Haut Chitelet Alpine Garden (France)

[Philippe]

Hi

Just click here if you want:
http://www.alsacephotos.fr/chitelet/presentation/intro/introduction.htm ( sorry, no longer available )

I made a small presentation of my garden

Have a good day
Philippe

Situated in the Vosges at an altitude of 1228m, on the “Route des Crêtes” (ridge road), Le Haut Chitelet High Altitude Garden present 2500 alpine species. A world tour of the most beautiful mountains through their flora!
The site also has a high altitude beech wood and a natural peat bog.

A mountain climate

The Vosges Mountains are the first natural barrier against winds and clouds coming in from the Atlantic.

Even in the height of summer, it is therefore not unusual for mountain visitors to experience rain.  Situated at a height of 1228m, on the north-west side of the mountain, Le Haut Chitelet High Altitude Garden are marked by a mountain climate, as shown by the following annual climate averages:

-     200 days of rain,
-     162 days of snow cover,
-     2200 mm of water,
-     average temperature: 3.5°C.

A climate equivalent may be found at an altitude of 1800m in the Northern Alps or at 2000m in the Pyrenees.

The significant humidity prevalent here may be seen by the presence of large numbers of lichens and mosses that cover the tree trunks and stones and develop on the ground.

[Hans J]

Hi Phillip ,

Glad to read from the Botanical garden near Col de la Schlucht ....it is some year ago that I have visit it for the last time -but it is still unforgetable !
I know the Vosges mts. very well and I like it much - so I have made there many walkings in last 30 years .

I'm a bit surprised ....you wrote in your signature that you live in NW Vosges ....but in your profil is written : Brest ....

If you look here in my older postings so you will find some reports of me :p.e. one is 'Sentier de Roches' from this year and a older is for the Narcissus from the Vosges

Greetings from Germany ( we live near the border )
Hans

[Brian Ellis]

Hello Philippe, An interesting presentation, I look forward to your future postings.

[ranunculus]

Wonderful report Philippe ... many thanks for posting. We anticipate your future postings with great interest.

[Philippe]

I'm a bit surprised ....you wrote in your signature that you live in NW Vosges ....but in your profil is written : Brest ....

Oh you're right. Birth-date was demanded when completing the profile, and location immediately after that, so I mixed both. Of course, birth-location doesn't bring much
Corrected, thanks

I'll take a look at your posts, and feel free to come back again to the Haut-Chitelet, there were many changes in the last years.

Philippe

[Maggi Young]

Philippe, this is a great idea.... what a fine introduction to you and to the wonderful garden.... we will all look forward to learning more about the plants .... and your life there, in times to come.






The garden home page: http://www.jardinbotaniquedenancy.eu/Francais/presentationchitelet.php4

[Hans J]

Philippe ,

OK ...now I have understand !

Shure I will visit the garden when I will come in this area -I hope you can post in meantime some pics

Hans

[Kristl Walek]

Philippe,
A warm welcome...I have already added Haut-Chitelet to my folder of places to visit in the next few years. Do tell us more, as you feel like it.

Kristl

[cohan]

great introduction, thanks, philippe!

it's always very interesting to get an insight into other habitat and environments..
so during the summer you live at the vosges site? or do you travel back and forth to nancy regularly?

can't wait for more photos of the garden, do you also maintain your own private garden?

[Philippe]

Hi

I'm the luckiest man in summer! Indeed I live there in the Vosges for the 6 summer months, so no need to travel daily back down to that hot sticky town ( which is 1h30/2h away).
There's a chalet inside the garden, and I wake up every morning, just opening the window, breathing the refreshing mountain air, and thanking god for being here, in these beautiful landscapes and near those plants I cherish so

On the contrary, it's such a heartbreak when winter comes and, with it, time to leave the Vosges and live the next 6 months in Nancy. What doesn't help at all is that I work during all that time in tropical greenhouses at hte botanical garden in Nancy, which is a bit difficult for me, as well because of the "climate" as because of my in comparaison with alpines rather low interest for tropical vegetation.
Allright, I already think now about next spring and next move to the pastures And about the joy to see the plants wake up again from their winter rest.

