Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
General Subjects => Travel / Places to Visit => Topic started by: Diane Clement on August 12, 2009, 08:36:54 AM
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We recently returned from a holiday in Western Austria. St Anton is on the western edge of the Tyrol region, it is south east of Lech (which is in the Vorarlberg), and is north of Ischgl, both of which resorts we have previously visited. The season was late, which is good news for us, plenty of flowers still to see. We arrived to see new snow - not in the village, which is at 1300m but on the nearby mountains. But the weather changed on the second day and after that we had good alpine weather - sunny by day and rain in the evening.
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Just to get you in the mood
flower pix to follow soon
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Building up the momentum Diane ?? ;D
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Of course the track up the middle of the snow was made by the three of you getting up to the viewpoint wasn't it ;D
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Alright, Diane,
Give over the teasing and get on with the photographs - great start but you are teasing us.
Paddy
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Of course the track up the middle of the snow was made by the three of you getting up to the viewpoint wasn't it ;D
But of course! (only kidding, see Day 4 later for some people doing this walk)
Give over the teasing and get on with the photographs - great start but you are teasing us.
Just giving myself time for editing and sorting ....
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OK Diane,
I'll wait patiently and look forward to seeing the photographs.
Paddy
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I'm waiting in anticipation too...lovely area walk in.....lovely looking mountain....should be some lovely looking flowers ::) ::) ::)
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First day we had an "easy" walk (although when we got back my pedometer had registered 20km) - up the valley to the Verwall reservoir. The best plant of the day for me was Paris quadrifolia, because I have so rarely seen it in the wild.
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I see we're both glued to computers sorting pictures. Only place I've ever seen Paris in the wild was the Peak District no more than 15 miles from home!
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Day 2. We planned to go up the Valluga lifts. There are three stages, gondola to Galzig at 2184m, then a large cable car to the Vallugagrat at 2660m, then telephone box style cabins up to the top of the Valluga at 2800m.
On reaching the second stage, we realised that snow lay quite thickly at this altitude and we were not going to be able to walk from here. There was also quite a queue for the top stage so we decided to keep that for another day (to our advantage, as we later found out)
Snow at Vallugagrat 2660m
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So, as the tops were rather difficult for walking we came down to Galzig at 2184 and walked across a side valley to Gampen at 1846m. And the flowers were excellent on the way.
The season was late, which suited us as we are usually too late for many species. Previous to this trip, I had only ever seen one Pulsatilla in flower, one Primula auricula and two patches of soldanella. I had only seen an odd flower on Dryas octopetala. I judge these as indicator species on the progress of the season.
As for identificaiton, I battled with taking my favourite alpine flora book - Flora Alpina by Aeschimann et al. It weighs 5kg for the two volumes and I couldn't justify this in my luggage!
So I would be very pleased for correction of names on any plants
Globularia nudicaulis
Pulsatilla alpina alpina
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Pinguicula alpina
Linaria alpina in its two colour forms
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As for identificaiton, I battled with taking my favourite alpine flora book - Flora Alpina by Aeschimann et al. It weighs 5kg for the two volumes and I couldn't justify this in my luggage!
With ongoing restrictions being imposed by the airlines, soon that 5kg would be your entire luggage allowance :-X
And you must leave room for the camera!!! ;D
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Ranunculus aconitifolius carpeted the damper areas
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Gentiana bavarica (I think, but hope Franz will confirm or not)
Silene acaulis
Primula farinosa
Trollius europaeus
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Acinos alpinus
Campanula thyrsoides (very pleased to see this, several times, I don't think I have seen it in flower before)
Ajuga pyramidalis
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Carol making her way down the valley.
If you think it looks easy walking from here, the cable car we are heading for is not the one at the centre of the picture, but high up on the left ridge, and it was a tough pull up to get up there.
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Some were taking it easy,
and some were keeping up their salt intake
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But on our steep final climb we were pleased to see this Orobanche sp
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That's it, back safely to the hotel.
Here's the balcony where we sat for tea and cakes.
And the little shop opposite, where you could buy expensive Tyrolean costumes ;)
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Tomorrow we will get the bus to the end of the reservoir in Day 1 and walk to the Konstanzer Hutte.
Sandals are not recommended for this walk ;) ;D
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Super photos, Diane. Rich colour saturation shows off the flowers so well.
Sandals are not recommended for this walk
Righty ho....good walking boots it is :).... see you tomorrow.....
