Thank you RR!
Gerd
-
beautiful shots, robin!
i also love the lupines and laburnum, and the ferns..
always nice to see the forest's nursery spots...of course that is how the cycle should work when we leave it enough room--the full range from bare earth to mature forest, as there are species keyed to each stage..
-
Glad you like the Alpine pastures and Forest Gerd and Cohan and thanks for your generous comments - there is a sense of perpetuity here amongst the elements and there is time to stand and stare, most importantly :)
-
Truly wonderful shots Robin !
You do know how to create the appropriate atmosphere !
Thanks for showing !!
-
I am pleased you like the photos Luc and that you really feel the atmosphere of the place! Its great to be able to 'send and share' an experience via the internet; thanks to the accessibility of the Forum and the reponse from Members :)
-
Robin, your pictures of the alpine pastures are fantastic. I love nr. 02 most of all.
It's so difficult to show on a picture what you see yourself at the moment.
But on this picture it's if I'm walking next to you.
I hope to see at least the second swath in August in the Austrian mountains. Cannot wait, when seeing your pictures ;D 8)
-
Thanks Luit - the Alpine pastures do beckon and it sort of becomes an addiction as every time you visit the mood changes, light shifts and everyone has a unique view from where they are standing - I hope you enjoy Austrian Alpine pastures in August and bring back some photos of your view :)
-
Its great to be able to 'send and share' an experience via the internet; thanks to the accessibility of the Forum and the response from Members
Thanks, Robin for a comment which I think sums up the value of the Forum.
While there are sometimes comments about "too much chat", I would venture to say that this is precisely the secret of this forum's success.... the warm interaction between forumists and the basic social camaraderie are vital to any meaningful relationship in my opinion and even a discussion about a serious subject is worthless if we take no cognisance of our own wider feelings and those of our fellows. Thus one would never have an instance in this place where a friend's death went without comment, as I have seen on other lists ; there is always a word of condolence here and a supportive comment or a joke there.....I do think that this is why the forum is so busy and brings so many hundreds of growers together to celebrate our love of plants and join in the friendly community that is the Scotttish Rock Garden Club. No surprise that this club has a vibrant membership and does so much to share the passion for plants and nature around the world. This is a success formed by all the hundreds of Forumists who share their knowledge and experiences so freely with eachother and the many thousands who read these pages... You are a grand bunch of folks and I am pleased to be a part of all this! 8)
-
Hi Maggi,
Just en route to my first experience of easyjet....thank you for your wonderful reply and I hope to be back on the forum soon!
-
During the day it's too hot to walk anywhere now but come the early evening there is a delicate balance to catch the sunlight in the forest before it disappears over the mountain top.
At first glance the rocks still steal the scene but looking closer every nook and cranny that can support plant life has a plant in residence poking out, tumbling down or squeezed in between a cleft. Not a single space is wasted.
-
In this light the wild flowers look amazing and each one is picked out in detail, unseen during the day. Close up or in a group they mingle with one another and clamour for the attention of passersby.....
Even though the leaves may demand attention tiny flowers hide beneath them too!
-
Lovely pics, Robin. Out of interest, what is "too hot" to go out walking during the day?
-
25 degrees today Paul...glad you're enjoying the photos - posting stopped for Wimbledon and what an amazing match! On the edge of our seats with such incredible play and either man could have won - Murray deserves his hard earned success...back to my evening stroll with heart thumping ;)
-
Robin,
I'd suggest you never come and visit us here in summer (or autumn or spring for that matter)..... 25'C is a balmy evening, and sometimes at the height of summer that is our nighttime minimum. It is amazing what we're conditioned to accept as hot or cold by our usual environment. Myself, I find that humidity is a killer for me, not the heat. Our heat here is usually very dry. 10 degrees cooler but with high humidity is far more uncomfortable to me than our temps in summer (not saying I enjoy 38-40'C, by any means! :o).
-
A whirr of wings and my attention is turned to this wonderful sight.....
Flowers in their peak seek attention too before they go to seed -
The sun frames plants against the dark background and chases shadows across the rocks into the the trees
-
Paul, not so much for me as my trusted four footed companion who is 14 years old! ;)
-
The sun slips to the base of the tree trunks and shines into flower heads waiting to close - all heads are turned in one direction in the low light.
-
Now in shadow, like a tumbling stream, sprays of leaves and frothy white flowers foam over the rocks....
Time to head home and pick warm wild strawberries ripened by today sun.... a last look at the tree canopy and the path is quiet waiting for tomorrow.
-
Thanks for sharing your walk ... must be magical to have all that on your doorstep. I saw Campanula cochlearifolia two weeks ago ... but not inflower like yours :)
-
Fascinating walks, thanks for posting.
-
You're a very observant "evening stroller" Robin !
Very poetic too !
I enjoyed the walk and the poetry - thanks for sharing it !
-
thanks for sharing your poetic evening walk :)
i love to see plants growing in cracks and crevices..love the sempervivum..do you know what species you have there? if you ever see seed.....
thanks for clarifying that its your companion that doesnt like the 25degree 'heat'..some people here start to complain around those temperatures...lol, though we can reach above 30C, havent this year;
'too hot' for anything is something you wont hear from me often in this place, where even midsummer the nights are cool-locals think its staying hot at night if its 15-16... :o, and lately we are scarcely above freezing!! ???
..in toronto i would see 30-35 with high humidity, and i loved to go running then...lol
-
Thanks for sharing your walk ... must be magical to have all that on your doorstep. I saw Campanula cochlearifolia two weeks ago ... but not inflower like yours :)
Tony, I was so looking forward to seeing your photos after your visit here - have you posted them yet? Normally we are not in the Alps at this time of year but nothing is actually 'normal' in our plans ;D I do hope we can catch up next year 8) Also I looked at joining your crocus group but will wait until I'm in the UK
-
Glad you all enjoyed the evening stroll Hristo, Luc and Cohan - this place in the mountains is definitely good for thoughts! I only met one person on the two hour stroll!!!
Actually the weather is not at hot as normal for this time of year - end of this week it will be plus 30 degrees but I have a feeling that the sun rays are more intense up here in the mountains as the air is squeeky clean ;) 8) Dry here too, Paul, which means you don't notice the heat so much (unless you have a fur coat like our dog) You have to be careful not to get burnt and we tend to use a humidifier or you can get dehydrated at night.
-
Beautiful shots Robin, how fortunate you are to have had this stroll to yourself and your companion. It's amazing how plants in nature thrive in what seems to be the most unfavourable of conditions, yet of course they are the ideal situation which we attempt (mostly unsuccessfully in my case!) to provide.
-
Very poetic Robin it really conveys the feelings you have in that beautiful landscape. Thank you for sharing
-
Thanks Brain and Ian for your appreciation and yes we do spend a lot of time trying to fit plants to conditions which we create that they would prefer to find instinctively for themselves! However they could never spread their seed as far afield as the SRGC seed exchange does ;)
Maggi, I feel very humbled that my Alpine Walks in Valais are of interest in the way in which you describe them - honestly I can say that after a period of not much creative writing I have found inspiration through Forum Members to write once again and try to capture the feeling of seeing things for the first time. My thanks to everyone :)
-
Robin, it is our pleasure! So refreshing to have these scenes and plants described in your characteristic way..... I am sure it will inspire many to look more closely and so enjoy more fully the wonders of the natural world. :-*
-
Hi Ragged Robin/Mum,
Thought I would register so that I could comment on your beautiful photos and posts. It was so lovely to spend those Spring days with you and Dad in the Swiss mountains. It's lovely to see you documenting your walks out there, you notice so many things that others would simply walk by, keep it up!
:-*
-
Hey, Angelwings! Great to meet you...... we hold your Mum in high regard here, you know... she takes us on her walks and shares her cogent commentary, too..... I hope you share her love of life,words and flowers .... if so your existence will be a happy one, I reckon!
M
-
Hi Maggi,
Great to meet you too! I'm pleased to know that Ragged Robin is such a valued member, she loves posting on your site. She has indeed taught me to have the same passion about these things and all that life has to offer, she inspires me completely.
I'm not certain that the flora and fauna in East London is worthy of this site but if I find anything interesting that would fit under one of the subject matters I will post some photos.
Tanya
-
Welcome Tanya. Great to have you with us. Robin has become addicted pretty quickly to this place, just like the rest of us. ;D ;)
-
Hi Tanya,
Delighted to have you join us. You come from excellent stock! I have really enjoyed your Mum's and Dad's postings here on the forum, excellent photographs and an obvious love of the plants comes through in the text.
Stay with us and join in the posting.
Paddy
-
Welcome Tanya. Some of us appreciate Dandelions too you know, in fact one of us keeps one as a pet, so you are sure to find something in East London to please us.
-
Welcome to the gang Tanya !
You will have seen that Ragged Robin's posts do not go unnoticed here ! She's become a "posting hero" in no time !!
