Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum

General Subjects => Travel / Places to Visit => Topic started by: stellan on November 05, 2007, 09:18:25 PM

Title: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: stellan on November 05, 2007, 09:18:25 PM
I was in Armenia this year by bike and here are som photos from Mount Aragat. The mountain are located 40 miles west from Yerevan

(http://www.sandstorm.se/silkroad/armenia_blommor/1346.jpg)
Saxifragasp.

(http://www.sandstorm.se/silkroad/armenia_blommor/1341.jpg)
Aconitum sp.

(http://www.sandstorm.se/silkroad/armenia_blommor/1336.jpg)
Pedicularis sp.

(http://www.sandstorm.se/silkroad/armenia_blommor/1309.jpg)
Campanula sp.

/Stellan
More pictures from the trip at www.sandstorm.se (http://www.sandstorm.se) press "Bilder"
Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: Maggi Young on November 05, 2007, 09:24:09 PM
Great pictures, Stellan. welcome to the Forum, by the way.
 Am I correct... are you Peter's brother, the botanist with the bicycle?
We have heard lots about you  and we are growing some plants in our garden from seed you have sent to Peter... thank you for that!!
And, if so, is it today his birthday ? Someone told me they thought it was the 6th November, though 5th is what he has on his profile here!
Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: stellan on November 05, 2007, 10:19:58 PM
Hey Maggi

It's correct... My brother is Peter Korn and I have travel few years by bike and have collect seeds during that time. I nice to hear that some of the plants grow in gardens in UK. I have some more seeds at home and Peter have to take of them. I will stay in Sweden to end of the winter and after out on the roads again. Will go back to Central Asia and Western China. Where are som lovely mountains I want to see again.

(http://www.sandstorm.se/bilder/kina_2003/chi_2003_20.jpg)
Last time in China, 17 000 feet... 2003

/Stellan


Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: Lesley Cox on November 05, 2007, 10:33:17 PM
Very nice to meet you Stellan, and to see your super website. Any ideas about the identity of that lovely and very unusual iris in Kazakstan? From the foliage it looks like from the Oncocyclus group but the flower is quite different from those.
Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: stellan on November 05, 2007, 11:05:27 PM
I think it's not any Oncocyclus Iris. The flowers was small and differnt from other iris in that group. I don't know what kind of iris it was. I send it back to Sweden but it died. I'll go back to Kazakhstan next spring and I think I can find the plant again. I remember the place and I'll try to found it again. I found the plant only at one spoot in the southern part of the country. There was different colours and if i found the plant again I'll collect seeds.

(http://www.sandstorm.se/bilder/kazakstan_2003/kaz_2003_08.jpg) 

/Stellan
Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: Paul T on November 05, 2007, 11:51:22 PM
Beautiful!  Particularly that last iris pics.  8)
Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: stellan on November 06, 2007, 08:41:51 AM
Maybe not an alpines and not from Armenia...

(http://www.sandstorm.se/bonus/rhod1.jpg)
Rhododendron luteum, Adjara, Georgien 7 000 feet. In background Fagus orientalis and Abies nordmannia

(http://www.sandstorm.se/bonus/rhod2.jpg)
Rhododendron luteum

/Stellan
www.sandstorm.se (http://www.sandstorm.se)
Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: Brian Ellis on November 06, 2007, 09:57:28 AM
Great pictures Stellan, welcome to the forum, I look forward to joining you on more of your travels through the photographs. ;)
Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: Otto Fauser on November 06, 2007, 11:07:12 AM
Stellan, such stamina and enthusiasm to cycle through all those remote places [at my age I would have to do it in my next life?]-I looked at all your Bilder : beautiful and fascinating. please continue posting more of your excellent photos-the closeup of Crocus speciosus was superb !
 Could the Iris in Kazakhstan be I. falcifolia ,in section Hexapogon, closely related to the Regelias,
which is discribed from Kara kum and Kyzl kum in Kazakhstan
   Ciao Otto.
Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: stellan on November 06, 2007, 11:21:47 AM
Otto Fauser wrote:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Stellan, such stamina and enthusiasm to cycle through all those remote places [at my age I would have
> to do it in my next life?]-I looked at all your Bilder : beautiful and fascinating. please continue posting
> more of your excellent photos-the closeup of Crocus speciosus was superb !
> Could the Iris in Kazakhstan be I. falcifolia ,in section Hexapogon, closely related to the Regelias,
> which is discribed from Kara kum and Kyzl kum in Kazakhstan
>  Ciao Otto.

