Redbud trees along the Blue Ridge Mountains Blue Ridge Parkway seem to glow through the early, budding trees on my trip back from North Carolina two weeks ago.

As you may have read earlier, Ramps were in season,  which made my trip even more worth while. This ‘wild leek of Appalachia’ is also known as Allium tricoccum var. burdickii – a local foraging treat that now finds itself on the hippest tables of foodies across the Northeast. I was able to find some to pick at a friends house but also was able to get some seed – who knows if I can raise them in our woodland, but I am going to try in a raised bed where I grow trillium seedlings.

Rocky Knob & Mabry Mill was about as scenic as a postcard (remember those?). Once a gristmill and a saw mill, it in now a popular stop along the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia. It was Easter Sunday, so I basically had the road to myself, which was kind-of nice. I felt as if I travelled back in time to 1800.

Old dogwood trees and wild flowers were everywhere.

Along the Blue Ridge Parkway, there are many historic sites, this one had amazing split rail fences,  but I couldn’t explore long as a line of thunderstorms was moving in, and I was on a ridge.

Later in the evening, just on the West Virginia Border, a thunderstorm on the Blue Ridge Parkway produced this rainbow as it passed just south of me.

After the storm, the migrating songbirds became very active, and I could hear various thrushes including robins, orioles and many warblers.

As thunderheads moved away in the distance, the sun returned and suddenly, everything looked like a nineteenth century painting.

As the sun set, the thunderheads which continued to grow in the distance far in the east, captured the setting sun.

The mountains became bluer, and one can see why they earned their name.

The next day, I continued my journey through Maryland, and later, central Pennsylvania where I came across this field of rape seed or mustard in full, spring glory. I saw it in the distance, and decided to take an exit from the highway and explore a bit on the back roads.

This was farm country, and every farm looked like a toy – don’t worry, it wasn’t an omen! Or, was it?

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The snow melted quickly in Reykjavik, on most days, the temperatures hovered around freezing. Iceland was very similar in climate to New England, at least in March and April.

It’s just a couple of weeks after Easter Sunday here in Iceland, and many of the stores and homes are still decorated.

There is still plenty of snow cover in the north, where one is closer to the polar regions, but even in Reykjavik, which is in the souther eastern portion of the country, there was some snow. It was snowing when our flight  arrived and snowing back in Boston, as well.

There are only a handful of geysers in the world, and some of the best happen to be in Iceland.

Reykjavic lays just south of many mountain ranges, and the rest of the country – extending many miles and hours north, is relatively barren with a few farms in between. From across the fjord here, you can see raw nature just miles away.

We visited Iceland’s version of Home Depot, and were impressed with the color selection for home colors in their paint department. Coral-red, mustard, sage and light blues – clearly, the colors were limited but I can’t help but imagine that this palette helps make the island nation look even nicer.

Driving north, Jess and I stopped to climb a few ridges to appreciate the amazing views, often with any sign of man in sight. No roads, street lights, jet trails but occasionally electrical wires on pylons. With so much geothermal energy,  electricity production is big business in Iceland.

Can you see the rainbow? This remote lake was frozen, and with only the site and sound of migrating birds. In a few weeks. when the ice thaws, these lakes will host one of the Planet’s most diverse and rich populations of nesting waterfowl and waders.

It was encouraging to see that in some of the very remote areas, these pylons are forbidden. This sign was seen driving north on the western coast, where one could see for at least 30 miles and not see even a pylon.

Once in the north, only a few miles from the Arctic Circle, the temperatures were significant’y colder, and it snowed most every day.

In the northernmost city of Akureyi, the second largest city in Iceland, a  fearless use of color tints many homes. Homes here appear to made either of concrete, or sided in corrugated metal. Probably due more to the cost and shortage of wood than the cold.

Google helped us find our favorite coffee shop, although, once we found it, we discovered that it very ‘Wes Anderson’-like.

The Icelandic Winter Games was one reason why we went to Iceland. The idea of skiing under the Northern Lights intrigued us, but that never happened. There was clearly a ‘small town’ feel about this event, which we really liked.  Snowboard pipelines, and a snow mobile rally made the night exciting, high above the small city and ocean beyond.

It was snowing hard, but the steep snowy slopes were no match for the many 4X4’s that made their way up the hill.

No trees, and a very arctic looking ocean to ski down to, made the experience very special and unique. You could ski with your eyes closed, because there were so few people here.

Super premium all natural fish snacks – – – for dogs. It’s what Icelandic dogs eat.

One of the first things I do, when visiting another country, is to peruse the supermarket aisles. This looked interesting.

Our AirBNB was so pretty, the host is clearly an artist, with her paintings on most every wall, and lots of Scandinavian influenced color and patterns. Jess, as  a designer herself,  really liked it.

Jess posed on one of the many colorful sofas in our AirBNB.

On the way back ‘home’ to Reykjavic, the setting sun enhanced the views.

This country had such amazing vista’s and nature, that even though there were few interesting plants, especially in winter, I am certain that I will return again.

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Our land speeder made traversing this planet rather easy, and…it played gay disco music from the 70’s (which the native population apparently enjoys).

