Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
General Subjects => Travel / Places to Visit => Topic started by: Hans A. on October 27, 2008, 04:49:46 PM
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Yesterday, while I was taking some pics of the wonderful mountain flora of this beautiful Island...
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... not far away from this crocus I met this person - something familiar to me... 8) :o ;D
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It's Hubi! Thomas Huber..... he told us he was going away but he did not tell us where ::)
I expect that he was as pleased to find the crocus as you were, Hans! What a pleasant companion to discover on your mountain hike 8)
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Well spotted for both photographs, Hans.
Paddy
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Paddy thanks for the nice comment - Maggi you are right Thomas is a very pleasant companion - I think we will not have to wait to long for pictures from him here in this forum. ;D
For sure we have had a lot of good luck with the weather - last week it rained nearly every day or it was very cloudy - and tomorrow it is to expect this mountain will be covered by snow. ::)
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Many thanks for opening this thread, Hans!
And a big thank you also for taking the time and effort to bring me safe to the peak and back.
It was a really unforgettable day for me - and of course I have some photos for posting, but later!
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Finally I was able to sort out some photos of my trip to Puig Massanella with Hans:
012 - Breakfast on the way to the top
026 - An old "Snowhouse". In the past the Mallorcans collected snow on the peak in winter, put it into the snowhouse and in summer
they took it down with donkeys for cooling.
015+023 - Impressions from beneath the path
all the rest: Crocus cambessedesii
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Some more:
005+009: Stream on the way to the peak
081 - This one is especially for Choco-Maggi ;D Lunch on Massanella - would have been great to have you with us ;)
098 - Sorry out of focus, but it was the only photo I made of this cambessedesii ALBUS
037+083+092+101+102 - Crocus cambessedesii
105 - The way down
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Some great views there Thomas !!
Looks like you had a great time with Hans !!!
Thanks for sharing !
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What views.... even without the crocus! Looks like a trip I would very much have enjoyed.... chocolate for breakfast and lunch, I see ;D
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Super series Thomas ... thanks as ever for posting.
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Thomas, great photos! :D
Even if it looks like we were just sitted there to eat chocolate ::) 8)- we also moved a bit- as this pics will show... ;D
Pic 1: the first crocus
Pic 2: Thomas on the regular(!) way
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In the second picture, Thomas looks as if he's carrying bag pipes!
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In the second picture, Thomas looks as if he's carrying bag pipes!
I rather hope he is, Jim... for this is an excellent protection against wolves and bandits when in the mountains.... ::) :D
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knew they had to have some purpose ;D ;D
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Actually, I have to confess that my first thought was that they might be heavy-duty lithophragmic poacher's spades designed especially for crocuses growing in rocky terrain. :o ??? ::) ;D
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Thomas & Hans,
Great photographs, loving this thread. Many thanks, Paddy
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Thomas,
Thank you for these imposing impressions!
Hans,
Nice to have a current look at the very young man I met long ago in Wuppertal!
Gerd
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Hans and Thomas,
thank you for showing us these wee beauties in their scanty environment!
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Thanks you everyone for the compliments - great you like our photos!
There was no need to use bagpipes - we met only a few (nice) people on our trip.
I still have some photos for you to show:
002 - Funghus still life in the dark woods around Massanella
060+077 - Hans riskin his life for a good photo :-X
097 - Lonely yew near the peak
all the rest - Crocus cambessedesii
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Brilliant Hubi & Hans!
Thomas - where are you going next?
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Thomas,
Who is the king of Mallorca? ???
No!!! it is not Jürgen Drews ;D
C. cambessedesii is it!
They look like tiny imperati's!
There is no doubt for me - close relatives...all members of nobility ;) ;D
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Armin, I don't think Jürgen will leave the party to climb on Massanella - no beer there, no girls, no music.... :P
Next relative to cambessedesii is versicolor. But imperati is not far away from both on the crocus family tree
Tony next destination are the French Alps and Liguria.
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Thanks for all the kind comments, it was really a fun to make this tour with Thomas, many thanks to him.
Gerd, - you are right, it is long ago we met the last time ;D - hope to meet you in nearer future again...
here some more pictures of other plants (not crocus! 8))
First two are relicts of te last Ice-Age...