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Diane, what a great day you obviously have had and the shots you captured are really lovely giving a real feel for the place...
Thought this group of plants was superb:
Gentiana bavarica (I think, but hope Franz will confirm or not)
Silene acaulis
Primula farinosa
Trollius europaeus
plus these....
Acinos alpinus
Campanula thyrsoides (very pleased to see this, several times, I don't think I have seen it in flower before)
plus...
Orobanche sp
Thanks Diane :)
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nice area! interesting to see the hotel etc, also...my trips in the mountains don't usually afford an opportunity for this sort of refinement :(
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Diane,
It was worth the wait! A wonderful report on your walk; great photographs; enjoyed it very much.
Paddy
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nice area! interesting to see the hotel etc, also...my trips in the mountains don't usually afford an opportunity for this sort of refinement :(
Thanks, Cohan. The hotel, refreshments, etc are all part of the holiday. In many areas of the Alps, there are restaurants up in the mountains as well as in the resorts, you are never too far from a beer and a cake! It makes the whole holiday extremely pleasant.
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indeed--nice to be rewarded for all that hiking! of course in the centres such as banff and jasper there are a good range of amenities here, but it is very far between those centres!
driving from here, we do not get as far as those places, though one time we got as far as Lake Louise, and there were some nice cafes/bakeries there...
the ones closer to home just have very high prices due to distance from supply (or is it just distance from competition?!) , and very mundane products :(
looking forward to the rest of your trip :)
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Great stuff Diane ! :o
Enjoying the trip !! ;)
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Day 3
We took the local bus to the top of the reservoir we walked to on day 1, so that we could get further up the valley. So we started at 1445m and our aim was to get to the Konstanzerhutte at 1700m, not a difficult walk.
First view of the valley
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The most exciting find of the day was a snake on the road. Armin identified this on the wildlife thread as a viper, sorry for the repeat posting.
Here's Carol taking its picture,
plus a closer view. Carol was brave enough to rescue it, using her trekking poles and move it to the side of the road. I kept a safe distance
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It looks such a tiny little thing.
Cohan,
Switzerland has the advantage of great numbers of visitors, sking in the winter and walking in the summer, and this makes it economical to have the emenities. The numbers of people in some of these mountain areas is quite astonishing. I imagine you visit areas which are more remote and less visited.
Paddy
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Some more interesting sites walking along the road
Echium vulgare growing on a heap of rubble
Moth ID please?
Campanula scheuchzeri or similar. I find all the campanulas and gentians very difficult to sort out
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It was a very pleasant walk up the valley, the mountain in the distance is Patteriol. In this fairly narrow valley were lots of waterfalls, and these weren't enough to melt patches of snow which lingered in places that the sun didn't catch
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Most of the flowers on this day were woodsy subjects,
Thalictrum aquilegiifolium
Campanula barbata
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We had our coffee and cake at the Konstanzerhutte, so time to start back.
Last look back at Patteriol
and forward back towards St Anton and more snow down in the valley
We looked out for the snake on our return, but saw no signs of it.
This butterfly had not been so lucky and its friend was investigating what had happened. I think it's a Mountain Ringlet
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Great photos Diane, such a contrast to the Dolomites. I'm relying on you to keep the more voracious members of the forum supplied with their daily fix of Alpine pictures as I foolishly went back to work today which will slow down picture processing
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Great views, fabulous countryside and a beautiful thalictrum.
Great show, Diane.
Paddy
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It looks such a tiny little thing.
Cohan,
Switzerland has the advantage of great numbers of visitors, sking in the winter and walking in the summer, and this makes it economical to have the emenities. The numbers of people in some of these mountain areas is quite astonishing. I imagine you visit areas which are more remote and less visited.
Paddy
paddy--apart fromt the main centres, again--of course banff and jasper have huge numbers of visitors, and even the road between them, is quite busy; the road we take to get into the mountains is long and wide and nearly empty!
the other difference, besides incoming visitors, is the local population of the area--even after rapid population growth of most parts of the province in recent years, the entire province is still a little under 3 million people, and rather few of those live in the mountains apart from tourist centres and resorts, many of which are seasonal..so we dont have the farming villages etc that one sees in the alps... of course that means we have much more intact wilderness... but it would be nice to have cake too ;)
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Day 4
We decided to go first to the top of the Valluga. Three different styles of lift whisked up to the top: gondola, cable car and strange phone box style cabin for the last bit. This last one reminded me of the "coffin" lift in the Dolomites where you have to run to get in to the shouts of "allez, allez," and jump out at the top. Here it was easier as the thing stopped to let you in and out.