It’s not a stretch to imagine what it is like on Mars while touring Iceland. It’s easy to see why feature films often use Iceland’s epic scenery as a location for interplanetary travel, and to be honest, there were a few time while here that it felt a bit too much like ‘The Martian’, than it did Planet Earth. Here are a few more images of this beautiful and remote country.

Danger lurked everywhere, due to the cold temperatures and the atmospheric conditions.

In some valley’s. there was some low plant life, which was interesting given the volume of water on this planet.

Some areas were inhospitable, difficult to walk through so we could only document them on film. A distant volcano hinted at the planet’s geologic history.

Judging by the foot prints, we were not alone.

With some elevation, this blue planet displayed a tremendous volume of water. Most of it appeared crystal clear, and safe for drinking. Someone should bottle it and sell it.

Yet some of the water seemed un-drinkable and acidic at first. We found it to be highly alkaline. Blue cyan-bacteria populated some water sources, which the local’s used as a skin treatment (i.e. facial masks at the Blue Lagoon? I won’t share those pic’s.).

Our diet of licorice, vodka and herring made us feel vital and healthy.

Sulphureus fumes from fumaroles hinted that everything might smell like rotten eggs (it did).

There are few places to pee when there are no trees and our space suits were not equipped.

Rainbows were everywhere. actually, this was a snow-bow.

An interesting outpost hinted of another visit by other explorers – it held two cots, and some basic supplies enough for one night in the frigid temperatures.

The language here is difficult to learn. Siri, on our translation device did an admirable job.

Yet sometimes, Google Maps just seemed to make gibberish out of the language.

Spectacular waterfalls seemed to be at every turn, making a second visit a must.

Our land cruiser handled the rough terrain well, although we got pretty muddy.

…but the  atmosphere was totally breathable, (the design of our space suits was necessary color,  due to the color of the environment and for safety concerns).

We could not help but notice that there was only one sun in this system, but it didn’t warm the atmosphere that well.

The solar storms at night were brilliant, and safe. The symbol of the letter ‘M’ freaked me out a bit.

The Aurora Borealis ended each night with style. We were fortunate to be 2 hours from our basecamp one evening, which allowed us to capture amazing images without interference. We were not looking forward to our journey back home.

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It’s easy to see Iceland makes the top ten remote places to visit both with Lonely Planet and Unesco site lists.   We reach a ridge overlooking the magnificent Thjors River in the  Thjorsardalur valley in south-central Iceland.  Only one icy paved road, but not a single building, pylon or electric light  in sight – not mention that there were no jet trails.

Yes, even I need a vacation from plants.

So, after a long, and rather mild (and yet recently snowy?) late winter here in New England, an ‘island vacation’ seemed to be in order.  When the opportunity to visit Iceland with some friends came along, I acted quickly. Iceland is quickly becoming an ‘it’ destination, Iceland, although it has been on my ‘must visit’ list for an embarrassingly looooooong time.

Like….from the 1970’s when I was a kid.

This trip to Iceland helped fulfill a lifelong dream to one day re-create the tales in this 1959 book by bird artist George Miksch Sutton, a frequent read of mine, when I was in junior high.

My junior high school librarian surely knew this, as there was one book that I checked out so often that I remember her telling me that I should just buy it. This trip really started with ‘Iceland Summer – Adventures of a Bird Painter’, a summer of birding chronicled by the noted ornithologist and bird artist, George Miksch Sutton.

Recently, I found an old copy on eBay, and it made it’s way in my suitcase to northern Iceland, where I now sit near a window in the small city of Akureyi, about 40 miles from the Arctic Circle. It’s where we are starting our journey around the western and southern side of the country.

This Common Eider, a large sea duck, was just one of many in a flock I was observing in the Eyjafjor∂ur Fjord, just outside of the northern Iceland city of Akureyi – which sits about 40 Km from the Arctic Circle.

I am here with my friend Jess (who is neither a birder, nor a nature person, but we can compromise between design research, and rare birch species.). Because of this, I am just treating this trip more as a sourcing trek, than anything else – so that next time, when I come here, I’ll know where to go, and how things work.

I am too early to do any birdwatching, as most breeding migratory birds don’t arrive for a month or so, but I did see some Puffin’s on display in a gift shop – they still hunt them here, and eat their meat as well, but hunting is restricted.

There are few places on Earth so populated by nesting birds, however, and although most of the birds which migrate here have not arrived yet for nesting, there are few song birds – most are wading species or waterfowl. Still, Iceland is considered a global birding hotspot with millions of birds due to arrive any week now.

Hraun, or block lava is common here – a unique, young basaltic lava which is sharp enough to cut ones skin, is covered with Racomitrium, or soft-fringe moss, which turns brilliant green with the summer rains, but in winter, is still a beautiful sage tone.

Heather grows in the southern part of the country, and was the only plant I could find in bloom.

One doesn’t go to Iceland to see plants, and even from the alpinist’s perspective, the flora itself, is just not that uncommon.  The nation’s isolation has kept many species of plants limited (and gratefully, even reptiles and mosquitos don’t exist here!), but this isolation and harsh climate also brings with it challenges for the few plant which exist here.