Thanks again...
I have to look at a good map later... The map I have now tell me that it's was in southeast part of the kazakh distric Kzyl-Ordinskaya so it should be in east part of Kara kum...

/Stellan
Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: stellan on November 06, 2007, 11:39:41 AM
Some more alpines... This time from South Ossetian (North Georgia) less than one mile from the border to Ingushetia/Russia.

First five Sempervivum between 7 000 - 9 000 feet
(http://www.sandstorm.se/bonus/semp1.JPG)

(http://www.sandstorm.se/bonus/semp2.JPG)

(http://www.sandstorm.se/bonus/semp3.JPG)

(http://www.sandstorm.se/bonus/semp4.JPG)

(http://www.sandstorm.se/bonus/semp5.JPG)

Next Euphrasia 7 000 feet
(http://www.sandstorm.se/bonus/euphrasia1a.JPG)

(http://www.sandstorm.se/bonus/euphrasia1b.JPG)

Next Draba 10 000 feet
(http://www.sandstorm.se/bonus/draba1a.JPG)

(http://www.sandstorm.se/bonus/draba1b.JPG)

Next Veronica 10 000 feet
(http://www.sandstorm.se/bonus/veronica1a.JPG)

(http://www.sandstorm.se/bonus/veronica1b.JPG)

Nice wiev from the area 10 000 feet
(http://www.sandstorm.se/bonus/vy.JPG)

Me biking around in the mountains... 10 000 feet
(http://www.sandstorm.se/bonus/jag.JPG)

/Stellan
www.sandstorm.se (http://www.sandstorm.se)



Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: Luc Gilgemyn on November 06, 2007, 01:15:13 PM
Hi Stellan !
Great to see your pictures here !
Thanks a lot for giving us part of the feeling you must be experiencing traveling through these remote, harsh mountains on your bike.
I have a mixed feeling of some jealousy and admiration... the latter prevailing..  ;D
I hope to see lots more from you.
Happy cycling.
Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: Carlo on November 06, 2007, 01:47:19 PM
Luc,

What a lovely Freudian slip...

"traveling on your bank..." is what I believe you wrote.

This is how I usually travel...and is as good an explanation as any for why I don't travel more... If I followed the example set here and traveled on a bike, it may be a little more financial feasible. (Now I just need to get a good bike!).

That being said I am going to be in Windsor (UK) for a wedding in spring...
Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: Luc Gilgemyn on November 06, 2007, 02:19:37 PM
Oops - I'd better reedit Carlo...  :-[

I bet you won't be going to Windsor on your bike  ;D

Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: ranunculus on November 06, 2007, 03:15:58 PM
If only we'd have known Carlo....you could have combined a lecture tour as well?   ;)
Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: Carlo on November 06, 2007, 03:22:16 PM
Well...it'd be great to meet some of you and see a few gardens off the beaten path. I
haven't planned the flight yet and don't have dates, except for the May 24th
festivities...

(but I fear we're getting away from Alpines in Armenia...so back to your regularly
scheduled programming...)
Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: Casalima on November 06, 2007, 03:23:32 PM
Oops - I'd better reedit Carlo...  :-[
It wasn't a joke this time? (sorry, couldn't resist ;D ;D :-X :-X )


Super, super photographs, Stellan!!!
Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: Luc Gilgemyn on November 06, 2007, 03:45:25 PM
You're being naughty Chloë  :-*
And no, it was no joke... senior moment I guess  ;)
Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: Rafa on November 06, 2007, 06:58:54 PM
Amazing pictures :o :o :o thank you!

An Oncocyclus with a Juno like flower!! very rare. It could an Iris camillae?

Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: mark smyth on November 06, 2007, 07:24:02 PM
Unbelievable journeys. Just been looking at your web site. Friends have done similar trips on motor bikes, like Ewan McGreggor has done done, and by car but for the fun and not botanising
Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: shelagh on November 06, 2007, 07:53:18 PM
Hi Stellan, what wonderful pictures.  I visited the website and was captivated by the Campanula to the right of the field of Camps. on the Blombilder fran Armenien page, Do you know which one it is? Does anyone know which one it is? I definitely wabt seed of that.
Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: ChrisB on November 06, 2007, 10:25:13 PM
Great thread here Stellan.  I was at the talk your brother gave to our Belford group about his trips to Armenia last year, and you were in some of his slides.  What a pair of gad abouts you are.  Bravo!
Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: stellan on November 07, 2007, 09:09:18 AM
shelagh wrote:
---------------------------------------------------------------
> Hi Stellan, what wonderful pictures.  I visited the website and was
> captivated by the Campanula to the right of the field of Camps. on the
> Blombilder fran Armenien page, Do you know which one it is? Does
> anyone know which one it is? I definitely wabt seed of that.