Acer granatense
Taxus baccata
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... a helleborus and an endemic Hypericum...
Helleborus foetidus
Hypericum. balearicum
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...landscapes...
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And here the big secret 8): Thomas with his Backpipes
He is nearer to convince me to become a croconut, than use this type of backpipes (the number of wolves is really small in this area ;) )
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Great show people - thanks again !
Hans - you surprised me with your last pix - I thought there were only Crocus growing in Mallorca... obviously there's some other plants too... ;D
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WOW Hans, but like Luc I didn't realize that there were other plants than Crocus on our trip ;D ;D
If you reach my age you will know what great help these kind of bagpipes can be :-\
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I see why the crocus are so happy in Mallorca.... the mountains are very beautiful :D
I have never been to Mallorca so it is most interesting to me to see the landscape from your lovely photos, Hans and Hubi 8)
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OK, so especially for Maggi some Mallorcan landscapes:
35 - little lake in the Serra de Tramuntana
31 - 200m cliff line near Cabo Formentor
104 - on top of Massanella
23 - Merendera filifolia near Palma
41 - Arum pictum, Cabo Formentor
18 - Cala Boquer
Seems like I've photographed some other plants than Crocus, too 8)
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Thomas,
Last photograph - a Mallorcan horizontal crevice garden?
Paddy
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Paddy, these "Steinmännchen (Stone-people)" were everywhere on Mallorca.
In the mountains they are used to mark a trail - very useful!!!
One more panorama photo with the view from Puig Massanella east-south-west with the Puig Mayor on the very right side
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And an overview photo of Paguera playa. Don't ask me who the half-naked man on the right is, suddenly he was there >:(
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Thomas, wonderful panorama pix!!
The native peoples of North America have these Steinmännchen, also.... they call them Inukshuk ( these ones have 'arms' !! :D )
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The Spanish ones don't have arms, but we found this one:
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Extraordinary.... how do they put their glasses on when they they have no arms? Mind you, I see their glasses have no legs...... :o
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Extraordinary.... how do they put their glasses on when they they have no arms? Mind you, I see their glasses have no legs...... :o
;D Good question, Maggi - very good question. But I don't have an answer for you :-\
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Quite a spectacle!
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Fantastic panoramas - and so easy to scroll acrosssssssssssssssss and enjoy the views ;)
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Thomas, some of those pictures, the panoramic ones in particular, make me feel like an eagle soaring over those sites. Wonderful!
A friend here in the greater Washington, D.C. area, grows Arum pictum - it was in bloom a few weeks ago. My plant is too small to bloom.
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Thomas, wonderful panorama pix!!
The native peoples of North America have these Steinmännchen, also.... they call them Inukshuk ( these ones have 'arms' !! :D )
Maggi a Canadian friend of mine has small inukshuk made from pieces of thick glass. I think these ones are armless?
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Gorgeous landscape!! I hadn't realised how high the hills are on Mallorca! Thanks so much for the photos.
I know what my son would say if you asked him who the king of Mallorca is: Rafa! And not "our" Rafa :D
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Thomas, wonderful panorama pix!!
The native peoples of North America have these Steinmännchen, also.... they call them Inukshuk ( these ones have 'arms' !! :D )
Maggi a Canadian friend of mine has small inukshuk made from pieces of thick glass. I think these ones are armless?
We have one with arms and a book about these tribal creations ( which can be found in a truly monumental scale in Canada) and they alll show "arms".... will take pic and add it here later..... later.... here is a pc of our Inukshuk, he's about 15cm high and is made of dark green jade.....
[attach=1]
I know what my son would say if you asked him who the king of Mallorca is: Rafa! And not "our" Rafa
Mmm, Chloë , this is a puzzle.... I'm guessing a famous Mallorcan footballer? Or is Raphael Nadal a Mallorcan?
Of course "our" Rafa is the king of Castille!!
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Jim, my photos do only partly show the beauty of the Serra de Tramuntana. Seeing them with your own eyes
is much more breathtaking. After the trip I was told that the smile on my face seems to be like burned in ;D ;D
Chloe, please tell us who your son's favourite Rafa is!