I just wonder how you can possibly prefer East London to the Swiss Alps ... ??? ??? ;)
-
Angelwings, thanks for visiting - I knew you would like it here and thanks so much for your lovely comments, it's great to share the plant world with such a wonderful, funny and enormously talent crowd from all parts of the globe - and what a welcome they have given you too ;D
Keep your green-fingers growing and your artist's eye tuned in to what's going on around the place and remember to take you camera so we can enjoy your East London View ;)
Sunny here today hope it is with you 8)
-
A path is there to follow and find what lies beyond……
Treading this ancient path you see what grows in walls or on its borders, out in the open or skirting the trees.
-
This well trod path leads to the terraced meadows - an insect haven….
But –
The meadow grass is cut –
It’s quite a shock to see the brown stalks devoid of flowers…..a once buzzing, flying insect community – gone!
-
So where have all these hungry insects disappeared to? An expectant spider, well camouflaged on a lone flower head, waits patiently.
A bee has no idea it is in danger as it enjoys a feast close by…
Close by a scene is being played out that is sad for one creature and happy for another: the cycle of life can be disturbing in the raw.
-
On the edge of the meadows the last dry grasses topple over the rocks and point down to the path below. Passing Alpine views are framed through the leaves…
-
It takes a time to adjust your focus …and then…butterflies abound!
In the cool corners and dappled sunlight they have found the perfect spot….
A black and white butterfly on bramble flowers before they set to fruit….
-
A small white hangs on a stalk watching – its colour sensitive compound eye looking for the next possible food source…..
A small yellow attracted by bright cerise flowers before they fade…
-
In the distance On uncut flowers at the woodland edge there is a frenzy of activity – each flying insect on its own flight path to a destination….
-
But competition for patches of wild flowers is tough….
and survival dependant on fitness to seek out a nectar drink…… before someone else gets there first!
-
Those canny butterflies that have survived and show the battered scars of time are watching out –
newly hatched adults parade their colours and markings confidently as they feed.
-
Into the jungle of grass and flowers some are too busy to notice another presence, head down immersed in combing the surface of a flower intently until a small motion begs the question: ‘are you a threat?’
-
Others are oblivious, concentrated on a carpet of heady flowers -
And, just as important, a place to rest…. and reflect…..or soak in some heat from the sun before taking off to the next patch…..
-
Bright colours and bold patterns warn: ‘beware! This is my spot!’
Bees mind their own business, buzzing from flower to flower – already visited a hundred times before and still giving nectar – until their pollen sacs are full and they have to fly on the path home
-
And so the path comes to an end, leaving time to reflect on this complex community, vibrantly living on the Alpine mountainside; that could so easily have been passed by.
-
What a wonderful thread Robin, I don't often get chance to log myself in as some one else usually sits here and it is easier for me to just view the posts.
But I want to say how much I enjoy your pictures and words.......I look forward to many more.
-
Thank you so much Ian - I'm extremely pleased you are enjoying this thread from Valais :)
It's wonderful to feel that walks can be shared with everyone and certainly makes me look at things more closely - I'm still puzzling over the variety of different leaves on plants I thought I knew, so it's two-way process :)
Maggi has such an amazing way of bringing the best out of us Members, which is a real gift and a tremendous support, but to do all that she has to occupy the 'Hot Seat' so I'm glad you have given her a breather ;D
-
Wonderful wildlife - I'll show Amy the butterfly pics. She may be only six but she can already identify our common species. Recently when we spotted a small blue butterfly in the garden she piped up with "that'll probably be a Holy Blue" :) :) With plenty of holly in the garden its likely she got it right :)
-
Great idea, Tony, tell Amy I'll be happy to know what they are all called so keep me posted ;) Every day new ones appear to keep me guessing but I'm beginning to recognise their characters, the way they fly and what flowers they like to feed on ;D
-
For the third photo of reply 120, I think it is Echium vulgare.
-
For the third photo of reply 120, I think it is Echium vulgare.
Thanks for your ID Bernard, this plant has the most intense blue flowers - reminding me of Gentiana blue - and the bees enter each level of flowerhead so it gives time to look the flowers and bee together :) PS I see from your title blue is your colour too!
-
Another very relaxing and most enjoyable trip you've taken us on Robin !
Thanks ever so much ! ;)
-
Good to know you're enjoying this thread Luc and thanks for your support and interest ;)
-
Well I too have enjoyed the walk this morning, now I'd better get outside and do my own! Thanks Robin 8)
-
Hope you see lots of interesting plants and wildlife Brian and thanks for visiting this walk - really glad you enjoyed it ;)
-
Mum,
I have been through all the postings and have been fascinated to see how much people value your work. It really touched me to see you embracing your time / walks in Switzerland and finding people who are genuinely interested in hearing about your discoveries. The photos of the butterflies / mountain are absolutely amazing. I struggle to even pronounce the names let alone identify and spell them correctly!! Lucky you have people that can point you in the right direction.
Like Tanya, I don’t think the pavements of West London offer many sights worthy of a posting on your forum. If I discover anything unusual I will snap a picture..... not to the same level and precision that you have managed.
Keep up the good work and thanks to you all for welcoming “Ragged Robin” aka mum to group xxx
-
Hi, Richard! This is lovely, a family gathering in the literal as well as the metaphorical sense of the Forum.....what could be nicer?
You're in West London, Tanya is in East ..... have you got a couple of other siblings in N and S, too? We could soon have complete coverage of England's capital, direct to the SRGC.... It could be a flora and fauna coup !
-
Rich, I'm really pleased you enjoyed the walks and photos - thanks for your great comments of encouragement. You have terrific photographic skills and an eye for what makes a good image 'though not may be plants ;D However I do know you like plants and grow them well so how about an Alpine miniature rock garden in your flat ::) ;)
-
Maggi, I never thought it would be a gathering of the clan here but it's a good place for communication - no others north or south just a 2.4 family (the dog is the .4 ;D)
I have a feeling that the word might spread and you could get some new Forum Members, it would be great to think so, and I am delighted these 'on the cusp' gardeners are showing an interest in their busy lives ;)
-
Robin, sounds like we need to clue Richard in on the making of a fish box trough for his flat! ;D
-
Now there's an idea - he could start a new trend for fishy Alpine Soirees ;D :o
I'll point him to Mark's fish box trough!
-
Mark's type, and the kind recently shown by Ian in the Bulb Log are a bit heavy for apartment dwellers, Robin.... I think Richard needs to back to the original sculpted/painted fish box troughs..... see here :
http://www.srgc.org.uk/feature/fishbox/troughs.html ..... fun to do and not going to crash through the floor or give a hernia!! ;)
-
Thanks Maggi, looked at the link you posted and it took me back a bit to when I used my brother's fish hatchery polystyrene egg boxes - another good source, as they already have holes in the trays and are perfect for small seedlings and plants to grow up in! Ian's sculpted polystyrene trough is altogether a masterpiece of creativity which I will suggest - along with ear plugs for the hack-sawing part ;D
-
along with ear plugs for the hack-sawing part
;D ;D ;D..... it's not too bad if you use a stout wire brush to do the sculpting..... not noisy like cutting polystyrene :P
-
robin, i was behind on this thread, just got caught up--
another lovely stroll--i also love the suggestive curve or line of a path leading the mind, the soul, and the obedient feet onward! its one of my favourite themes in photographs.. (okay, so i have dozens of favourite themes ;)
nice to see your family has joined you here--welcome to them--a great way to stay in touch on another level...
-
Cohan, I'm so pleased you caught up and came along the path - it's great to feel an empathy with those from another time and zone and catch up with their thoughts and visions of what is happening around them too ;)
Yes, I was bowled over by the comments left by our kids and the welcome they received - it is a wonderful place for communication :)
Thanks for your generosity of spirit in encouraging my learning curve - with an open mind experience starts at the beginning of every new venture ::)
-
robin, its one of the pleasures of a forum such as this, that the participants are from so many different backgrounds and personalities, in addition to places: so not only do we see different things, but we see them from many different angles; one person brings a scientific bent that teaches us new things about habitats and plants, another a creativity that lets us see things in a fresh way, whether old or new to us, another may have practical experience that helps us do things more effectively...
and we are all somewhere on that learning curve! as i explore farther and more intensely the flowers of my province, i am finding many things that i've never seen, nevermind the worldwide wonders we see here ;)
-
Robin,
I've only just caught up on the latest (well the last 10 days) of your walks. Very, very enjoyable. All those wonderful butterflies and spiders. ;D Thanks so much for sharing. 8)
-
Paul, thanks so much for your comments and I am really glad you enjoyed the walk full of butterflies - the spiders are ones I have never seen before.... they are beautiful in their own way and I love the stripy legs and mottled yellow back of the brown one :)
-
The outlook is dreary……
But even on a dull day there is light in raindrops and needles, through wet leaves and damp flower heads….
Summer in the mountains can be unpredictable.
-
At present the view to the village below is shrouded in cloud - an hour later it lifts…. and in the bright light everything is crystal clear - chalet roofs, trees and branches, the lie of the land and even wires draping like giant cobweb threads along the edge of the ravine….