I don't know which species it was. I found it at Mount Aragat 12 000 feet. I was where in July so no seeds to collect. I found later other Campanula both in Armenia and Georgia and I have seeds from them. I'll give the seeds to my brother and I think next year or 2009 there will be plants for the market.

(http://www.sandstorm.se/silkroad/armenia_blommor/1316.jpg)

/Stellan
http://www.sandstorm.se (http://www.sandstorm.se)
Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: hadacekf on November 07, 2007, 10:04:16 AM
Stellan,
Wonderful shots of great scenery with interesting plants of your unbelievable journeys. Thank you for sharing them with us!
Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: ranunculus on November 07, 2007, 11:19:50 AM
Superb images Stellan....many thanks.
Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: Peter Korn, Sweden on November 28, 2007, 06:17:49 PM
Some pictures from Armenia in April this year.
Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: Peter Korn, Sweden on November 28, 2007, 06:23:59 PM
Some more
Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: Peter Korn, Sweden on November 28, 2007, 06:25:56 PM
and some more
Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: Maggi Young on November 28, 2007, 06:45:45 PM
Super landscape, the colours of the Novorank pic are extraordinary.  Looks pretty but cold!
The Corydalis nariniana is just lovely... is it growing with Gageas in the wide shot? 
Very good Rheum leaves, too.
 Do Euphorbias grow all over the world? It seem they appear just about everywhere!
Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: Carlo on November 28, 2007, 06:51:05 PM
Maggi,
The short answer on Euphorbias is YES...

There are about 2000 species...widely distributed in the tropics, subtropics and temperate regions...and in many habitats within those regions. There is also FANTASTIC diversity. My favorites are houseplants--the succulent and caudiciform species from Madagascar and Africa...
Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: Maggi Young on November 28, 2007, 06:55:57 PM
They do get around, don't they? Apart from the odd weedy one which makes a bit of a pest of itself in the garden, I have to say I do like them... they do exhibit so much variety. I rather suspect that even in the places where they may not be native, they are good  colonisers ::)
Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: Lesley Cox on November 28, 2007, 07:41:15 PM
We even have one in NZ Maggi, E. glauca and it is a VERY good coloniser!

The junos have to take first place for me in Peter's pics but I love that tight Rheum species, the leaves pressing hard down on the rock and such beautiful colour and texture.

Does anyone know what year old plants of R. nobile should look like? I'd love to think my 3 are true but way too early to tell.
Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: Luc Gilgemyn on November 29, 2007, 07:56:02 AM
Great pictures Peter !!!
Stunning landscape and plants.

I love these long Swedish Winter evenings that give you the time to post this ...  ;D
Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: Peter Korn, Sweden on November 29, 2007, 08:15:35 AM
Yes, that is the only good thing with early dark evenings. Hopefully we gets a lot of snow for a few weeks (not more!!!) so I can update the website and finish the new house we built two years ago.
And there are a lot of seeds to clean and a lot of seeds to order. Now I have employed Fredrik to prickle all the seedlings so I can order even more this year.
Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: Luc Gilgemyn on November 29, 2007, 08:19:24 AM
We keep our fingers crossed for you Peter !
Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: Susan Band on November 29, 2007, 08:48:04 AM
Peter, Great to see the pictures.
Talking about ordering seed Josef Jurasek's list is now out. www.jurasekalpines.e2net.org/ (http://www.jurasekalpines.e2net.org/) A very large list with lots to choose from. By the way Peter how many pots of seed are you planing to sow this year 1000,3000,10,000? :D
Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: Peter Korn, Sweden on November 29, 2007, 07:30:55 PM
I have just looked through Rocky Mountain Rare Plants seed list and will now start with Juraseks list. I try to keep under 2000 species/year but I think it will be more than 3000 this year. I still have some seeds from last year and then some from my collections in Armenia, my brothers collections, everything I buy (a lot), from my garden and from every other seed sourse. Maybe a little to much? I think I have to build a lot of new sand beds next year.
Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: stellan on February 03, 2008, 09:31:00 AM
I come back to Armenia this week and I found snow everywhere... Maybe few months to early for planthunting but I think there will be som frozen Gagea and Crocus... I'll stay few more days in the capital and try to get some visas. After that I leave the city by my lovely bike and will play around in the snow.

I will do my best during next week to find the early sping flowers and show some nice pictures here...

