Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum

General Subjects => Travel / Places to Visit => Topic started by: Olga Bondareva on October 22, 2009, 12:05:06 PM

Title: North-west Caucasus, July 2009
Post by: Olga Bondareva on October 22, 2009, 12:05:06 PM

Just to share my emotions with you because these mountains are my favorite. It is a limestone mountain range with a large plateau at about 1600-1800 m above sea level and peaks at 2800 m above sea level. There are many endemic plants at this region. I like to go there any time from April to October. This year I went there in the beginning of July and spent with my friends 6 days walking around peaks.

We started from the wood at the right

(http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_dabf0ef1.jpg)

We are going to the peak you can see here:

(http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_2bd22c3f.jpg)

The weather was sunny first days.

(http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_dc3f8749.jpg) (http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_4322caf9.jpg)

Title: Re: North-west Caucasus, July 2009
Post by: Olga Bondareva on October 22, 2009, 12:07:51 PM

Anemone narcissiflora

(http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_d172d6fe.jpg)

Rhododendron caucasicum

(http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_d4e23b35.jpg)

Fritillaria lutea and Dryas caucasica

(http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_a27828a6.jpg) (http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_710dc25d.jpg)

Title: Re: North-west Caucasus, July 2009
Post by: Olga Bondareva on October 22, 2009, 12:11:07 PM

Primula amoena and primula algida. Also P. ruprechti is growing there. It produce natural hybrids with P. amoena.

(http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_d546441e.jpg)

(http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_57dd00c0.jpg)

(http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_4048bfb5.jpg)

(http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_9f3a36b2.jpg)

Title: Re: North-west Caucasus, July 2009
Post by: johnw on October 22, 2009, 12:23:42 PM

Olga - It's good to see R. caucasicum in the wild.  Did you see any dark yellow ones?  Any idea how cold it would get where it grows and if it does grow in very cold areas?

Thanks for the posting.  Great fritillaria lutea too.

johnw

Title: Re: North-west Caucasus, July 2009
Post by: Olga Bondareva on October 22, 2009, 12:31:58 PM

John
No yellow ones. White or spotted only. That area is not very cold. Rhododendrons are covered with 3-6 meters (!) of snow in winter. I know it is hardy and prefer cool climates.

Title: Re: North-west Caucasus, July 2009
Post by: Olga Bondareva on October 22, 2009, 12:34:37 PM

Trollius patulus and it's green marked form

(http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_ee361dfc.jpg) (http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_d8a22829.jpg)

Viola sp. Many color forms.

(http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_16674c0a.jpg)

(http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_78e6dcf0.jpg)

(http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_64f974a5.jpg)

Title: Re: North-west Caucasus, July 2009
Post by: Ragged Robin on October 22, 2009, 01:11:50 PM

It looks beautiful, Olga, it must have been wonderful to spend days wandering through such a lovely landscape with flowers such as you show.  Love the rhododendron and the Violas

Title: Re: North-west Caucasus, July 2009
Post by: Olga Bondareva on October 22, 2009, 03:58:05 PM

Thanks Robin! It was wonderful but sometimes very hard.

Title: Re: North-west Caucasus, July 2009
Post by: Olga Bondareva on October 22, 2009, 03:59:03 PM

Gentiana dshimilensis

(http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_2d5e3b3d.jpg) (http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_4e6dc744.jpg)

Title: Re: North-west Caucasus, July 2009
Post by: Olga Bondareva on October 22, 2009, 04:01:21 PM

My favorite Daphne circassica

(http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_fe5b4e2f.jpg)

(http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_f88df949.jpg)

(http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_2ce9c8e5.jpg) (http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_afa0025f.jpg)

Title: Re: North-west Caucasus, July 2009
Post by: ranunculus on October 22, 2009, 04:04:58 PM

Oh that gentian, Olga ... are you trying to break my heart?   :D

Title: Re: North-west Caucasus, July 2009
Post by: Maggi Young on October 22, 2009, 04:17:25 PM

I can't speak for your broken heart, Cliff, but Olga has made our day here in cold wet N.E. Scotland by these wonderful photos!  8) Superb!! 8)

Title: Re: North-west Caucasus, July 2009
Post by: dominique on October 22, 2009, 04:22:32 PM

So nice ! Thank you Olga
Dom

Title: Re: North-west Caucasus, July 2009
Post by: Armin on October 22, 2009, 04:33:09 PM

Olga,
a great delight! Like in particular the primula and viola color variations.  8)

Title: Re: North-west Caucasus, July 2009
Post by: Olga Bondareva on October 22, 2009, 04:42:53 PM

Cliff I break my hear when I look at it. It is so difficult in Moscow.  :(

(http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_cbc5d66e.jpg)

Maggi, Armin, Dom thanks!

Title: Re: North-west Caucasus, July 2009
Post by: Olga Bondareva on October 22, 2009, 04:45:06 PM

Campanula tridentata

(http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_8a0bb868.jpg)

(http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_006ded90.jpg)

Title: Re: North-west Caucasus, July 2009
Post by: Olga Bondareva on October 22, 2009, 04:46:24 PM

This place is named Stone Sea

(http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_b32fcb3a.jpg)

(http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_1dafd933.jpg)

Title: Re: North-west Caucasus, July 2009
Post by: Olga Bondareva on October 22, 2009, 04:47:15 PM

Gentiana oschtenica

(http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_78019e18.jpg)

(http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_dee39173.jpg)

Title: Re: North-west Caucasus, July 2009
Post by: Olga Bondareva on October 22, 2009, 04:48:22 PM

Mount night

(http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_58911c47.jpg)

And mount morning

(http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_46ea7148.jpg)

Title: Re: North-west Caucasus, July 2009
Post by: Olga Bondareva on October 22, 2009, 04:49:12 PM

(http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_47e08511.jpg)

(http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_7f836816.jpg)

Title: Re: North-west Caucasus, July 2009
Post by: Olga Bondareva on October 22, 2009, 04:50:13 PM

Ornithogallum sp.