-
Below a giant rock commands the scene as it did in the summer of 1895 when Marconi sent the first ever wireless telegraph signal to another rock over a kilometer away and received a gunshot of recognition that he had made history in the village of Salvan! Within a month and a half his experiments revolutionized communication using wireless technology; a precursor of what we take for granted today.
-
Communications are good now and the Mont Blanc Express shuttles to and fro through the mountains, passing sheer drops and remote scenes right through to Chamonix.
-
Trees of all sorts cling on to the edge in green formation with glimpses of bright red berries framing the scene.
Here and there tiny, tasty wild raspberries and blackberries full of juice wait to be picked.
-
And in this height of summer, when everything is clamouring for attention before the season ends, the detailed pattern of every plant is on full show in the sunlight and in shadow…
-
Generations have watched water pouring off the mountain, cutting deep and wearing away the rocks to create pools and cascades that sparkle under the bridge at Gorges de Triege.
-
High above on the vertical rock face butterflies feed in the summer heat - unaffected by vertigo they are totally at home on the thermals!
-
In this environment of mountain dwellers plants are flowering with a sense of urgency before the final act of going to seed…
-
Some seeds are ripe for dispersal waiting for a puff of wind to launch them in their quest to find a new life…
-
The perfect spot to grow and flourish; one chance, one place, however rocky, a plant can put its roots down and call it ‘home’ –
-
Light plays on the mountainside…inviting an opportunity to explore… another time.... another day….another window of opportunity!
-
As the sun finally comes out to allow a pleasant walk here, it has been a pleasure to join you, Robin, on today's Valais walk. I had spotted that huge rock with the wooden railing on top... wondered what it might be..... now I know..... learning all sorts of things as well as enjoying the mountain flowers..... a real education for a Monday afternoon.... many thanks!
-
Thanks Robin, you have added some cheer to a miserable day.
-
Hi Maggi, thanks for joining me - the walk wouldn't have been possible today, it's tipping down and Jazzy has gone to bed!
-
Thanks Robin, you have added some cheer to a miserable day.
Hi Martin, glad the walk cheered you up - lucky it was a clear day when you were rock climbing in the Dolomites! I'm looking forward to seeing what you found. :)
-
Thanks for another treat Robin, beats the showery weather here!
-
Glad you enjoyed the walk along the ravine Brian, it was amazing how many butterflies I saw on the rock face waiting for the split second when the Mont Blanc train crossed the bridge ;D
-
... it was amazing how many butterflies I saw on the rock face waiting for the split second when the Mont Blanc train crossed the bridge ;D
The butterflies were probably trying to divert your attention so you were busy trying to photograph them and would miss the train crossing the bridge.... they likely had a bet on which of them could trick you! ;D
I've often thought that even though they may look so sweet and innocent, that butterflies might have a wicked sense of humour hiding in there somewhere!
-
So true, Maggi, they are compulsive to watch and I nearly missed the train shot!
-
A beautiful walk, Robin. Many thanks for sharing.
Paddy
-
Thanks Paddy, so pleased you enjoyed it and hope the weather is better with you in Ireland ;)
-
another nice walk, robin, loved the misty start and the puffs of seeds off on their journey of hope!
-
... sigh ... my hols are hardly over and yet, you make me think of new hols Robin... ;D ;)
Thanks for this most enjoyable little journey ! :D
-
Cohan, it's great to know you enjoy the threads within threads and I love the idea of interweaving a story......the walks provide an amazing way of looking at things in a different light and so often when I think nothing is there a little scene is being played out! In the thistle seed shot I stood for ages waiting for a puff of wind to send them sailing but they clung on to each other waiting for the next puff....Jazzy got impatient for her walk so I had to go! :D
-
Luc, I do hope you had a good holiday :) Did you go somewhere nearby? With all these ventures I feel as if everyday has become a bit of a holiday and I wonder sometimes what I was doing before ::) So good to know you are coming along and enjoying the sorties...yesterday I thought that even in up and down weather there is so much to see locally off the beaten track that I will never run out of places to go here 8)
-
My holidays were ok Robin, but they were spent at home... sweet home... :'( Still, pix like yours give me a (good) holiday feeling... especially because I've visited Wallis quite often in the past...
must go back soon... ::)
-
The meadows await you ;)
-
Excellent pics, Robin. Excellent! 8)
-
The Heren cow knows it, ruminating under the old seasoned tree, tasting the last blades of green grass, relaxing in the pale yellow rays of sun - Autumn has arrived.
-
It took its time, with warm sunshine holding off the changing colours of leaves but then the snow fell on the high peaks and signalled a drop in temperature with frosty mornings spreading the magic through the forest.
-
Colour stands out starkly in the late afternoon, red hips, blue sloes, golden grasses and green mosses spilling over a rock, draw your eye……
-
.........
-
In the dark of the shadows a sunny spotlight displays the changing palette of leaves, green, yellow, brown and the final mix ends up on the forest floor – ready to be recycled.
-
......
-
It seems that nothing is wasted here in the mountains by man nor beast. Late ripening fruit hangs on by its stalk: pears heavy on the tree, the last apple waiting to drop, grapes on the vine bursting with juice, all will be harvested in these Autumn days or stored away against the winter chill.
-
The woodshed is full of neatly stacked logs, an artwork in itself…. Everything is tidy and put away in anticipation of snow, the last remaining flowers bid goodbye and, in a sheltered spot, cherry tomatoes are taking the final opportunity to be a tasty bite.
-
....
-
The Heren cow knows it, autumn is the end of life outdoors for mountain grazing and the cow barn beckons it in to the warm indoors.
-
Beautiful images, Robin ... the cows look like they are practising for a noble bout of 'cow fighting'?
-
Lovely walk with you as usual, Robin. The countryside is looking beautiful with the muted colours of autumn.
I've forgotten the number of the photograph but I particularly like the shot of the beech leaves.
Are "Heren" cows a breed of cows in Switzerland?
Paddy
-
Ha, Ha, Cliff, glad you like the photos - the Heren cows are quite spectacular with their horns and much prized here for their Spring fighting skills with events in Martigny by the amphitheatre. One guy in the village who is a ski instructor in the winter has 50 of the beasts. Personally I prefer to see them in the mountain pastures 'donging' their huge bells ;D
-
Paddy, your Autumn colours are hard to match but as you say 'muted' in the mountains. The cows are so shiny in the sunlight and it's a joy to see them relaxing before the winter in the lower pastures. For you interest these cows are special to this region:
Valais is proud to possess a bovine breed that is unique in the world: the Héréns breed. This robust cow has the particularity of being a natural fighter in order to establish the hierarchy within the herd. These combats take place without any provocation. In springtime when the animals are released from their winter barns and during the journey up to the alpine pastures, they challenge each other to see who will be their leader.
-
So, are these bulls or cows? Fighting is very uncommon among cows.
Paddy
P.S. Found this site:
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2009-05/10/content_7761087.htm
Apparently, it is known as "The Battle of the Queens" - a case of handbag bashing, I suppose (Don't jump on me, I'm only joking)
It's a wonder they don't dehorn the cows to prevent injury.
-
Robin it is so nice to have you correspondents living in the alps. Lovely shots and I suppose it will soon be a winter wonderland 8)
-
Yes they are females, Paddy, it's a sorting of the top cow in the herd that brings on this behavior on in the Spring. We used to have sheep and the ewes did the same thing butting head to head (severe headache I should think!) The Heren cows lock horns but don't hurt each other just push like mad. They are not supposed to be aggressive to people but I wouldn't like to be in the way as the horns are very pointed :o
-
We couldn't believe our eyes when we first encountered posters advertising 'cow fighting' in the Alps ... the betting was significant, the backdrop was magnificent, unfortunately the spectacle was not! :D
-
Paddy, these cows are bred for the fighting aspect - big money - big attraction - think horse racing - each one worth hundreds of pounds/even more Euros! ::)
-
We couldn't believe our eyes when we first encountered posters advertising 'cow fighting' in the Alps ... the betting was significant, the backdrop was magnificent, unfortunately the spectacle was not! :D
Must have been exhausted Cliff ;D Watching them here in the meadows in the Spring is much more my scene and a great local spectacle with the farmers/owners cheering them on and all age groups in the gathering :D
-
We couldn't believe our eyes when we first encountered posters advertising 'cow fighting' in the Alps ... the betting was significant, the backdrop was magnificent, unfortunately the spectacle was not! :D
Must have been exhausted Cliff ;D
No, we had slept quite well!! ;D ;D
We actually spent three hours at the event (from the moment the cows were placed in the field), but apart from the betting frenzy, the wonderful refreshments and the majestic scenery, the participants just eyed each other up.
-
Magnifique Robin!
On a cold, bright autumn morning here (after a thoroughly wet last 24 hours) it is good to feel the last warmth from the autumn sun in the alps :)
Off to Wales for half term next week, the last time this year. Perhaps we should be heading south instead of west!