Maggi your American Canadian Steinmännchen looks much more arty than the Mallorcan ones! :o
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Rafa Nadal, the tennis player :)
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Not long ago Thomas and I climbed on a mallorcan mountain, today I did it again - with snow - as it looks very different here a few pics. The last one shows a bird (Pyrrhorax pyrrhorax) I knew only from the alps - but as actually the local mountains are quite similar - so, why not... 8)
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The mountains are just as lovely in the snow, Hans. It is VERY good to see their beauty from the warmth of my house!
For the red-billed Chough, is this not the spelling? Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax ???
This bird even breeds somewhere in the UK, I believe, though I have not seen it. I think it breeds in Great Britain, Ireland, southern Europe, Mediterranean basin, Alps, and in mountainous countryside across central Asia, Iran and China.
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Maggi you are correct. Hans the bird you saw elsewhere is the alpine chough Pyrrhocorax graculus. It's the same family but has a yellow bill
Our bird is getting rare and is confined to rugged coast lines. I could be wrong but I think one problem is jackdaws taking over nest sites and farming practices
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:-[ - Maggi, for sure you are right - I know why I prefer plants... ;)
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it is not possible!! >:( I missed this amazing report! two good german friends in the same amazing place!! ;D :o
Congratulations to both for the amazing pictures of wild Mallorca.
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Wow, Hans - great photos. I'm sure you have some more, so please show'em here!!
Any more Crocus cambessedesi in flower?
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I also missed this thread in November. Thank you Thomas and Hans, it is fantastic! I like that Taxus! It looks very old.
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Thanks for the comments - Thomas there are no more Crocus in flower actually -i made some more pictures of snow- i am not sure if this are of any interest as I think many of us have seen more than enough of it this year... ;)
and Mark - for sure I know the difference between Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax and Pyrrhocorax graculus >:( ;)- normally none of them can be seen here - the only common is Corvus corax.
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Hans, I would like to see more of your snow pictures in the Snow pages! http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=2922.0
I believe that if we could get a good thick layer of snow over the garden, at an early stage in the winter, which stayed there all winter and then cleared away quickly when the days got warmer in Spring, then many of us would be glad of that... our plants would be safe and protected under the snow 8) But that is seldom how it happens here in the UK ... there is too much change in the weather which is so hard for plants.
Of course, I know Janis will say that often he gets deep snow in his fields... and then the rodents come, under cover of the snow, and eat all his bulbs.....
it is a hard life, this gardening.... we must be mad to put ourselves through the torture! :-X
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Hans could it be that choughs breed around the coast of Mallorca?
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This is the breeding range according to wikipedia
[url][http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chough_range_map.png/url]
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Mark,there are some choughs that breed about 6 miles from here every year, they are beside the road in the ruins of a old castle and can be seen from the car when passing on the motorway.
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No Mark, there are no hints of breeding - there exist only a few choughs sightings, for example a total of 7 + 5 + 2 birds (all for december) 2007.
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some info here also Hans
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-billed_Chough (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-billed_Chough)
Michael there are a pair that nest in a builing at Malin Head
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Thanks Mark, very interesting link - till now chough sightings on the balearic islands are extremly rare even if the population on the spanish mainland may be large - here it is easier to see monk vulture, Peregrine Falcon, Eleonora's Falcon or Osprey.
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Here in my village in central Spain, it is very common. There are many nest in the church and a old monastery. In winter all the birds of this species make big groups, but the rest of the year they go in cuples.
I breeded one year a little chough that some children found in the street. It is an extremely clever bird! and very affectionate. It makes dozens of different voices.
One time I observed somthing interesting. One day in my friend's farm one of the couple was accidently locked in. The next they when he opened the door the bird scaped and its partener attacked it like a falcon. It seems that it didn't recognize him/her.
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One time I observed something interesting. One day in my friend's farm one of the couple was accidentally locked in. The next they when he opened the door the bird escaped and its partner attacked it like a falcon. It seems that it didn't recognize him/her.
Rafa,it probably did recognize Him/Her, it was just getting punished for not coming home.
