March 2010 Northern Hemisphere

[Ragged Robin]

Wim, that's a really kind thought but I will enjoy it just as much under your cherry tree 

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Flowering here now around melting snow patches in the Chepan mountains of western Bulgaria is Adonis vernalis. The first flower is always at ground level, but the stems will elongate later as the grass around them grows.

Glorious view and flower Simon !!! A treat for the eye ! 

[pehe]

Denmark has been covered with snow for about 3 months, but now spring has come with temperatures around 10C.
Until now there has only been flowers in the green house. The first two is from there, the rest is from my garden.

Poul

[Ragged Robin]

Flowering here now around melting snow patches in the Chepan mountains of western Bulgaria is Adonis vernalis. The first flower is always at ground level, but the stems will elongate later as the grass around them grows.

Simon, it must be wonderful to walk up there - what a view - how high are the mountains in the distance?   The Adonis vernalis is very special 

[Ragged Robin]

Lovely flowers in your garden Poul, the Colchicum vernum emerging make a wonderful group 

[Gail]

Lovely adonis Simon - do they usually have so many flowers?

Great pictures Poul - I love the eranthis, have you had it long?

[Sinchets]

The Chepan mountains were a steep climb to just over 1200m. The mountains in the distance in the picture are between 1500m and 2000m in the western Stara Planina- the real mountains to the right of this picture are Vitosha and the Rila which are between 2200m and 2900m.
The Adonis we saw all had one large flower open, but other buds were aranged below this, which will flower as the stems lengthen.

[Ragged Robin]

The Chepan mountains were a steep climb to just over 1200m

So on a level with us here but flat topped    The Adonis vernalis here appear later and lower - are the Stara Planina predominantly limestone?  It's great to see other environments and how they support the same plants.

[Sinchets]

Robin, the Stara Planina start in Serbia and stretch across Bulgaria almost to the coast. It is a very varied mountain range with limestone here and there along the range. The nearest mountain in our part of the range is granite- but the next one along is marble. It makes for a great diversity of plant and animal species though ;-)

[Ragged Robin]

Really interesting, thanks Simon - the Adonis vernalis here is only in one area near Saxon where the limestone seams and Steppe like habitat with micro climate supports them in abundance for three weeks in April.

[Sinchets]

It has a quite limited distribution here too, but when you do find it is is very plentiful. In the north it grows on the Danube plains in steppe like conditions in other areas it is in open woodlands or degraded woodlands- but always on limestone.

[Mike Ireland]

Crassula sociallis, grown in the open sided alpine house, frozen solid many times this winter so I am surprised it has survived.
Both daphnes grown from seed.
Daphne mezereum alba
Daphne mezereum alba close up
Daphne mezereum
Daphne mezereum close up


Mike

[Mike Ireland]

Two photos of a trough with saxifraga sp.
First taken no 16th March, second 23rd March, amazing what a little warmer weather will do.


Mike

[Ragged Robin]

Crassula sociallis, grown in the open sided alpine house, frozen solid many times this winter so I am surprised it has survived.

A great looking plant Mike I'll look out for it if it can survive the freeze  

Your Daphnes are gorgeous just covered in flower the smell must be amazing...how old are they?

Your trough of alpines is forging ahead and I agree a little sun really pushes them on into flower so quickly; it's like magic  

[David Nicholson]

Lovely stuff Mike. Do you have names for the Saxes in flower please?