-
Hi Tony, getting chilly here but sun still warm, we are getting ready for the winter too seeing the first snow on the Alps - every day looking in the garden to see if your C montana bulbs are up but not yet only C sativus :'(
Have a good holiday - there's always next year for here 8)
-
Robin it is so nice to have you correspondents living in the alps. Lovely shots and I suppose it will soon be a winter wonderland 8)
Ian, so pleased you enjoyed my 'Thoughts from the Alps' - you get a completely different picture living in an area to visiting and it has been interesting to live here through all the Seasons this year. The winter wonderland is fast approaching, last year we had the best snow on record for 35 years :D
-
Hi Tony, getting chilly here
Here too Robin, first time I could see my breath when I went to get the paper! Really nice to see your latest walk, you live in a beautiful area and thanks for sharing it with us all.
-
Thanks for joining me, Brian, I love that time of Autumn that you describe when you first see your breath and also the smell of a bonfire - takes me straight back to Autumn days in my childhood on walks :D
-
There were excellent additions to this thread, about further areas visited in the area by other Forumists, but this thread is devoted to Robin's individual "take" on her home region so the other posts have been transferred to the Travel section. 8) see here... http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=4387.0
-
lovely views as always, robin, fascinating about the cows..i think here, any fighting breeds would be strongly discouraged...lol
i always enjoy seeing the 'civilised' aspect of the alps--all the traditional houses/sheds etc, so different from anything here....
you seem to be about where we were several weeks ago-- a late fall due to warm weather; the difference is that we suddenly got very cold so the leaves just froze on the trees, and they are slowly being blown down now, most without having changed colour..
the mountaintops we can see from here have been white for weeks...
-
Cohan, glad you visited this thread to compare your autumn with here :) The colours are definitely more muted in the Alps and feathery (silver birch and larch gives this effect) and it has taken ages for the colours to take hold....very vibrant few reds although russets are showing now. Actually the weather was so warm today after a cold snap that we were once more back in T shirts enjoying outdoor living!
The cows are great characters, although not great beauties I would say...but they definitely are worshipped hereabouts :D
I, like you, just love all the handmade jostle of old chalets and buildings which haven't changed much over the years and occasionally cows still live under the house during the winter so you get this waft of strong cow smell and a low moo as you walk past ;D
-
our colours are probably as muted as yours--probably even more so, since there are very few species of trees (in the city there would be more exotics), and we really only have shades of yellow--except in the shrubs and understory where there is much more colour...not the wild tones of the forests in eastern north america..
we did end up with a lot interesting bronzes, ochres, umbers this year, after the leaves froze.... even near blacks on willows... i have to look at those photos yet and see if they came out well..
cows under the house would make for fragrant living! but might add a bit of warmth on cold winter nights!
does your area have building codes to preserve the traditional look of the villages?
-
does your area have building codes to preserve the traditional look of the villages?
Yes, there is a Cantonal system in place that does that to a large degree and really you could still recognise local villages from old photos. However occasionally bizarre things happen to old buildings like putting in modern plastic window frames that look so incongruous.
Cows under the house or next door is quite common during the winter. Here a couple of rather poor pics of one interior but it gives you and idea...
-
Yes, there is a Cantonal system in place that does that to a large degree and really you could still recognise local villages from old photos. However occasionally bizarre things happen to old buildings like putting in modern plastic window frames that look so incongruous.
Cows under the house or next door is quite common during the winter. Here a couple of rather poor pics of one interior but it gives you and idea...
it is great to perserve the look, though i understand for locals they are just going about their lives, not living in a museum! however, if it can help bring in tourist dollars, i think its worth the inconvenience..
-
I like the chair placed handily Robin. It's always good to contemplate cows - or pigs. There are two bovine ladies living near me, rather like Highland cattle but huge. I sometimes have a chat with them when out for a walk. They look very fierce with shaggy coats and wide horns but are the gentlest creatures and very friendly.
-
You're right, Lesley, somewhere to perch and admire your garden, or someone else's, is an important space - though Gardeners seldom do! There always seems to be another job waiting before you can relax :D
Cows, on the other hand, know just how to relax and chew-the-cud, ruminating on the unnecessary waste of energy that we humans expend ;D
-
Here's something for you to look out for Robin.
Quote from John Blanchard's book Narcissus: A Guide to Wild Daffodils in respect of N. poeticus var. recurvus
"It is to the variety recurvus meaning with swept back petals, that the popular garden name of the Pheasant's Eye is properly applied. Introduced to Britain in the nineteenth century, it was originally thought to be a garden hybrid, but Pugsley equated it with the wild plants from Switzerland, particularly from the Valais district where it flowers in June. It grows at heights from about 1500 to 2200m............"
-
David, thanks for your thoughts on my behalf and I'm delighted to see that the quote from John Blanchard's book confirms that the Narcissus Poeticus (Pheasants Eye narcissus) will grow with me in Valais at 1200 metres on my wild slope - I have just planted several as an experiment :D I adore this flower and its scent but only know of it growing here in Vaud up above Montreux - you've made my day/night!
-
Robin,
I had visited Vaud above Montreux with some thausands of poeticus in flower in May mid 90's.
It was an unforgettable moment - similar like the Swiss crocus meadows ;D
-
Armin, I know how you feel, the sheer scale of such a beautiful Narcissus growing wild in the Alpine meadows is breathtaking and we went late in the afternoon so no one else was there just us and the vision...and the scent was unforgettable :)
-
Robin,
yes I agree in all points. Unfortunately I had no photo camera with me but the fantastic image was burned in my head forever.
If I find a time slot I have to go there once more. Too beautiful!
-
Not a breath of wind, only the sound of alpine birds squabbling in the tree tops and flying off at speed or languidly …
-
Overhead from craggy outcrops two buzzards wheel in slow circles and one flexes wings below its claws, stretching wings before setting off across the valley mewing to one another.
-
Garden birds chitter and chatter and dive from tree to bush – they seem hungrier now in the bare twig November days, scoffing the last mellow apples, listening for worms, on the look-out for tasty berries; pre-empting the lean winter months closing in.
-
Protected by the forest trees a wild world is hidden until a startled woodpecker breaks cover and disappears in a flash - leaving yellow leaves all a-tremble - soon the forest will be evergreen.
-
Firs and pines are handsome in their winter needles, branches spread out like welcoming arms embracing the perfect place to shelter in…
-
....or on the rocky slope a dark entrance under a ferny boulder makes a perfect hideout for a forest creature to hibernate.
-
Underfoot a carpet of damp leaves muffles the sound of anything that stirs.
-
Deep in the forest Chamois leap over green mosses and past a finale of red berries adorning naked branches
-
With no looking back trees bid farewell to the year, lit up in the evening light, and soon the forest will be covered in a blanket of white
-
Fantastic photography Robin, enjoyed the ones with the birds and those lovely blue skies what a joy to be walking under those skies.
Angie :)
-
My, Robin, for anyone with an iota of interest in alpine matters, plants or otherwise, you have treated us to another magical walk. 8) Movingly expressed, thank you!
-
Thanks Angie and Maggi for you lovely comments and I'm glad you enjoyed the blue skies and birds - I was so disappointed to miss the perfect shot of the two buzzards overhead but tried to describe what I saw...I hear them mewing and see them high up but never that close!
This is my last walk in Valais this year before the snow...when we return I'm sure we will have a white Christmas in the Alps with snowy walks :D
-
Thanks for taking us along with you Robin :)
Wonderfully evocative pictures.
-
Thanks Ashley, it is eerie how the whole atmosphere in the mountains at them moment is almost 'on hold' waiting for the inevitable snow ::)
-
Magnifique Robin!
Pic 19 is quite magical - I'd love a bigger version for my desktop :-*
Pic 27 has a sinister quality as the branches seem to be reachng out, threatening to envelope the onlooker.
The whole series have me once again longing to escape to the mountains .... more even than the tour of the Valais offered in Harry Jans post earlier.
You have brightened the evening of a trying day - Thank you!
-
Tony, so glad you enjoyed the view ;) November is not supposed to be good month here but we have had wonderful weather and magnificent colours in the landscape and sightings of wildlife - just when I left my camera out of reach - Chamois are on the move and cross our path, I suppose they now know they are safe from the Chasse :o Snow on the high Alpine walks 8)
Will send you Forest photo tomorrow....
-
Magical moments, Robin ... love them all.
-
What a beauty! And such a good photographer! It's a real pleasure seeing Your pictures, Robin!
-
Cliff and Kata,
So glad you are enjoying the photos of this lovely unspoilt area in Valais, even when everything is beginning to fade! No rubbish in the forests here, everything as Nature intended and people who visit generally respect this :)
It is easy to thnk you are the only person living here even in the height of the tourist season we can go for walks that are tucked away and hardly meet anyone 8) I'm hoping to extend those walks to higher up and more hidden next year so hope you will join me then ;)
-
Robin,
You made my day ! :D
What a gorgeous selection of photographs and warm, wonderfully moving musings ... :D
They are the next best thing to being there ! ;)
Thanks for posting !