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On our way up we had good views:
Some interesting geology on the first pic,
the second picture shows the valley we walked down on day 2
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And this was the view of the middle station where we stood on day 2 looking at the snow.
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Some people were doing incredibly tricky walking on the snowy slopes
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Once at the top, we had superb 360o views
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Walking wasn't possible from this point, nor the station below except for those happy to walk across steep snow fields (not me!) so we returned down to the lower station and walked across to the small village of St Christoph. This terrain was different from what we had encountered so far, more boggy and acid.
I struggled to identify the Dactylorhizas during the week, so please correct if you know better!
Veratrum album lobelianum
Dactylorhiza maculata
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We had to find our route through large stands of Pinus mugo, growing low in large clumps
there's Gentiana purpurea growing in the middle of the clump
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I don't think I have ever seen so many Gentiana purpurea at once. That's Carol taking pictures of them
Gentiana purpurea
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We could see St Christoph over the fields
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It was a very quiet village, mainly a winter resort, but it had a bus connection back to St Anton.
Here we waited at the bus stop by the Hotel Hospiz, built in the 14th century as a refuge for travellers, but now a luxury hotel. Bus times didn't allow us to go in for a look
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Two things. Does Gentiana purpurea ever!!!! open properly? Secondly I've just got back from Siran in the Languedoc (31 degrees on several days) and I found these lovely cool pictures waiting for me I've really enjoyed them.
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That's day 4 over.
Day 5 was the big flower day ... where we hit the limestone high slopes, snow melt, and I took 300 pictures that day ...
I better select just a few ;D ;D
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Two things. Does Gentiana purpurea ever!!!! open properly? Secondly I've just got back from Siran in the Languedoc (31 degrees on several days) and I found these lovely cool pictures waiting for me I've really enjoyed them.
Hi Shelagh!
I think these G purpurea were as good as I have ever seen them, that's about what you get.
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Wonderful scenery Diane, the 360 degree view is amazing! Was it pretty cold up on the summit? It must be hard to walk on the snow at this time of year....thanks for your descriptions of this lovely area and for showing the plants, snake and moth you found - looking forward to more :)
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Diane,
The great show continues, much to my enjoyment. The photographs of G. purpurea are great.
Paddy
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Superb photos, Diane.... thank you! :-*
errrrm..... there aren't going to be many more cable cars and such, are there?
Feeling a bit queasy..... pix altogether TOO clear!
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Superb photos, Diane.... thank you! :-*
Thank YOU.
errrrm..... there aren't going to be many more cable cars and such, are there?
Feeling a bit queasy..... pix altogether TOO clear!
Yes, one or two ;D ;D
But it's OK, if you'd rather walk up, we'll see you there. We'll get in the hot chocolate and apple strudel ready for you, in an hour or three ...
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in an hour or three
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maybe just a bit longer, Diane.... you know I'm not built for speed...... :(
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Diane, super travel report with great images 8) 8) 8)
I'm exitingly waiting for day 5 ;) :D...
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Day 5 starts with a couple of lifts up to Gampen (where we walked across to on Day 2), then up to Kappall at 2315. Maggi, you can either close your eyes, grit your teeth and we'll tell you when we're there, or it's a long old walk up.
Here's the view down and across from the middle station
And a view up to where we're heading. You will see the lift is a chair lift type - the best type of lift if you can suppress the ever so slightly scary thoughts.
The last bit of green high up, before it gives way to scree is where we saw the biggest variety of plants. The top skyline ridge is where some chaps were walking on the Klettersteig route
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We walked a few metres from the top station and found plenty of good flowers growing among the grassy areas. I hope my names are OK, but please throw in suggestions if not
Silene acaulis
Myosotis alpestris
Dryas octopetala
Androsace obtusifolia
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Here's Carol taking pictures of ...
Potentilla aurea
Viola calcarata
Gentiana bavarica
Saxifraga exarata moschata (confirmation, anyone, please?)
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Then we walked up a little higher. We were in limestone country, and gradually the terrain became more stony, and the vegetation more sparse.