(http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_50f886d8.jpg)

Globularia trichosanctha

(http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_c3f9f8de.jpg)

Title: Re: North-west Caucasus, July 2009
Post by: Ragged Robin on October 22, 2009, 04:54:55 PM

Olga, you've made my days seeing those vistas of Campanula tridentata - out of this world  8)

Title: Re: North-west Caucasus, July 2009
Post by: Luc Gilgemyn on October 22, 2009, 08:33:04 PM

Astonishing pictures once again Olga !  :o
 What a beautiful area full of all these gems !!

As Robin, I'm delighted with the view of the C. tridentata field... (I grow just one plant of it you know...  :-\ ;D) - but the Gentians (and all the rest) are equally astounding !!
Thanks very much for taking us on this hike !  It's a pleasure !  :-*

Title: Re: North-west Caucasus, July 2009
Post by: David Nicholson on October 22, 2009, 08:37:21 PM

Beautiful set of pictures Olga, thanks for posting them.

Title: Re: North-west Caucasus, July 2009
Post by: Gerdk on October 22, 2009, 09:04:00 PM

Quote from: David Nicholson on October 22, 2009, 08:37:21 PM

Beautiful set of pictures Olga, thanks for posting them.

Not much to add - just dreamlike impressions!

Gerd

Title: Re: North-west Caucasus, July 2009
Post by: angie on October 22, 2009, 09:07:52 PM

Once again your pictures are outstanding, thanks for sharing them.
Angie :)

Title: Re: North-west Caucasus, July 2009
Post by: Hans A. on October 22, 2009, 09:54:54 PM

I am fascinated - thanks for taking us with you to this great landscape! The Photos are brilliant.

Title: Re: North-west Caucasus, July 2009
Post by: Olga Bondareva on October 23, 2009, 06:39:08 AM

Thank all!  :-*
That was the first mountains I got in my life. My first love. (http://forum.tvoysad.ru/images/smilies/ba.gif)

Lilium cf. kesselringianum

(http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_eaee3e8a.jpg)

Mount Fisht

(http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_b721f9b7.jpg)

The White River

(http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_dca52d6f.jpg)

Title: Re: North-west Caucasus, July 2009
Post by: Olga Bondareva on October 23, 2009, 06:46:08 AM

Gymnadenia sp. and it's white form

(http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_6e7c160c.jpg)

(http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_ba418541.jpg)

Traunsteinera sphaerica

(http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_015d8f04.jpg)

Title: Re: North-west Caucasus, July 2009
Post by: Olga Bondareva on October 23, 2009, 06:48:07 AM

To all Campanula lovers.  :)

Campanula sp. tridentata group

(http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_f5e73101.jpg)

Campanula saxifraga

(http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_7fd950a3.jpg)

(http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_ac4b7ab5.jpg)

(http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_14f25495.jpg)

Title: Re: North-west Caucasus, July 2009
Post by: Olga Bondareva on October 23, 2009, 06:50:20 AM

Pulsatilla violacea and it's seedheads

(http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_bb562cb4.jpg) (http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_a83177f4.jpg)

Potentilla divyna, Euphorbia sp.

(http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_35c19ea0.jpg) (http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_b1ff8146.jpg)

Title: Re: North-west Caucasus, July 2009
Post by: Olga Bondareva on October 23, 2009, 06:53:50 AM

The weather is not always good

(http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_3e69188e.jpg)

Hail

(http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_de109f21.jpg)

Evening after rain and hail

(http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_75138e2e.jpg)

Title: Re: North-west Caucasus, July 2009
Post by: Olga Bondareva on October 23, 2009, 06:56:36 AM

Waterfall of 200 m height

(http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_a8553ed7.jpg)

(http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_22dd445b.jpg) (http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_b83294cf.jpg)

Bigfoots  ;D

(http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_24cdade6.jpg)

Title: Re: North-west Caucasus, July 2009
Post by: Olga Bondareva on October 23, 2009, 06:58:52 AM

Daphne glomerata and Erythronium caucasicum

(http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_cb22c135.jpg) (http://cs4143.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/94425531/x_9fecce3c.jpg)

Title: Re: North-west Caucasus, July 2009
Post by: Thomas Huber on October 23, 2009, 08:21:31 AM

What a wonderful walk, Olga. And the Caucasian Big-Foots look much more beautiful than the Himalayan ones  ;D

Title: Re: North-west Caucasus, July 2009
Post by: arillady on October 23, 2009, 10:29:24 AM

Olga what superb photos of a magic part of the world. One day.....

Title: Re: North-west Caucasus, July 2009
Post by: Ewelina Wajgert on October 23, 2009, 04:37:50 PM

Beautiful plants and mountains, Olga.
I know the Caucasus have very high summits, how high do you hike?

Title: Re: North-west Caucasus, July 2009
Post by: ruweiss on October 24, 2009, 09:28:46 PM

Olga,
What a landscape with so many beautiful plants. Thank you for showing them
to us.