2017 AGS "Galanthus of the Black Sea" Tour

[Alan_b]

Yes, Maggi, I sought permission from everybody before including their names and photographs but I started my 'blog' before all of them had had the chance to reply.  Everyone said yes except 'A' who is yet to respond. 

[Alan_b]

After our drink, Andy took us off for a picnic on a rather steep alpine meadow where, appropriately, Galanthus alpinus grew.

This photo is courtesy of Sema so, unusually, features yours truly.



And here is Andy with his very large banana.

 

[Alan_b]

The Galanthus alpinus that grew in the meadow were much smaller than the ones we had seen earlier on the bank.

[Alan_b]

Some alpinus had a second mark towards the base of the inners.  Sorry about the imperfect focus in this shot.



I wonder why we don't grow alpinus in our gardens?

[Alan_b]

After lunch we tried to drive up another valley but quickly had to turn back because snow and landslips had made the road impassible.  I chose to walk back so I could do a bit of exploring.  It was very snowy where we stopped.





But it got clearer as I descended

 

There were many tea plantations on the side of the hills.  Looking at these clipped bushes, I wondered if tea might not make an interesting alternative to box hedging in the milder parts of the UK.

[Alan_b]

I chanced upon another meadow with lots of Galanthus alpinus and what seemed to be a hot-spot for green marks.

Ordinary, I think



But

[Alan_b]

And







There are more but the photographs did not always come out well.

[Alan_b]

The most stunning variant on the normal form that I saw throughout the trip was this:

[Tony Willis]

Super report Alan,I have visited the area in May when it is also very good. I wonder if your cyclamen was C. parviflorum which is found up the Zigana Pass beyond the Sumela Monastery.

[Alan_b]

Thank you, Tony; that's exactly what it was.

[Alan_b]

Just to finish off Day 3:  There were some other variants in the same area.

Another one with bright green leaves (a type that became known as forma/var. briggsii).



Very 'pale' mark.




As our travel plans were curtailed we got back to the hotel early.  Seemingly no-one visiting with Greentours had ever taken advantage of the spa facilities at the hotel, which seemed a terrible waste.  So I went for a bathe in the green sulphurous pool in the basement, followed by a massage.  I felt pleasantly woozy afterwards.   

[Alan_b]

Day 4 (10/3/17):  We began the day with a trip to Mençuna Şelalesi (Mençuna Waterfall?) which involved a return to the coast road, quite a lengthy trip east then striking inland again.  We stopped for a drink en-route.



To reach the waterfall we had to drive up a rough track by the side of a river then walk the last 500 m (according to the signage).  The first 300 m of this walk was quite steeply up.  Here we are setting off by crossing the bridge over the river.

[Alan_b]

According to my itinerary; "By the waterfall itself is a curious population of snowdrops that seem intermediate between Galanthus rizehensis and Galanthus woronowii."  I couldn't see this at all; the snowdrops looked to me to be perfectly normal examples of Galanthus woronowii.  Judge for yourself.

[Alan_b]

Now I've dealt with the snowdrops, I'll show some of the scenery:

Looking across the valley you can see the tea plantations on the hillside



This little violet was abundant in many of the places we visited.  I'm told it is viola alba (although not white as the name seems to imply)

 

This, apparently, was drinking water.  Four grooves or two?



The actual waterfall



And looking downstream with the falls out of shot to the right.

 

[Alan_b]

Scrambling on these rocks, Andy slipped and slid down about a metre - but no harm was done.