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Our bird is getting rare and is confined to rugged coast lines. I could be wrong but I think one problem is jackdaws taking over nest sites and farming practices
What sort of farms do these jackdaws run? ??? ;D
cheers
fermi
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On Spring Watch last year there was a camera watching Scottish choughs using a farm building to nest in
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We spent a very pleasant week visiting the island of Mallorca. We have visited the island several times before, always mid February, but our last visit in 2004 was restricted by record snow falls (the worst weather for 40 years).
Luckily, this time, the sky was blue and the temperature pleasant. We didn't see a large number of flowers, but magnificent views and some good company on our last day ;)
We stayed in the north, in a beautiful orange farm
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The farm was near the village of Sóller with its fantastic Church of Saint Bartholomew
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Other delightful villages were within walking distance.
One of the nearest was Fornalutx with its lovely narrow streets.
I hope the modern villagers have better washing facilities than their ancestors
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I love these churches, they're like my prose and clothes.... never knowingly underdecorated . :)
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On our walks in the area, were excellently tended terraces of oranges,
and some clearly left untended, and taken over by that ubiquitous weed of the Mediterranean, Oxalis pes-capri
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In drier and more rocky areas, olive groves took over as the main crop.
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Under the olive trees, is a little micro habitat, shaded by the trees and protected from goats, and perhaps not catching weedkiller so near the olives.
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The main plant taking advantage of the site was Arisarum vulgare
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I had seen Cyclamen balearicum before, and was hoping to find it just in flower, but unfortunately we were unlucky in this respect. However, we did enjoy looking for the various leaf forms
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And a few more ;)
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We also found Ranunculus ficaria in the olive fields, and Umbilicus rupestris in the terrace walls
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We were too early for many orchids, but did find Ophrys fusca in various forms (and one other Orchid for Maggi, later ;) )
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One walk took us down to Puerto Sóller and round the coast
We were glad of local transport in the form of the little wooden tram to take us back to Sóller
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The last two days we spent in Puerto Pollensa which is more of a seaside resort (quiet, though, at this time of year)
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The rugged coast of Formentor has spectacular views
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Also on the north coast, the Boquer valley, a spot beloved by twitchers as migrating birds funnel down the valley.
We didn't see any exciting birds, but it was exciting to us to see Rosemary in its native habitat and also the European palm, Chamaerops humilis
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And, on our last day, thanks to a late flight, we were able to call in on fellow forumist, Hans A who has a beautiful little garden packed with treasures. The Paeonia cambessedesii was not quite open, but I think Hans posted this already on the forum in its full glory.
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Wonderfull pictures Diane, thanks for them!
Now that Chamaerops palm did impressed me. It sees to be growing on rocks? Or its just in that depression to protect itself from the wind?
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Hans kindly took us out for a lovely trip to Lluc (pronounced Yuc) monastery.
On the way, he risked life and limb to photograph the endemic Hippocrepis balearica (the close up is Hans's picture ;D )
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And a few "people" shots to finish
Hans and his delightful wife, Maria José in their garden
Me, Maria José and my husband, Michael (and VERY small dogs :-* )
Same combination in Hans's garden
Me and Michael with Hans.
With thanks to Hans for his hospitality! ;D
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A super set of pix, Diane, just the thing to cheer at this time of year when the weather doesn't know what it is doing here, to see the sumptuous tones of seas and sky.
I would not have known what the Hippocrepis balearica was..... I was puzzled when I saw you teaser pic in an earlier thread. :-\ Good plant though, would it be possible to stand underneath it and catch the seed at the apporpriate time, do you think :P ::)
I have a feeling that I see the secret to Hans great plants.... he lives in a lovely place, he has a delightful garden a very beautiful wife and two cute dogs.... the fellow is in Paradise, no wonder he is a good gardener 8)
I don't suppose that Maria José had any suspicion that if a spare bun had been handy she might have lost those adorable little Miniature Pinschers to such a dedicated Pudsey Piglet? I would have thought there was considerable danger for a misidentification as sausage dogs and them being scoffed for a light snack :o :o ;) Cute as buttons those dogs, no notion in their minds that they are so small, and nice to see red colour as opposed to more usual black and tan.
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Lovely pictures Diane, I enjoyed them.