/Stellan
Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: tonyg on February 03, 2008, 09:32:29 AM
Looking forward to the pictures - great!  Keep safe and have a good trip.
Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: Paul T on February 10, 2008, 02:31:51 AM
Great pics.  I particularly love the Corydalis nariniana.  Wonderful colour combination.  Interesting to see Colchicum flowering in April in the northern hemisphere..... obviously the spring types!  First are pushing up noses here at the moment (although they're the autumn ones of course).
Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: stellan on February 25, 2008, 01:13:46 PM
I have start my bikingtrip in Armenia and here is some photos of flowers. There aren't many flower so i can only show three photos of Colchicum this time. Sorry...

I also send one pictures of some kids which selling flowers alone the main road in the country. Last pictures is of my bike...

/Stellan
http://www.sandstorm.se (http://www.sandstorm.se)
Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: stellan on February 25, 2008, 01:16:19 PM
Two pictures were missing...

/Stellan
http://www.sandstorm.se (http://www.sandstorm.se)
Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: ChrisB on February 25, 2008, 03:44:30 PM
What a cheery picture Stellan, those kids look just great.  Give them a hug from me please.
Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: stellan on March 02, 2008, 07:24:42 PM
New pictures from last days... Most of the snow is gone but tomorrow i have to cross a mountains pass at 2500 m so I'll get more snow again...

This time are the pics 2 Colchicum, 2 Galathus and last one is of the mountains near Goris

/Stellan
Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: Maggi Young on March 02, 2008, 09:05:30 PM
Stellan, I am obliged to you for these pix.... good to see the bees busy at their work.
I had no idea that Giraffe were found so far from the plains of Africa... this must be a highly nomadic species  ??? ::)
Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: Peter Korn, Sweden on March 04, 2008, 06:02:28 PM
Stellan "collected" some Giraffes when he was cycling in Africa. He brought them home to my garden and within a few hours they were everywhere. But then we manage to catch them and now he keeps them locked in (I hope).
Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: Lesley Cox on March 05, 2008, 08:26:56 PM
The giraffes are delightful and so at home in a Swedish garden. If you manage to breed them Peter and Stellan, I'll put in an order now for half a dozen. Pity they can't be increased from seed ;D
Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: Peter Korn, Sweden on March 05, 2008, 08:51:32 PM
Cuttings?
Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: ChrisB on March 06, 2008, 09:06:00 PM
Ouch!  On behalf of giraffes everywhere   ;D
Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: stellan on March 07, 2008, 07:24:19 AM
Here are the last pictures from Armenia. I left the country yesterday and are now in Iran...

/Stellan
http://www.sandstorm.se (http://www.sandstorm.se)



colchicum.
 colchicum 1.
 colchicum 2.
 gagea
 camping
Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: Gerdk on March 07, 2008, 10:51:19 AM
Stellan,
I am shocked  :'(  Where is the Giraffe ? Escaped ? Captured by wolves?
Or simply inside the tent?  ???

Gerd
Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: stellan on March 11, 2008, 05:07:04 PM
> Stellan,
> I am shocked    Where is the Giraffe ? Escaped ? Captured by wolves?
> Or simply inside the tent? 

> Gerd

The giraffe is still alive... I have him in one of my bike bags and in the night i take him out in the tent so he can run around during the night. I have few more pictures of him and I'll show them when I find better internet-cafe...

/Stellan
Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: Otto Fauser on March 12, 2008, 11:06:58 AM
Stellan,
 do not feed Colchicums to your Giraffe-they are poisonous. I think your photos of the white Colchicum could be Merendera sobolifera ,widespread in Turkey , NW and N Iran .
      Otto
Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: shelagh on March 16, 2008, 02:26:53 PM
Oh to be young and intrepid. 8)
Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: Paul T on March 25, 2008, 11:29:20 AM
Shelagh,

Stuff the intrepid bit.... just "oh to be young"!!  ;D

I'm a bit concerned with that last in the series of Giraffe pics...... looks like it's intending to munch that Cypripedium flower.  That would make it an endangered species wouldn't it?

P.S.  Sorry for delay in responding to this.  Finally catching up on everything I missed a couple of weeks ago when I was absent for a while.  :-[
Title: Re: Alpines in Armenia
Post by: Lesley Cox on July 25, 2010, 11:04:34 PM
Thanks so much Maggi. I hadn't tried a search but if I had, Alpines in Armenia wouldn't have entered my mind. I hope other Forumists will enjoy these pictures too, as well as the plant ones of course. :D
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