-
Luc, so pleased you came by if by, virtually :D
Knowing these walks and musings are appreciated makes it a double pleasure for me to be able to pass the sights and sounds of the mountains on to wherever Members are in the world 8) Hope you come back and visit one day ;)
-
Wonderfully expressed Robin, you capture the whole feeling of the end of the year beautifully in both words and picture. Thank you 8)
-
This Autumn has been quite exceptional with sunny days and colour Brian - we have only had ice on the bird bath twice ;D So you see I didn't have to work too hard!
-
Robin,
A wonderful selection of photographs, great scenery. Loved it. Paddy
-
Thanks Paddy, I'll try and send some sunshine your way - sorry to hear you've had such bad flooding where you are. Living near a river is wonderful but there are risks which can be devastating.
-
Robin, these wonderful series of pictures bring back some memories of a Austrian holiday in October some years ago.
This time of year when almost nobody is walking around and the quietness of nature together with the colorful landscape and the blue skies are unforgettable.
Looking back the pictures I made then, I saw in that year a lot of snow had fallen already, so this winter season must be rather late starting.
I hope you don’t mind when I show here one photo I made at 1900 m. that year.
-
Luit, it's great when photos rekindle memories, especially when they are happily spent on holiday somewhere special. This Autumn has been very unusual in the mountains and today, for instance, was 17 degrees and no coat weather :D even seeds are still germinating although the nights get much cooler. Snow has come and gone but really only stayed on the highest peaks, we have had a thin covering at 1200 metres but it's gone in the day....only the skiers are getting agitated as the Christmas holidays are not far away :o thanks for dropping by :)
-
Robin,
You must have a great pair of legs! This walk in the Valais is on to its 17th page. I think it is a case of, as we say in Irish, "Giorraíonn beirt bóthar" - company shortens the road and you have had very happy and interested company on your walks in the Valais. I look forward to our next stroll - or will be be skiing at this time of the year?
Paddy
-
Paddy, it will be snow boots and crampons I think - I might even try racquettes to go off piste in the forest ;D I love walking and all that i am so lucky to see on each adventure....I just hope that Jazzy, now 14.5 but still keen, will be up to snowy armpits this winter ::) All in all companions, as you say, are so much a part of the whole experience, two legged or four footed ;)
-
Robin, you lovely photos cause that I move my thoughts to this region, so close to my heart.
-
So glad my photos bring your thoughts here, Ewelina, so you can share the feelings and wonderful mountain scenery :)
edit by Maggi: some lovely photos from Ewelina, moved here: http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=4387.30
-
edit by Maggi: some lovely photos from Ewelina, moved here: http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=4387.30
O, Maggi, you react too quickly :). I have managed to search brakdown in my computer after my post disappeared and didn't refresh.
My photos from the Alps are still here http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=3019.0 (http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=3019.0)
-
Sorry, Ewelina! I will make a note in the other thread, too! :D
-
thanks for another lovely walk, robin :)
i've always been especially fond of the transitional stages of the seasons--of course here at high latitude or at high altitude, it sometimes seems as if all seasons are transitional!
we were in the mountains last weekend, though we didnt go very high as winter is a bit farther along here, and lots of snow about halfway up the mountains, we stayed below it...
so you are going on holiday now? you mentioned it will be snowy when you come back...
-
Hi Cohan, glad you enjoyed this late season walk, it is surprisingly warm here, even at night - I think it will be somewhat of a shock to go back to the UK to visit family and friends with wet weather and the cold damp but seeing everyone and catching up will more than make up for the change in climate ;D
-
Hi Cohan, glad you enjoyed this late season walk, it is surprisingly warm here, even at night - I think it will be somewhat of a shock to go back to the UK to visit family and friends with wet weather and the cold damp but seeing everyone and catching up will more than make up for the change in climate ;D
well have a nice trip home then :) i trust you arent going to one of the areas i have been seeing on the news! that would be damp, alright!
-
Snow falls high above in the Swiss Alps; layer upon layer of white crystal flakes covering the rocks and turf beneath, moulding itself to the alpine landscape in a soft protective blanket.
-
This is a world of dark and light, stark contrasts frozen in time a world away from summer hikes and alpine flowers. This is a time for snow layers everywhere on trees, on roofs, on people, winter skiing on alpine slopes.
-
From the top of the mountain snow has fallen as far as the eye can see and now a tide of clouds creeps and rises against the mountainside like waves breaking on a cliff, a mysterious sea-like vista…then all at once the view is clear.
-
Only the swish of skis breaks the silence leading down the slopes to the forest, overtaking the call of birds hiding in the tops of the trees and leaving behind a trail in the snow…. and here and there footprints show the trail of a deer, or fox or bird busy in the forest searching for food to survive the winter cold.
-
Where once leaves and flowers beckoned now the barks and lichens and frosted berries glow, frothed and topped with creamy snow....
-
...and where the sunlight reaches icicles drip and wet mosses burst into green as if to prove that winter cannot freeze them totally.
-
Not for want of trying, as the fallen snow traces every branch and twig, clothing every rock and needle and cone in white....
-
...a winter coat wrapped round trees weighing them down as they succumb on bended knees to touch the ground and snowy forest floor.
-
And where the sunlight does not reach the snow stays longer, a chilly blue white in the shade and the chill turns to ice on the still flowing waterfall until it too will freeze under the bridge as winter deepens its grip in the Swiss Alps.
-
Robin,
Absolutely wonderful images. Amazing scenes, some of the picture-postcard standard. As always, it's great to join you on your rambles.
What is that in image 44?
Paddy
-
Some GLORIOUS images, Robin ... you live in a magnificent area.
Looks like a viewing platform/bridge over the falls, Paddy.
-
What is that in image 44?
Paddy, so good you joined the rambling walk which also was quite brisk at times due to the cold!!
The bridge in photo 44 was built by locals who over the years have constructed a walkway up the rock face to the top of the gorges. It's no mean feat to climb it especially in snowy, icy weather but all those who stayed here this Christmas/New Year were up to the challenge(and the fondue and beer at the small alpine restaurant at the top!)
-
Cliff, the views are stunning in the winter from the top of the ski slopes and for those I have to thank Richard, an avid skier/photographer, and his 2 snowbound friends on the T bar 8)
-
Well, fondue and beer at the top is a reasonable incentive to climb upwards, though they are an odd combination.
It is an amazing construction, as you say.
Paddy
-
::) well maybe it was Valaisanne wine, Paddy, anyway they made it home down the mountain road, through the icicle tunnels, after dark :o
-
OK, I'd climb for that. Anything else besides fondue?
Paddy
-
Now, Robin, the accepted answer here in Ireland for the question above is, "Ah, feck off"
Paddy
-
Everything has to be carried up by backpack or a motorised snow sled, Paddy so simple but good fare including a delicious rich mountain stew, macaroni, and various dried meats from the region plus salads - it's an old chalet with great atmosphere and B&B but you have to walk to get to it in the winter ;)
-
OK, You've convinced me. I'm on the way - oh, wait, I have to collect John from school. Some other time, perhaps.
Paddy
-
I'll book a table when you're ready for some alpine air 8)
http://www.vallondevan.ch/index.php?title=3
-
Good Lord Robin, I can see you are REALLY lost in the mountains in Valais! :o :o :o Do you live in one of those chalets? and all year round? They are stunning pictures and I hope your fingers and toes were well thawed and warmed afterwards. :D
-
This is just what I need after seeing so many (beautiful!) snowy pictures, Robin :
l'eau de vie de Gentiane (la boule) Fr. 4.--
mais un double s'il vous plaît ;D ;D 8)
-
I'll book a table when you're ready for some alpine air 8)
http://www.vallondevan.ch/index.php?title=3
Looks lovely.
Paddy
-
Hi Lesley, the photo of the chalets in the snow is taken at our local ski station, Les Marecottes, and there is a fantastic panoramic view over the Alps towards the Mont Blanc massive. The view constantly changes and you can sit on the terrace of the Restaurant (1,777m) and enjoy the scene in the sunshine and with a piece of apple tart 8)
-
Robin todays walk and your sublime descriptions are a true pleasure for us to read, see and enjoy.
I see you have to be pretty quick to beat Jazzy to the apple tart, eh?
-
This is just what I need after seeing so many (beautiful!) snowy pictures, Robin :
l'eau de vie de Gentiane (la boule) Fr. 4.--
mais un double s'il vous plaît ;D ;D 8)
Luit, the first time I was offered this as a liqueur it was very potent.... after the second one ;D Haven't tried it in icecream/sorbet maybe they just roll it up in a snowball.... 8)
-
Robin todays walk and your sublime descriptions are a true pleasure for us to read, see and enjoy.
I see you have to be pretty quick to beat Jazzy to the apple tart, eh?