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I would not have known what the Hippocrepis balearica was..... I was puzzled when I saw you teaser pic in an earlier thread. :-\ Good plant though, would it be possible to stand underneath it and catch the seed at the apporpriate time, do you think :P ::)
Nor me, my "Mediterranean Wild Flowers" unfortunately doesn't stretch to Mallorcan endemics. Yes, doubtless a good plant, in that climate (frost free) and habitat (sheer vertical cliff face). If you think you can replicate those conditions, in ours and yours soggy cold climates then we'll ask Hans to stand under at the appropriate time ;D
I just realised I forgot your Robinson's Barley water and now I can't find the pic ...
to follow ::) ::)
And sorry, not very good pictures, either ... (the first pic is in Hans's garden)
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The Robinson's Barley Water ( aka Barlia robertiana) is a treat indeed.... how I love that plant!
I thought that was what you meant by a treat for me, but then I saw the wee dogs and decided you'd sent those , instead 8)
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Wonderfull pictures Diane, thanks for them!
Now that Chamaerops palm did impressed me. It sees to be growing on rocks? Or its just in that depression to protect itself from the wind?
I think it was growing between the rocks, but we saw it in lots of places, mainly rough and dry sites.
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You seem to have had a great time Diane !
Mallorca goes on my 'to visit' list...
Isn't it wonderful how this Forum litterally opens doors ? :D
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Aha, I see, Hans still loves riskin his life for a photo as he did for me on Puig Massanella 8)
Thanks for the photos Diane. Did you find Crocus cambessedesii?
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Wow Diane,
thanks for this wonderful picture :o :D -
After you have started this fantastic advertising campaign, I am thinking to change my job: open a small countryhotel, build up a bulbnursery and organize guided mountaintours... ;D ;)
Maggi - i am surprised about your knowledge about dogs! :o - This small dogs were a compromise in my wifes desire to have a dog and mine to keep my plants ;D
Thomas - you might know - No risk, no fun! ;D ;)
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Hans,
Even a larger dog is able to learn that it is forbidden to leave a way or a path in a garden (unless a cat will pass). So there is no need for a compromise between a mouse and a real dog! ;D ;D ;D
Gerd
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;D ;D ;D - Gerd, you may be right - but a bigger dog would not have come with me to look for rosulate violas in the Andes... ;D 8) ;)
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After you have started this fantastic advertising campaign, I am thinking to change my job)
Hans, in answer to your questions:
open a small countryhotel
yes please, with freshly squeezed orange juice for breakfast
build up a bulbnursery
yes please with large quantities of all those rare iris at good prices
and organize guided mountaintours
and yes please ;D ;D
Thanks for the photos Diane. Did you find Crocus cambessedesii?
No, I suppose it would only have leaves by February, not worth risking your life for those ::)
Now Cyclamen leaves, that's a different matter, but then they grow in more accessible places ;)
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Lovely photographs Diane, it was interesting seeing all those leaf forms of Cyclamen balearicum, from plain right through to silver. They are just starting to flower here in the greenhouse at the moment. Do you think they will flower in Mallorca before March ?
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Lovely photographs Diane, it was interesting seeing all those leaf forms of Cyclamen balearicum, from plain right through to silver. They are just starting to flower here in the greenhouse at the moment. Do you think they will flower in Mallorca before March ?
We saw no flowers this time, and when we were there in 2004 (same time, 3rd week of Feb), we saw just 2 early flowers. So I expect the main flowering is later into March. I expect the exact time depends on how much rain and warmth they get in January and early February. Maybe Hans can give better information?
Do you find C balearicum easy with you, Jo? I find it a little tender, along with C creticum. I expect you are significantly warmer than us in winter.
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Just saw this thread.
Congratulations for all of these beautiful photos of the gorgeous Mallorca.
The sights reminds me of many places in Israel.
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@Diane - I will study the possibilities ;) ;D
@Jo - normally you can find Cyclamen balearicum from about secong half of february to may in flower - but this year we had a "cold" winter and until now I have not seen any flower of this species.
@Miriam - yes - its similar to coastal and northern parts of Israel - but I think a bit wetter and not so warm (if I only could grow Delonix regia... ::) :P)