Pedicularis sp
Nigritella nigra (I see the taxonomists have taken this genus into Gymnadenia)
Rhododendron hirsutum growing in very poor stony soil
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We ventured a little way onto the scree, but the best plants were growing in the area slightly lower than the scree as the snow had only just melted from here.
Right at the top of the peak, on the skyline, is a Klettersteig/Via Ferrata walks (translation: only for the crazy). Later in the day, we met a couple of chaps who had walked the whole route including the Klettersteiger and then down the scree. They had started from the snowy top of the Valluga peak where we had been a couple of days before and it took them all day. They would have had a fantastic view both sides of the peak, but it must have been very difficult walking
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Viola calcarata is really sweet and it must have been dwarfed by the landscape which is spectacular Diane - the views must have been very uplifting 8)
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We headed for the snow patches and searched the edges for the snow melt plants
Soldanella alpina
Primula auricula
I have only seen Primula auricula in flower once before, as we are usually too late. The previous occasion was on the Eigernordwand walk which has a late season, because it is north facing.
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Viola calcarata is really sweet and it must have been dwarfed by the landscape which is spectacular Diane - the views must have been very uplifting 8)
Yes, this is true - and especially the pic of the late Primula auricula is striking!
Gerd
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Good morning Diane,
Only just discovered this super thread (been a bit busy with posting instead of searching) and what a joy it is!
Very clever use of your lovely sister as a model and wonderful photography.
Only one tiny fault ... where are the buttercups please? :D
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Good morning Diane,
Only just discovered this super thread (been a bit busy with posting instead of searching) and what a joy it is!
Very clever use of your lovely sister as a model and wonderful photography.
Only one tiny fault ... where are the buttercups please? :D
Good morning, Mr Ranunculus and thank you.
They're coming, follow the plot, please Mr R, we are just heading for the snow melt. We saw thousands (yes, literally). Patience, patience
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We headed for the snow patches and searched the edges for the snow melt plants
Soldanella alpina
Primula auricula
I have only seen Primula auricula in flower once before, as we are usually too late. The previous occasion was on the Eigernordwand walk which has a late season, because it is north facing.
lovely flowers and views...fascinating that things grow and thrive in these so short seasons... makes me feel a little better about our late snow melt and snowstorms in may this year ;) when will these areas get snow again, do they have a long autumn?
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Klettersteig/Via Ferrata walks (translation: only for the crazy).
Are you calling me crazy?
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Good morning Diane,
Only just discovered this super thread (been a bit busy with posting instead of searching) and what a joy it is!
Very clever use of your lovely sister as a model and wonderful photography.
Only one tiny fault ... where are the buttercups please? :D
Cliff,
Didn't I tell you that reports from the mountains continued in your absence. We have been enjoying Diane's reports for the past few days.
Diane, Now you see that I am not the only impatient one! Great report and photographs, really enjoying them.
Paddy
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Klettersteig/Via Ferrata walks (translation: only for the crazy).
Are you calling me crazy?
Was there ever an element of doubt? ::)
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Klettersteig/Via Ferrata walks (translation: only for the crazy).
Are you calling me crazy?
Was there ever an element of doubt? ::)
8) 8) 8)
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Are you calling me crazy?
If you do the Klettersteiger, then Yes ::) ::) ::)
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Very interesting thread and beautiful photos, Diane.
I hope I take advantage sometime of your description, if I'm in Alps. This region is still stranger for me.
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If you do the Klettersteiger, then Yes ::) ::) ::)
How could anyone possibly call this mad 8)
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How could anyone possibly call this mad 8)
I rest my case ;D
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Very fascinating trail. In Polen in Tatra Mountain we have some very difficult trails, where we "klettern", but these trails are very good secured with chains and clamps. Is similarly in the Dolomites?
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Ewelina, the Dolomite Via Ferrata are well protected with fixed cables, ladders and stemples. Great fun. I'll post more pictures in the Dolomites topic when I catch up with my photo processing
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Ok, back to the story. I better satisfy the Ranunculus-starved among you (mentioning no names of course ;) ;) )
We reached the area where the snow had just melted and found large numbers of Ranunculus alpestris. These were so nice, I found their pure white sparkle superior to the pinky R glacialis (which we didn't see at all, sorry Mr B, probably wrong sort of rock).
I took rather a lot of pics, I shall just post a few ...