Thanks Maggi, I thought everyone would be fed up with snow after the snow problems in the UK and elsewhere but here in the Alps it is part of the native landscape and paints a beautiful picture in its own right - apple tart is the perfect thing after a brisk walk! ;)
-
Magnificent Robin! Great to have new contributions from the mountains. It does make our recent snowfall look rather pathetic .... and we were so excited when it came! We are beginning to think about our summer hols now but perhaps we should be making plans for Feb half term :D
-
Well l didn't half enjoy those lovely snowy pictures and as for the apple tart that too looked great, Robin thanks for sharing your scenery. You must be so fit.
Angie :)
-
Hi Tony, the mountains look quite spectacular at the moment and I try to imagine you walking up there - you would certainly need racquettes ;D Lots of keen skiers who like the mountain top off piste go skinning, strapping skins on their skies to walk up and taking them off to ski down - you have to be expert in mountain safety.
Keep me posted if you're coming this way :)
-
You must be so fit.
::) :P :-\
Glad you enjoyed the photos Angie - you sound as if you have plenty of snow where you live to keep you fit too ;)
-
Really pleased to see Jazzy in the culinary picture. It wouldn't be allowed here. >:(
-
splendid views, robin--i agree the winter landscape is very much about light: once you remove so much of the colour, it becomes about light and dark , texture and line..
still, its nice to have those little bits of colour from evergreens and mosses; i'm shocked to see the berries, the birds here leave virtually nothing--rose hips only..
-
Lesley, this is the land of the St Bernard dog, in Martigny they have a a special home where you can see and greet them and often they have puppies as well. So Jazzy is in good company, although they do dwarf her somewhat!
Most of the small restaurants welcome dogs, which is great. Jazzy is not good at being left behind :o
-
The berries are depleting day by day, Cohan, as the weather gets colder the birds are pretty frantic and ever other berry is under the snow. I felt I had to try and up my game after your fantastic shots of hoar frost and snow but had to take them against a dark background or they got lost in the general scene without sun. This one was pretty amazing in the shade side of the tree trunk in the forest... 8)
-
The berries are depleting day by day, Cohan, as the weather gets colder the birds are pretty frantic and ever other berry is under the snow. I felt I had to try and up my game after your fantastic shots of hoar frost and snow but had to take them against a dark background or they got lost in the general scene without sun. This one was pretty amazing in the shade side of the tree trunk in the forest... 8)
wow--those are some long crystals! very cool -no pun intended ;)
-
Our snow has virtually gone now (+5°C at noon today) and what is left is dirty, melting mush... :( So your images full of pristine white, untouched snow form quite a contrast Robin ! ;)
They show that snow can be so beautiful when falling in the right places... ;D
Thanks for another great stroll Robin - I can smell the fresh, clean, cold mountain air right from my computer screen :D !
And about that little restaurant with the nice terrace... the website is now bookmarked ! 8)
-
I can smell the fresh, clean, cold mountain air right from my computer screen :D !
I would check the fan at the back of the machine, Luc! ;)
-
Will do Cliff, will do... ;D ;D ;D
-
And about that little restaurant with the nice terrace... the website is now bookmarked !
It's right by the alpine meadows you liked Luc - so put it at the top of you favourite bookmarks 8)
I'm sure one can smell things in one's dreams.........
Jazzy does anyway ;D
-
I'm sure one can smell things in one's dreams.........
Jazzy does anyway ;D
Yes, one definitely can. It's Philadelphus 'Belle Etoile' for me. I smell it in pleasant dreams and then wake with the scent still in my nose. And no, it's not because it's flowering outside my window. :D
-
Yes, one definitely can. It's Philadelphus 'Belle Etoile' for me. I smell it in pleasant dreams and then wake with the scent still in my nose. And no, it's not because it's flowering outside my window. :D
'Sweet dreams', one could say Lesley, under the Belle Etoile :)
-
Every month in the Alpine calendar has a mood that influences the mountainside and all that live there. February swings like a barometer from one day to the next or one minute to the next of freezing conditions, sunshine, snow and melt as Alpine Winter Moods peak and trough.
-
The sun begins to rise and reaches to play on low-lying cloud stealthily creeping up the valley on a mission; to cloud the vision.
-
Soon trees in the forest disappear into its mist, losing all sense of place and time, and a silence falls where no bird calls or creature stirs.
-
Here in the cold mammoth rocks with an odd icicle tooth or ferny fringe rest in the stillness and a once rolling stone now gathers moss by the trunk of a tree.
-
There a cavernous darkness invites the explorer but no one dares to cross the threshold unable to see what lies within.
-
Everywhere branches point this way and that but which is the best way to go? Tread carefully or twisted roots will trip and somewhere from high branches snow may drop and shock what lies below
-
Is this the way to go? No this way along the path by huddled groups, snow hooded, waiting for the sun to filter though…..
-
And now above the clouds another world of blue sky and space, this is the place to be…
-
Birds call to one another across the treetops, close by and far away, enjoying the warm sunny rays.
They perch and preen and glide from tree to tree on a social call or gather for a twitter amongst themselves then altogether dart like a shoal of silvery fish across the clear blue sky as a buzzard soars overhead!
-
Far below it the snow is soft and melts away as water and on the downhill slope a Chamois searches for mosses and lichens…they hang in temptation from rock and tree…and bring hungry creatures out of hiding; though still they are alert and ready to bolt.
-
A trail on the sheer-side shows that even an Ibex is less circumspect, leaving mountain peaks to browse for a mouthful and settle down in the sun for a well earned rest when foraging is done….
-
A sense of well-being, of warm contentment, spreads along the back of midday hours…
-
Deer browse on the forest edge and dare to nibble where no deer should and paw with cloven hoof then, antlers aloof, a sudden sound startles their feasting and they leap for woodland cover.
-
Undercover everyone is safe.
-
The day is almost over, shadows lengthen and the cold returns as the sun descends over the mountain.
-
No colour now just black silhouettes of trees and bushes against the mountain backdrop where a white cloud hangs, gathering grey and heavy, in brooding mood
-
More snow on the way, then falling, as birds cling like leaves to twigs; riding the changing weather and taking whatever happens in their stride.
-
Soon the Alpine winter will soften…..and make way for the Spring!
-
Such wonderful pictures to look at on what is a dull and soggy day here - thank you so much Robin!
-
Thanks Gail, I'm glad you enjoyed them - snowing as I write!
-
Mood captured ... mood conveyed ... mood perceived ... mood enjoyed. Our thanks once again.
-
Lovely pics and mood Robin. How easy is it to move around in the mountains at this time of year?
-
Oh Cliff, you always make me smile :) and therefore in a good mood :D even if I was in no mood to be chalet girl :(
Thanks ;D
-
Lovely pics and mood Robin. How easy is it to move around in the mountains at this time of year?
Hi Ian, thanks for your comment :)
As regards ease of access in the mountain now it is best on the routes and paths used by skiers and walkers (racquettes)but really you can go anywhere if your have the right equipment and desire to do so. A lot of people do ski de fond and there are those that skin off piste but you have to be avalanche wary/savvy. In this sort of weather the helicopters drop explosives to start mini avalanches in the hope that it well contain the more serious ones...this time of year as the snow melt is on its way is obviously more tricky. It's easy to get off the beaten track and away from the crowd and the Telecabine will take you to any stage, if you feel like queueing in the holiday season!
PS Suddenly thought do you mean roads?
-
Another wonderful stroll you took us on Robin ! :D
This is what winter should look like isn't it ! ;)
Pure white snow - clear blue skies - gorgeous mountain landscapes... and some wildlife as a bonus... 8)
Thanks very much for this inermezzo in another dull grey day here ! ;)
-
You've picked the best of the winter moods, Luc, and I'm so glad you enjoyed the atmosphere - the wildlife was a real bonus :)
Maybe you would like a screensaver to keep your spirits up :D
-
Not only a photographer artist, but also a writer in disguise, eh? :)
Tonight will show Your new set to my husband and we will spend a pleasant hour leafing through it. We really enjoy them! Thank You!
-
Maybe you would like a screensaver to keep your spirits up :D
51 would be nice Robin... :D thank you very much :D
-
Robin,
marvelous winter impressions from wildlife and landscape. Thanks.
-
Not only a photographer artist, but also a writer in disguise, eh? :)
Tonight will show Your new set to my husband and we will spend a pleasant hour leafing through it. We really enjoy them! Thank You!
Kata, I'm so pleased you enjoyed the Alpine Winter Moods - I can't wait for the spring to arrive and to see the first new shoots.... meanwhile it's amazing what you can see surviving in the snow and relishing the sunny moments :)
-
Maybe you would like a screensaver to keep your spirits up :D
51 would be nice Robin... :D thank you very much :D
On its way to you tomorrow, Luc, it's a pleasure :)
Tonight even ;D
-
Robin,
marvelous winter impressions from wildlife and landscape. Thanks.
