Northern Caucasus TRIP, August 2011

[Oakwood]

You're welcome, Ashley!
Maggi - many thanks! Yes, it WAS really great trip! And in the yard where we were staying in Arkhyz, our proprietress held some flowering cactuses)))

[Paddy Tobin]

It is one of my great  enjoyments of this site that I can see places I have never seen and most likely will never see.

Many thanks, Paddy

[David Nicholson]

Many thanks, lovely pictures.

[Panu]

Superb, some day IŽll get there.

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Wonderful pictures Dimitri !!!

Superb views and oh.... the Crocus !!!!!!!! 

Thanks so much for showing !

[Armin]

Dimitri,
fantastic landscapes and mouthwatering images. 
Thanks for showing the beauty of this part of the world.

BTW: I'll meet HUBI - you can send me the crocus seed 

[johnw]

Small Dukka river valley (1700 m) and Small Dukka high-altitude lakes (2200-2500 m). Bulbs seen: Crocus scharojanii, Lilium monadelphum, Fritillaria collina, Corydalis conorhyza.

Dima - Wonderful, magical landscapes!  Is that Rhododendron caucasicum in the first three pictures?

Whoops I missed your response and Ashley's question.

johnw

[Lesley Cox]

Thank you so much Dima, for this wonderful journey to the Caucasus, somewhere I'll never be able to go but due to the Forum and your generosity, it's there for me and all of us. A wonderful time you had and a great experience to be remembered always.

[Thomas Huber]

......and last year seed pods with fresh viable seeds I heard crying me "Where are you, HUBI???!!!"  .

Hi Dima - this is Tanja, writing for Hubi. He had to go in hospital after watching your photos.
I guess he will contact you later 

[arillady]

What amazing photos of a place I possibly will never visit. The joys of seeing this countryside and then sharing - thankyou so much.

[Oakwood]

Many many thanks for all your kind comments - I'm really happy you liked my Caucasian trip pics! the same kind feelings are from my Teberda Zoo brown colleague!

Some odd pics (as Thomas asked me via Tanja, meanwhile he is in the hospital)
me in Rhododendron caucasicum (truly, pic of 2009 year)))
Avalanche lake near Dombay, which spills every year by avalanche and be re-formed by the same avalanche again. Nevertheless, there is trout there always!
Gonachkhir river near Dombay
The peak Dombay-Ul'gen (it means "Dead Bison" by view) with glacier.

[shelagh]

What a wonderful mountain shot to finish with.  It looks just like a table.

[tonyg]

Great report - and not just for the crocuses!   Normally I would be asking if you collected seed but C scharojanii is not easy here

[Lesley Cox]

Hello Tanya. Welcome to the Forum. Is Thomas really in hospital or was he just so excited by the crocus seed pod pictures that he went into shock? If he is not well, please give him the love and best wishes of all Forumists and our hopes and kindest regards for a speedy recovery.

[johnw]

Dima - Great shot of you in the R. caucasicums!  Do you see any dark yellow forms in the area?

Obviously it needs great drainage. Not a species that does well here for whatever reason, maybe our seasons are not well enough defined.  It tends to try to flower in the late autumn as does hybrids of it like 'Cunningham White'.

johnw