Austria 2008

[Diane Clement]

I better start a new thread here, rather than piggy back onto Switzerland. 
We spent a week in Ischgl, in the Silvretta region of Austria which is almost as far south and west as you can get before you hit the Swiss border.
The weather was cold at the beginning of the week, with fresh snow falling on land above about 2600m
Intrepid travellers at the Austria-Swiss border (husband Michael and sister Carol)

[Diane Clement]

There were orchids in abundance

[Diane Clement]

And the gentians weren't bad either
... more later when I have edited some more pictures

[Maggi Young]

Super start, Diane... thanks.

[Armin]

Lovely pictures Diane.
Please post more...
 

[ranunculus]

We all echo Armin, Diane ... we are ready for more ... please....

[Paddy Tobin]

Diane,

Keep the photographs coming, please. Very promising start, would love to see more.

Paddy

[Maggi Young]

Indeed, we are all waiting expectantly for more photos from Diane, but I understand the lady is busy with houseguests and housepainters and seedlists.....none of which is conducive to leisure time for posting on the forum... we must be patient, my friends 

[Lesley Cox]

And the gentians weren't bad either

Good Lord!

[Diane Clement]

Indeed, we are all waiting expectantly for more photos from Diane, but I understand the lady is busy with houseguests and housepainters and seedlists.....none of which is conducive to leisure time for posting on the forum... we must be patient, my friends     

And potting up hundreds of pots of bulbs and cyclamen, and putting up a new Access frame ...   

[Diane Clement]

Well, here's a start
We stayed at Ischgl in the Silvretta region, a small resort, but well served with local buses and cablecars.  Clearly much more of a winter resort than a summer one, many of the walks were on ski runs or tracks through ski areas.  The snow was still lying at the top (third week in July) and it was very cold at the beginning of the week, although it got gradually better as the week progressed. 
High up we found Lloydia serotina, sorry for scruffy picture, but I was so excited to find it and it was the only plant. 

[Diane Clement]

A few views from above Ischgl, some erosion here due to skiing, but it didn't spoil the wealth of flora

[Diane Clement]

The orchids were growing in profusion, at the beginning of this thread, I showed a field of them.  Mainly Dactylorhiza ?fuchsii in wetter areas and Gymnadenia conopsea in slighly drier areas, although sometimes they were together

Dactylorhiza sp

[Diane Clement]

Gymnadenia conopsea could be easily identified by the fantastic scent
I think the second picture is an beautiful albino of the same species, can anyone confirm?

Gymnadenia conopsea
Gymnadenia conopsea white form

[Diane Clement]

Keeping on the orchid theme

Nigritella nigra
Pseudorchis albida
Platanthera bifolia