Armin, thanks for your support as always and your interest in everything wild and wonderful - you have a great way of imparting knowledge ;)
-
A wonderful photo essay Robin. You do these so well and the commentaries are so apt and supporting. I especially like pic 38 with the animal just in the process of taking off from still. I always try to catch my Teddy as he leaps from a chair and ALWAYS manage to miss him in flight. :(
-
Hi Lesley, I'm hearing all about your NZ seasonal moods tonight and am proud to have the chance to nurture whisperings full of promise and hope they enjoy their new home once they have recovered from jet lag - thank you so much :D
The photo of the Chamois in action was in fact a frame taken from a little video on my camera - maybe you could try this with Teddy? - Jazzy is just the opposite and is in slow motion setting ;D
-
Magnifique Robin! I wanted time to look at them all properly so delayed until now. What a great way to start a dull, cold day. Some very atmospheric images difficult to call out favorites but 25, 31, 44 hit the spot as moody and original but all are lovely. Thanks for taking the time to share them.
-
If we are picking our favourites then 04 and 06 do it for me, Robin (but they are all beautiful)!
-
Tony, I was hoping you would have time to look at the photos and thought of you on the mountain walks - no flowers showing yet but the wildlife has definitely been colourful and surprising 8)
Cliff, the forest was so moody that day and although it was not the sort of day to walk there I found myself being mysteriously caught up and then things appeared like lace work in the mist. :)
-
Robin, lovely and beautiful winter pictures!
It's just that I really have seen enough of this cold white stuff here, though never so beautiful.
Today when I came outside in the morning it was at last (first time this year!) + 7C and I could smell SPRING
Even the few snowdrops I have, did not lie down anymore and the first Hamamelis showed some color :D :D
-
Luit, I'm so pleased you have the first signs of Spring in your garden it is a wonderful moment to suddenly 'smell' it in the air :)
Just after I completed my last Alpine walk of the old season I went out into my alpine patch and saw the bulbs were coming up too ;D Incredibly exciting to see what transpires as I planted a lot of new bulbs of all sorts in different areas last year.
Is your Hamamellis a special one? I just love them for their early scented flowers and magnificent Autumn leaf colouring
-
thanks for the new installment :)
the switches from misty mystery to blinding clarity are familiar this year!
great to see the wildlife-the ibex indeed looks very sure of himself--though with those horns, why not?
-
Cohan, thanks for popping by....I often think of you in your winter scene and the misty pictures you took recently looked even more disorientating than the cloudy mists here. I do hope you get some sun soon as a pick-me-up for you and your cacti :D
-
thanks, robin--we have had even more frosty days, but quite a few of sun, too, and my plants are happily baking on their windowsills!
-
Robin,
the Hamamelis I mentioned is H. x intermedia Pallida, which is in my opinion one of the best yellows.
With autumn leaf coloring we have most years some problems caused by the winds, as we are near the coast and there is not so much shelter around.
Bulb fields are rather open ;D ;D
-
The Alpine mountain wakes from hibernation like and old bear weary from the winter months of snow. The sun is warm now but the wind has a chill that checks buds on the trees, waiting for the Spring.
-
Lovely shots, Robin, except for the last one which reminds me that the garden here is covered with ash seedlings, literally thousands, and also that the garden is presently littered with the spent flowers. There is a line of mature ash trees along one boundary of the garden.
Paddy
-
Hi Paddy, more to come but not ash seedlings - I guess there is fierce competition here in the Alps amongst trees competing for space whereas with you it's like a 5 star hotel with space galore and full service ;D
-
At the head of the mountain last fallen snow still caps the peaks but the Spring snowmelt has begun; a lifeblood of crystal clear pure water that pours down the body of the mountainside like arteries in full flow reviving the will to live
-
.......
-
Gorges du Dailley brimming with snowmelt water thunders down the mountain....
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AOhWZ4knJw
-
A network of watery veins forms a web beneath the ground and feeds into the meadows where wild primroses, cowslips and violets bring the first Spring colour .
-
Through the rocks it gushes past Oxalis acetosella, just in flower, and Caltha palustris lining up to enjoy the wet; wherever it drips and seeps mosses and ferns and ground cover plants in the subalpine forest soak up capillary threads of moisture like sponges and quench their thirst.
-
Through last years sloughed of litter new growth emerges like scattered jewels – Crocus vernus and Hepatica nobilis, Viola silvatica and, on a grassy bank, Dactylorhiza sambucina
-
From every damp spot or crevice alpine flowers colour the scene: Primula hirsuta, pink, Potentilla crantzii, yellow, Myosotis alpestris, blue......
-
....and trees finally burst into leaf, shimmering in the sunlight, a tender green.
-
On the last leg now, cascading to the foot of the valley, the snowmelt water spreads its spray and thunders on its way to join the River Rhone….
-
Here Spring has started in earnest with blossom on the fruit trees and leaves sprouting on the vine.
-
All along the waterway life is in full swing
-
...and soon the green will creep everywhere back up the mountain, clothing its exterior in Spring fashion.
-
The lifeblood of the mountain is cold and blue but the heart of the mountain is warming and with steady beat will reveal its colours in the Alpine flowers of Spring.
-
Another great "randonnée" through the Alps in early Spring Robin !!
The chrystal clear, heavenly blue of the Alpine skies is so inspiring...
Thank you so much for letting us breath the fresh air !! :D :D
We had 27°C yesterday :D - a huge thunderstorm with heavy rain yesterday evening >:( and 15°C, windy and covered today... :-\ typically Belgian weather...
-
So pleased the blue skies filtered through to you Luc and that you enjoyed the Spring walk, or several walks actually, to trace the river. I plan to go further upstream in the summer :)
We have had strange Spring weather here this year and a hazy effect in the valley generally. Perhaps one can blame some of it on Volcanic dust but not all as it started before, so even here the blue skies have been rather scarce and virtually no rain ???
-
Many thanks for the wonderful hike, Robin.
One day I wish to be with you on such a trip...
-
Thomas, I hope so too, I think you would like it here there are so many unspoilt, secret places and Alpine plants on great walks. Soon the Crocus vernus meadows will be wall to wall in the upper Alpine valley - I'm going up to see if the snow has retreated tomorrow :D
-
Soon the Crocus vernus meadows will be wall to wall in the upper Alpine valley - I'm going up to see if the snow has retreated tomorrow :D
And we'll be logging on so we don't miss the pictures....
-
Hi Gail, that's great! Just hoping they appear soon as we are on our way back for a holiday in the UK :)
-
Robin,
phantastic pictures -more crocus and primula images please ;) Can't get enough ;D
-
Thanks Armin, I'll do my best on the Crocus and Primula front - sometimes the Primula hirsuta grow in such perilous places - for us me mortals I mean ;D but they are so beautiful when they first open nestled in their serrated leaves :) and the colour is astonishingly vibrant against the grey rocks.
-
Thanks Armin, I'll do my best on the Crocus and Primula front - sometimes the Primula hirsuta grow in such perilous places - for us me mortals I mean ;D but they are so beautiful when they first open nestled in their serrated leaves :) and the colour is astonishingly vibrant against the grey rocks.
Robin,
I don't want you to risk your life for an image of a tiny primula :o
Please stay on save pavements ;D
But what is the life without risk? ::) ;D :-*
-
Absolutely ;D I only take calculated risks ;)
-
another lovely set of strolls :)
of course, who can resist spring flowers?
the ancient trees, first image on reply #347 are very lovely, a typically 'old world' image..
-
Robin,
What a beautiful set of spring impressions - I like the pic with the new leaves of the birch especially!
Gerd
-
Gerd, I love that first opening of the tender green leaves too - and the birch does it so well :) Individually the detail of each leaf and catkin is so delicate and at a distance they shimmer like magic and really give a Spring feeling to the mountainside.
The violets are so pretty too and I wondered if I had the right ID for the image 31 as Viola silvatica? Found in woodland but no white beards, a beautiful china blue ::)
-
another lovely set of strolls :)
of course, who can resist spring flowers?
the ancient trees, first image on reply #347 are very lovely, a typically 'old world' image..
Thanks Cohan, glad you enjoyed the Spring emerging here - it has taken longer than usual and for the first time we are getting Spring rain today and everything is speeding up into true green. I love the line of Poplars too with their wrinkled trunks and the new leaf yellow was so bright :o they make a great rustling sound in the wind that always seems to be present by the river Rhone.
-
The violets are so pretty too and I wondered if I had the right ID for the image 31 as Viola silvatica? Found in woodland but no white beards, a beautiful china blue ::)
It might be Viola silvatica = reichenbachiana. There are some hybrids and backcrosses with Viola reichenbachiana (V. bavarica) which makes it more complicated.
Nevertheless an interesting nice colored plant!
Gerd
-
I'm enjoying your scenic walks... so glad spring has come so that you have resumed! I have always meant to ask, how much higher is it to reach the alpine zone/treeline in your area?
-
Lovely to have a taste of your spring. Always strikes me how we have some things in common while others are so different. Primroses, Cowslips, Wood Sorrel and Marsh Marigold, all things I enjoyed in Wales and again in Norfolk this week .... but Primula hirsuta, wild Crocus vernus, Hepatica in the woodlands too, all foreign.
