Hepatica at the Jakobsberg/Steinhagen

[Gerdk]

Here are some pics from a visit to the Jakobsberg/Steinhagen - near Bielefeld

Besides for the  'Steinhäger' - a spirit flavoured with juniper berries the region is also famous for its
mass occurence of Hepatica nobilis. I luckily visited the site during the right time.
Please enjoy the situation!

Part 1

Gerd

[Gerdk]

Part 2

from the Jakobsberg - last pic was the 'guard cat' near the place

Gerd

[johnralphcarpenter]

Nice cat! Isn't "a spirit flavoured with juniper berries" known as Jenever, or Gin? We have an explosion of new gin producers here in the UK, experimenting with different "botanicals" as the flavourings are called. The choice now is vast. Even bought some "Christmas Pudding Gin" last winter from a man who makes it in his house in London. Very nice too.

[Maggi Young]

I have never seen hepatica in the wild like this -  what a great place to walk in sunshine and enjoy the blossom.
Maybe even on such a fine day it would be nice to relax after a walk with a small glass of Steinhäger  - or does the handsome black cat guard that as well?

[Maggi Young]

Not that I am an expert on Gin ....... but I believe that Steinhäger is  the equivalent of an "Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée" for a wine -  or a an "Arbroath Smokie" - which should only come from Arbroath...... 

[Alan_b]

I have seen wild Hepatica in Canada and noted that they never seem to form dense mats of flowers but are dotted around the forest floor.  I wonder why that is and if there is some mechanism at work that tends to keep individual plants at some distance from each other?

[johnralphcarpenter]

Not that I am an expert on Gin ....... but I believe that Steinhäger is  the equivalent of an "Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée" for a wine -  or a an "Arbroath Smokie" - which should only come from Arbroath...... 

It is indeed, and a very old traditional product (both of them!); I wish we could get Smokies down here! Come to think of it, in the absence of a Single Malt, Steinhäger would be a good accompaniment to them.

[Gerdk]

Thanks for compliments alltogether!

It seems the Steinhäger (indeed a German type of gin) is as insteresting as the plants near Steinhagen.
This makes this Forum so appealing!   

Gerd