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A few more plants of this snow melt area
Thlaspi rotundifolium
Viola calcarata
Geum montanum
Arenaria sp
and some more buttercups just so I don't get any more complaints
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Many thanks Mrs C. ... no complaints from this old buttercup.
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The ranuncs are sweet.... almost as attractive as the Dryas..... ;)
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The Thlaspi rotundifolium looks great nestled in the rock and is a lovely colour Diane......
The R alpestris and V calcarata compliment each other beautifully in the group I think - lovely photos, thanks :) :) :)
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We're still in the same area, limestone, snow only just retreated. In some patches the plants are moving on fast.
Silene acaulis
Silene acaulis with Small Tortoiseshell Nymphalis urticae
Arenaria sp Saxifraga androsacea
?Thlaspi alpinum?
Blue & yellow
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And now, higher a little into a patch where the snow has only just retreated. Plants are growing in natural crevices, taking advantage of protection by the rocks
Salix reticulata
?Saxifraga exarata moschata?
Draba aizoides
Globularia ?nudicaulis (wow 8) 8) 8) )
Blues!
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We've just hit another patch of Ranunculus alpestris, can you stand any more pictures of them?
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Aww, I was enjoying the mixed colours you've just given us.... very pretty.... but I suppose there will be frightful fuss if the buttercup fanatics are denied their fix, so on you go with the white ones ..... ;)
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buttercup fanatics
shouldn't that be buttercup fanatic ;D
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buttercup fanatics
shouldn't that be buttercup fanatic ;D
heavens, no.... if he thinks he's unique he'll be unbearable :-X
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Who is this chap, because I'm quite interested as well?
If he likes buttercups then I will post one for him!
RANUNCULUS GLACIALIS
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And now, higher a little into a patch where the snow has only just retreated. Plants are growing in natural crevices, taking advantage of protection by the rocks
Salix reticulata
?Saxifraga exarata moschata?
Draba aizoides
Globularia ?nudicaulis (wow 8) 8) 8) )
Blues!
diane, i'll second your wow on the globularia, great plant and flower! all the others are splendid too..
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Keep going Diane, we're in your footsteps ! 8)
Wonderful show !
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We're still in the same area, limestone, snow only just retreated. In some patches the plants are moving on fast.
Silene acaulis
Silene acaulis with Small Tortoiseshell Nymphalis urticae
Arenaria sp
?Thlaspi alpinum?
Blue & yellow
Think the Arenaria sp might be Saxifraga androsacea - the habitat is right and it looks like this snowmelt sax.
Lovely trip and gives me hope for school holiday trips in years to come! Thanks.
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Think the Arenaria sp might be Saxifraga androsacea - the habitat is right and it looks like this snowmelt sax.
Lovely trip and gives me hope for school holiday trips in years to come! Thanks.
Do you know, in my notebook I wrote Saxifraga androsacea. Then when I got home I looked it up and for some reason, thought it wasn't! Thanks, Tony.
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OK, a few buttercups
Ranunculus alpestris:
Crevice habitat
A pretty one
A poser
and another one
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From the same area
Doronicum grandiflorum
Soldanella ?alpinum?
ditto, shame about the nibbles
Viola calcarata
Androsace obtusifolia
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And one more growing in the limestone
Rhododendron hirsutum
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Then we walked back towards the chair lift.
Geranium sylvaticum
Gentiana bavarica
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Back at the first area again, I tried to get some close up pictures and some low down shots with the mountains behind. Unfortunately, at this point, the wind started up and made life very difficult.
Silens acaulis
ditto
Myosotis alpestris
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Gentiana bavarica
ditto
Dryas octopetala
And that's the end of day 5
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Those Dryas are gorgeous, Diane.
I find the richness of colour on the Rhododendron hirsutum flowers is mouthwatering and as for the little faces of the Violas.... who could fail to smile at those cheery liitle souls?
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Those Dryas are gorgeous, Diane.
I find the richness of colour on the Rhododendron hirsutum flowers is mouthwatering and as for the little faces of the Violas.... who could fail to smile at those cheery liitle souls?
Yep, the Rhodos were fantastic, growing on and in the limestone. Have you ever had success growing hirsutum or ferrugineum in the garden, Maggi? I find them miffy and not inclined to flower.
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I've given up on R. hirsutum, although some hybrids do reasonably well in other local gardens. I still have R. ferrugineum and the flowers do get a pretty strong colour, though not a lot of them and the growth habit of the plant is straggly. :'(