(Booked the flights last night :))
-
Truly beautiful alpine walks Robin, the Alps in all their different seasons. We are so lucky to have you leading us all the way. I'm sure there is a major book or perhaps Internet site to be created from all your pictures and the story that accompanies them.
-
I'm enjoying your scenic walks... so glad spring has come so that you have resumed! I have always meant to ask, how much higher is it to reach the alpine zone/treeline in your area?
Lori, so pleased you are enjoying the Alpine scenery on these walks here in Valais - it is varied and each valley has its own character. My walks have ranged from 1000 - 1500m I am hoping to explore higher up locally in the summer months to Lac Salanfe at 1925m and above - you can see from the link the end of the treeline there:
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/2182869
Locally here the South facing tree line is at about 2000m as you can see from some of the earlier shots taken from the ski slopes in the previous walk.
However attached is the link to an article online that I found fascinating when delving into local treelines in the area and think it might be of interest:
http://www.jstor.org/pss/1552405
The slopes I photographed in this walk are mostly facing North/East and the climate here in the main valley is a micro-cliimate warmed by winds which aid high pollination rates and make the fruit (vegetable) growing so successful - the region is famous for Asparagus and Apricots. So local conditions effect the treeline too on the south-facing slopes.
-
Always strikes me how we have some things in common while others are so different
Tony, so glad you are definitely coming this way and ready to explore the summer month of things in common and true Valaisian flora and fauna 8)
-
Truly beautiful alpine walks Robin, the Alps in all their different seasons. We are so lucky to have you leading us all the way. I'm sure there is a major book or perhaps Internet site to be created from all your pictures and the story that accompanies them.
Lesley, thanks so much for your support and interest, it really helps to know that these walks are of value but I'd need to brush up of ID's for what you are suggesting :o
Funnily enough, it was because of the lack of local information for English speakers that I thought it would be good to record what I saw on walks in a personal way and therefore see things as a first time experience in more detail without the tourist promo aspect (although at the AGS meeting last year in Bristol I was asked if I was part of the Tourist Board!!!!)
I'm glad to celebrate the area I am getting to know but there is so much to discover and I love going off the beaten track with my faithful hound to bring my latest discovery to the Forum. One thing I am learning, in particular, is how influential seasonal and weather conditions are as to when Alpine plants are at their best and where to find them. I look forward to learning more and sharing it with you :D
-
The violets are so pretty too and I wondered if I had the right ID for the image 31 as Viola silvatica? Found in woodland but no white beards, a beautiful china blue ::)
It might be Viola silvatica = reichenbachiana. There are some hybrids and backcrosses with Viola reichenbachiana (V. bavarica) which makes it more complicated.
Nevertheless an interesting nice colored plant!
Gerd
Thanks Gerd, I agree it is a lovely colour with delicate markings.
-
May 4th and as the snow melt continues the next level comes to life by the river..... at 1400 metres the snow has retreated to reveal the crocus meadows carpeting the Alpine pastures....
-
The sight of all these tiny Crocus vernus jostling together is amazing and looking closer the variation becomes clearer and the shape of the goblets differs too..
-
How delightful.... crocus time in the Alps......and here today in Aberdeen it was trying to snow!
-
:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)
And the shot of the caltha over the river is fab too!
I always end my crocus talk with the thought that I can look forward to mid-summer crocus on holiday after I have finished collecting seed at home. Last night I was collecting seed and today ..... :)
-
Viewing these tremendous images near O'Hare airport in Chicago, Robin. Beautiful contrast to the flowers we have been experiencing in Mid-West gardens over the past few days and totally different to the things we will see on the next leg of our lecture tour in Washington, D.C.
Many thanks for posting.
-
A quick Forum Fix, provided by an internet connection during an airport wait is a grand way to pass the time and keep all the international rock gardeners in touch with each-other. 8)
Bon voyage for the continuation of your North American Tour, Cliff.... I do hope you are getting some time to take photos as well as show them??
-
Robin, walking in such Crocus fields must be like entering a candy shop, isn't it? 8)
Thanks for sharing!
-
So glad you all enjoyed the Crocus meadows wherever you are.....even in transit! Not only Crocus were flowering but Corydalis too, as far as the eye could see, and some interesting colours against the rocks
-
Cut off in the winter the chalet owners are returning to the hamlet here and it is a thriving community for the rest of the year. With plenty of fresh water plants spring up dramatically on the ground or in rock crevices, like the Primula Hirsuta (For Armin, especially)
-
Wonderful pictures!
Impossible to "walk" in these meadows.... it would be too cruel to walk on the flowers! :o :-X I'd have to just stand and stare........ :)
-
Thanks Maggi
I did pick my way through the Crocus with great care - Jazzy didn't but they sprang up again no problem! It is hard to imagine how small these Crocus are and you have to focus to see them from above but once the camera is at ground level all is revealed :D This was about the first day of flowering so they were in peak form and I was thrilled to capture them the day before returning to the UK 8)
-
Perfect timing, Robin... what a shame it would have been for you ( and us!!) to have missed the sight.
Have a good trip!
-
Great Spring views once again Robin !
The Crocus look fabulous ! Thanks a lot for showing and have a good trip !!
-
Luc, it certainly was great to see Spring in the Alps before leaving and I have to say it was warmer there than here :)
Thanks to you and Maggi for your good wishes.
-
How can you bear to leave such a place Robin? Thanks for these amazing pictures. While Franz and Thomas have tamed the Crocus lawn, this wild version is surely the best of all.
Like Tony though, my favourite picture is the very first with the Caltha newly sprung from cold earth to gaze across the water. :)
-
I have to say, Lesley, it was really hard to leave with something new appearing each day with the arrival of Spring. However it was very satisfying to see the amazing Crocus meadows in all their glory as the two days before had been shrouded in mist. The Caltha are truly wonderful in their generous golden flowering when everything still seems so dry and dead - a real promise of a new season to enjoy and a feeling of regeneration along the waterways.
-
great show--spring really comes with a vengeance there :)
very lucky that you were able to catch that meadow before leaving! how long will you be away?
-
Glad you enjoyed the Crocus meadow photos Cohan - I'm still dreaming about them..... there were thousands there, especially concentrated in the dips and undulations and where there were cow pats ;D
Away catching up with family and friends for quite a while and enjoying the English countryside 8)
-
Robin,
phantastic to see your crocus meadow images after I was off a couple of days 8) 8) 8)
Memories from 1992 came back when I saw my first crocus meadow in the Swiss. All these tiny white and blue croci flowers.
Since then I got infected by the crocus fever ;D
-
I think I have caught the Crocus fever too Armin - an enjoyable fever to catch 8)
So glad you enjoyed the Crocus meadows :D Where did you first see them in Switzerland?
-
Robin,
I was returning from a business trip when I accidentally saw my first crocus meadows.
I remember it was the road (21 / E27) somewhere between Aosta (Italy) and Martigny (Swiss), a few kilometers after the Grand Saint-Bernard tunnel on the Swiss side. I stopped my car and climbed up to the mountains turf to relish the thousands of white and blue crocus flowers in the early afternoon sun.
I did not expect crocus to flower as it was already June. I was immediately fascinated and emotional caught by the beauty of that mountains turf and the scenery engraved in my head forever.
From that day on I've dreamed of to have my own crocus meadow. It lasted until spring 2006 until my first crocus flowered for me in my meadow. :D
Almost a year later, in May, I got emotional caught again when I saw thousands of Narcissus poeticus flowering on the mountains meadows near Montreux, Lake Geneva.
God bless these wunderful places in the Swiss!!! ;D
-
Armin, what a great story of the best of Swiss flora and I hope it won't be too long before you return to see another genus - I'm hoping to see the Gentiana meadows next - it would be good to see you in Switzerland if you come our way :D
-
I've been enjoying your photos too! They bring back memories of a holiday many years ago, standing on a mountainside above the clouds in Stalden and Gspon (I think that's Vallais isn't it?). It was raining down in the valley but above the clouds there was sunshine and gentians - moments like those stick with you forever :) .
-
Gill, you are so right - it can be one sort of weather below the clouds and completely different above and one wouldn't have a clue - so you have to just go in hope and then, if you're lucky, alpine treasures :D Valais has some beautiful hidden secrets :D
Stalden is is in the Visp area of Valais - they have built a tunnel through the mountain for a high speed train link to Zurich.
-
Hi Robin,
never saw this topic before but I enjoyed seeing your pictures of Valais.
I have had many (10 at least)vacations there ,most of them in the little village Agarn near Sierre.I only went in summer and loved the mountains,and walks.Never saw the springflowers but they look fantastic. I `only`saw gentians and other alpine flowers near melting snow,so lovely.
I always go back every now and then,Valais is in my hart.
-
Hi Loes,
So pleased you enjoyed the Alpine Walks in Valais and I agree it is a lovely area, I do hope you'll return! Where did you see the Gentians? Do you have any photos? Would love to hear more about your trip there.