I haven't got a private garden. All I could wish or hope for is already over there

[cohan]

well, 6 months of bliss is more than  some people get   
i love the mountains too, but when winter hits (of course much colder than nancy) i wouldn't mind being safely in a tropical greenhouse 

[Philippe]

Well, it's now around midwinter here in France, days become longer, but spring in the mountains is still far away.
On this sunny sunday morning, I made a little walk in my archives, and found some garden plants pics from the previous years.

1- Androsace alpina
Not an easy one, but for a plant that is cultivated outdoor, it does quite well. I have to renew it from time to time, as the cushions are never very long lived. Heat and droughtness are rather uncommon here, but it simply suffers the comparatively too long growing saison at 1200m asl.

2- Androsace vitaliana
Or whatever name it will be given...A fairy in late may, when the grey carpet gets covered with hundreds of little golden flowers. The plant may look less showy after that in summer, but this generous flowering for 2 weeks in spring is well worth waiting. It grows rapidly here, and divisions are made every year. Never seen seed on it, I'll try hand pollination next spring.

3- Androsace laggeri
From the Pyrenees, perhaps the loveliest of the carnea group, with its fine leaves, light and fragile flowers.

4- Petrocallis pyrenaica
A gem found in the Pyrenees and the Alps. The plant I have flowers pink and white at the same time, what might hang on the flower stage.

5- Draba polytricha
From the Caucasus. Care must be taking of it, as it tends sometimes to not appreciate the winter in the open air, particularly when snowcover comes to fail over longer time.

6- Primula juliae
Also from the Caucasus. A creeping primula which appreciates cool, damp, and rather shade conditions

7- Linnaea borealis
Another creeping plant to be found on acidic soil, amongst Rhododendron ferrugineum and Pinus in the Alps. Its flowers clearly show its relativity to Lonicera-family

8- Linaria alpina
The queen of instable screes. Here it is planted in a very little round trough, Soil is a mix of much grit, sand, and some loam and humus, the top covered with slate-stone ( for visual effect only). Not particularly long lived in this conditions, but it always sets enough seeds to insure the next-year flowering, as the seedlings grow on pretty quick.
I noticed that seedlings never appear out from the trough. Or if they do so, they cannot stand concurrency from other plants around and soon disappear. Of course, I don't let such a thing happen

9- Saponaria pumilio
It has not the refinement of some tight cushion-plants, but saponaria pumilio looks sometimes perfect in my eyes, when you see the crown of pink flowers laying all around the leaves on the soil. A very showy plant. Without grit on the soil, every strong rain will badly damage the fragile flowers. With a thin layer of grit, they might recover from such a treatment.
The seedpod is very fragrant, it is to be smelled particulary when cleaning up the seeds. A mix of sugar and toffee, as do some of the affiliated dianthus species.

10- Silene acaulis Frances ( I think)
As i read, a natural form from the shetlands or the feroes islands. Foliage is very thight and of a very light green, one could think the plant is lacking nutrients. The flowers are also of the palest pink. A beautiful alternative to the sometimes flashy pink of the common silene acaulis.

[Hoy]

Hello Phillipe, I found this thread today!
Your mountain place seems to be very beautiful and with the opportunity to grow all kinds of alpines to perfection!

You say that the treeline is about 1300m, and that's not much more than here in Norway! I would have thought that the treeline was higher up? But if the climate is harsh it is more like the west coast of Norway where the treeline is much lower than further inland.
But I have to arrest you for one statement, Mont Blanc (4808) is not the highest peak in Europe, that is Mount Elbrus (5642) in Caucasus!
 
Now I am looking forward to more pictures!

Pictures:
Mount Elbrus
and my daughter where I prefere to be!

[astragalus]

Just found this thread and am fascinated by the garden pictures and site.  Thank you so much for sharing.  The Linaria alpina looks the way it does in nature, so beautiful.  And the Petrocallis pyrenaica, so interesting to see white and pink flowers on the same plant, which does not happen on the plants in my garden in New York State.  Looking forward to more plant and garden pictures in the spring.

[Lesley Cox]

Lovely pictures Philippe and I'm especially happy to see the beautiful Saponaria pumilio. It is one ofmy favourite plants and I think you and I may be the only people to have shown it on the Forum.