Notes from Norway

[johnw]

Trond  - Flocks of Evening Grosbeaks descend on the coastal Empetrums here in August and September and eat all the fruit.  It's quite a sight.

johnw - +3c & rain

[Matt T]

I have unfortunately not had the opportunity to visit Tromsø Botanical Garden yet, but it is on my list!

I believe the Tromsø BG has in places been redeveloped since I was there, so I'd be very interested to see photos when you do get there, Trond.

[Hoy]

Trond  - Flocks of Evening Grosbeaks descend on the coastal Empetrums here in August and September and eat all the fruit.  It's quite a sight.

johnw - +3c & rain

Yes, that must be quite a sight!

We don't have that species here but the closest relative hawfinch. I have never seen that in flocks and I don't think they eat fruit either!
What will possibly eat the berries is different kinds of thrushes which often come in huge flocks.

[Hoy]

I believe the Tromsø BG has in places been redeveloped since I was there, so I'd be very interested to see photos when you do get there, Trond.

Matt, I am afraid you'll have to wait at least until next year as my schedule is full for this year!

[Hoy]

This will be the end of chapter one. Today we are back home. The forecast was good for today but all I can see is fog
The drive home was nice, not much traffic where we went, but other roads were congested and people had to wait for hours! Everybody is out during Easter and driving home at the same time

In lack of flowering plants I pictured some lichens. It is hundreds of different species but I know next to nothing of the names.


This is mostly "reindeer moss" or different Cladonia species. The round white is Cladonia stellaris (kvitkrull).




Here is a snow lichen Stereocaulon sp (saltlav).




Flavocetraria sp and Stereocaulon sp.




About 10 different lichens here!

[Hoy]

Some nice Flavocetraria and also Cladonia rangiferina (the grey one) + many more.




Where the birds have their lookout post at the rocks and stones their droppings fertilize the ground, that is the rock itself. The result is a garden of lichens. The yellow Xanthoria candellaria is a typical ornithocoprophile.




Probably the last ski trip this spring!






End of chapter one!

[Robert]

Trond,

I certainly enjoyed the wildlife, scenery, lichen and newly sprouting plants. A world very different from ours!

Looking forward to second installment. 

[Hoy]

Robert,

That's why it is so fascinating following you on your trips in the wild

Gardens have a tendency to be similar and contain the same plants but the wilderness is different 

[Hoy]

Chapter 2

Back home in the garden. Not much has happened in the week gone. The weather has been rather cold, windy and night frost has marked some plants.
Today, Wednesday, has been the warmest so far this year +12C. Tomorrow it is back to grey and dull weather again

A few more rhododendrons have opened their flowers though, among them is this decorum hybrid (I think), from seed several years ago.





I have many different Corydalis. This C. bracteata (I believe!) is one of the first to flower and it is in flower for weeks!





The Erythroniums have increased both in size and numbers. Unfortunately the slugs are also very fond of the flowers
I like both the flowers and the mottled leaves.

[Hoy]

More Corydalis.

These are solida seedlings. I bought some from Janis years ago and they have seeded around in the garden. Some are very early and some are later flowering.

The first 3 are in the woodland.









This one is in he "lawn" of Crocus leaves - in the lawn (without grass)!





A Cardamine glanduligera hitherto unscathed by the slugs . . . .

[Hoy]

Down in the more humid part of the garden (woodland) the common Anemone nemorosa grows wild. But I have also introduced some from other parts of the country like this one which is bigger and earlier. Anemone ranunculoides is also native but not here, so these are planted by me and increase well.







The lesser celandine is very common and almost a weed but this cream I have once bought and it grows among the wild ones.





Coralroot bittercress (Cardamine bulbifera) is also native in woodland. I planted a few bulbils some years ago and now? But I like it! Soon in flower. . . .

[Hoy]

The wettest place is along a watercourse. Here I grow bog plants. Among them and very early in flower are the marsh marigolds (Caltha palustris). Although it is native and rather common I had to plant it in the garden along with a white one.








One which is not native is the skunk cabbage (Lysichiton americanus). I once planted two and now I have a lawn of seedlings!







These fiddle-heads are the native ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthopteris). In a few weeks they cover many square meters!

[Robert]

Trond,

Your garden seems very lush, much like gardens on the Oregon and Washington coast of the U.S.A.

Is sun of a premium? My guess is that tree growth could be rapid due to the abundant moisture.

It is interesting that we have at least one xeric version of the plants pictured, Cardamine.

Very much a different world from California.

[Hoy]

Trond,

Your garden seems very lush, much like gardens on the Oregon and Washington coast of the U.S.A.

Is sun of a premium? My guess is that tree growth could be rapid due to the abundant moisture.

It is interesting that we have at least one xeric version of the plants pictured, Cardamine.

Very much a different world from California.

Robert,

Sun is very much a minimum factor here! But our mild (and wet) climate has some drawbacks Lack of sun is one and slugs is another. The last 30 days have had about the same mean temperature as December and January (February was  a little colder).

Trees grow rapid (and everywhere) but lack of real summer warmth makes it slower than optimum. And May which is an important month for plant development is the driest month. The soil is very shallow many places which means many plants and trees can suffer from drought!

Cardamine bulbifera tolerates dry conditions. It is an early spring plant and goes dormant in summer so it can grow in fairly summerdry woods.

[Robert]

Trond,

This is very useful information if I should ever try species from your region.

Here in California we are now being told that "our water waste needs to end forever!" Generally this translates into: The public will need to make sacrifices so the rich can continue to make even more money and make no sacrifices at all. I have seen this repeatedly here in the U.S.A.

Within the general public, there can certainly be some water waste, however most are not large wasters of water. I have to admit that here at the farm I have certainly done my share of water wasting , growing large numbers of inappropriate species, such as Rhododendron. For me this is ending as the garden transitions to something new and different.

There is much to be done to help gardeners in this new xeric political environment. I have to admit that I dislike the gross banality of government and politics, however things are the way they are. I do the best I can to stay out of the way, stay invisible and do my best to help in what ever small ways I can. Even with a return of the rains, I can tell that California is in a new water situation.