Estonian Odyssey

[shelagh]

The crater was shaded by large trees and had some water in it.  It relies on precipitation to keep the water level up.  The map and info board showed that there were several more smaller craters nearby.

Back in Kuressaare we looked at the Castle and its wonderful ramparts with the best moat I have ever seen.  Then on to the harbour where I almost managed to get Brian into the picture.

Next morning we ferried back to the mainland and on to Tallinn.

[shelagh]

Tallinn Botanic Garden was looking better on this visit.  last time they had had a particularly bad winter and all the Roses, Paeonies and Iris had been devastated.

On entering the Garden there was a new venture an exhibition of Lichens, Mosses and Tree fungi.  They have also produced booklets in several languages including English.

I see the names of plants appear on the bottom of my pictures so I'll leave it at that.

     Booklets
    Cladina stellaris
    Cladonia crispata
    Fomitopsis pinicola
    Lichens

[shelagh]

The last of the Moss pictures first and then we headed to some new raised beds outside the Palm House.  Lots of lovely Alliums here but you can see how dry it had been.

    Moss Project
    Allium alexeianum
    Allium crenulatum
    Allium karataviense
    Allium jesdianum

[shelagh]

Our friend Krista Kirotar who is in charge of the Alpinaarum had been doing a lot of replanting   There is a picture of her here in her usual pose.

Estonia is very flat and so the rock garden is really a series of terraces and I am amazed at the plants that can survive an Estonian winter.

Brian really likes the Arnica angustifolia so we shall have to look out for it.

     Krista
    Rock Garden View
    View 2 rock garden
    1. Amsonia orientalis
    2. Arnica angustifolia (2)

[shelagh]

A wonderful clump of D. fuchsii and Dodecatheon meadia  also an unusual yellow composite and Dictamnus albus which Krista said was extremely poisonous.

    3. Dactylorhiza fuschii
    4. Dictamnus albus
    5. Dodecatheon meadia
    6. Hypochaeris uniflora
    7. Lupinus nootkatensis.

[shelagh]

Potentilla alchemilloides another plant that took Brian's eye and Potentilla 'Nuuk' which when we had it only produced about 3 flowers.  Obviously too warm in Bury for it.


    8. Meum athamanticum
    9. Polemonium reptans
    10. Potentilla alchemilloides
    11. Potentilla Nuuk
    12, Ranunculis acris

[Maggi Young]

Potentilla 'Nuuk' which when we had it only produced about 3 flowers.  Obviously too warm in Bury for it.

Crumbs, that's not something you hear very often ..... "too warm in Bury..."

[shelagh]

A huge patch of Raoulia which I wouldn't have thought would have enjoyed several months under snow but who knows.

    13. Raoulia tenuicaulis
    14. Rhodo camschatican
    15. Scilla litardierei
    16. Tetragonolobus maritimus
    17. Viola elatior

[shelagh]

No Maggi you certainly don't.  Hope you and the BD are feeling a bit better.

Last time we came the Iris beds had been decimated by the bad winter, it was nice to see them back almost to their best.

A couple of favourites here.

The Peony beds needed another couple of weeks except for my all time favourite Peony delavayi.

Well Estonia is a wonderful country and the islands are the place for a quiet lazy holiday.

    19. Iris Howard Weed 1947
    18. Iris bed 2
    20. Iris crispette 1954
    absolute favourite peony delavayi

[Maggi Young]

No Maggi you certainly don't.  Hope you and the BD are feeling a bit better.

Well Estonia is a wonderful country and the islands are the place for a quiet lazy holiday.
 

We're feeling all the better for enjoying this "trip" with you and Brian, Shelagh - just what the doctor ordered !

[Lori S.]

... and Potentilla 'Nuuk' which when we had it only produced about 3 flowers.  Obviously too warm in Bury for it.

Too warm for it too, then, here in zone 3!  Planted it about 10 years ago; it lost its compact form in short order... it still persists though with a flower here and there.

Enjoying your photos!  How wonderful that they grow and display lichen there!

[Diane Whitehead]

Picture #16 seems wrongly named.  It is bright purple, yet
Tetragonolobus maritimus has yellow pea flowers.

[angie]

Shelagh that looks a wonderful place. i wouldn't mind a visit there in the future. Thanks for sharing this with us.

Angie 

[shelagh]

You may be right Diane.  It is a plant I don't know and so now I always follow Johnny D's advice and take a picture of the label.  Maybe the nearest label wasn't the correct one.