The great sub-arctic means that plantlike if limited. Welcome to the tundra and tephra landscape,  the land of lichens and fringe-moss.

Woolly Willow predominates the landscape in many areas. Only a few meters tall, it is one of about half dozen species of dwarf of shrubby sub-arctic willows in Iceland.

Trees, in fact, are so rare, that the few forests which remain are small, and precious. Any native species of plants are face challenges from over-grazing, let alone natural challenges brought on by the harsh climate which affects soil microbes and fungi. All of this hampers any natural growth as it is because microbes affect soil fertility. Factor in a natural lack of nitrate and phosphate in the geologically  ‘new’ soil, and any growth with trees or plants, is limited.

Arctic Birches are rare, and mature, if not ancient ones like this, are even more rare in the Kjarr, or Icelandic Birch Forests.

The few forests which existed were populated with arctic birches. Only a few square miles of these old forests remain today, known as Kjarr – the Icelandic Birch Forests, where even ancient trees are only a few meters tall.).

Even where there are grasslands which are grazed, the scenes can be stunning. Especially during this transitional period between seasons.

To the tourist, and even the science minded who loves some ecotourism, the landscape and nature in Iceland is nothing but magnificent – – so unique, that few places on our planet can offer such an experience. Few words can capture the beauty and grandeur of nature here.

Perhaps the nicest outdoor bathroom in the world, sits near a tourist site. Good design is everywhere in Iceland.

Any trip to Iceland will undoubtedly include a tour around the ‘Golden Circle’, a popular tourist track which can take you around a few of the islands’  impressive natural wonders, but journey beyond the route, and one can really experience remote beauty. This is what I love about Iceland – it can be so remote, that an electric light, another car or even a gas station might not be seen for a hundred miles (worth noting, when it comes to gas!).

Beyond the ring road of highway 1, remoteness exists, requiring a 4×4 or even a more off-road vehicle with special tires. Our 4×4 was just a commercial rental, and we had to stop on this road near an ice cap, once we found another car stuck on a snow bank, which we helped lift and re-establish itself. They had to proceed forward, due to the incline being too icy to reverse, but we decided to turn around ( 60 miles from the nearest highway, it seemed like the smart thing to do).

I wish I still had my Land Rover 110, but here in Iceland, this is what one needs to rent – complete with a snorkel, and the strong suggestion to travel with at least one other vehicle in the remote areas. – note the thermal steam rising in the background here from a fissure.

Greenhouses are big in Iceland, all heated by geothermal energy and electricity, they allow Icelanders to raise tomatoes, cucumbers and even melons. This one focused on crops of lettuce. That said, fresh veggies were hard to find in most markets .

Behind the greenhouse, a huge pile of discarded lettuce root balls – not sure if this was a proper compost pile, or just trash – most of the debris here seemed to be peat based plugs discarded from hydroponic culture.

Sheep, which spend most of their winter indoors, re-appear in fields and meadows beginning in April. Over-grazing is a real problem in Iceland, as is hay production.

Some of these ecological challenges are being reversed though through re-introduction of native species and some controls on grazing. IT may be impossible to reverse the introduced species which are more aggressive such as the ironically iconic and lovely blue lupines so often featured in promotional images on travel sites and blogs. The lupine was introduced with good intent, in an effort to keep the overgrazed and baren volcanic soils from eroding, and in many instances they have achieved what they were introduced to do, but reversing this invasive plant which has seeded most everywhere, has been difficult.

Roads in Iceland are graded by whether they are paved or not. Most that venture inland, and into the highlands are either gravel, or just mud, requiring both large off-road wheels and vehicles. We had to help lift a 4×4 off of a snow ridge, which had become stuck – surprisingly, the drivers were tourists from Rhode Island.

The tundra is a landscape where the long, cold winter and short, cool summers of the arctic climate makes tree growth impossible. There are still vast areas of tundra in northern Iceland, but as you can see by these fences, grazing areas for sheep still exist, although the government is restricting more areas from the damaging effects of grazing.

Black Crow Berries, Empetrum nigrum are common food source for wildlife in the summer months. Berries have low moisture and higher protein, so some can last through the harsh winter, becoming a valuable food source for wildlife.

We drove along the western coast of Iceland, through the many fjords and inlets, to the northern city of Akureyi where we made basecamp in a nice AirBNB. From here, we took day trips to destinations ranging from magnificent waterfalls and a geyser to the Icelandic Winter Games, where we took in some Arctic Circle skiing and even a snow mobile rally.

A flock of Whooper swan (Cygnus cygnus), the Eurasian counterpart of the North American trumpeter swan, arrived for a summer of breeding in what is the most western part of their breeding zone which extends across sub-arctic Northern Europe.  They are considered to be one of the heaviest of the flying birds.

The farms however, are few and far between. Each, so attractive with their colored roofs, and old homes. We were lucky I think, to be here just after a late snowfall.

On the western coast, what appears to be icebergs are long stretches of land on either side of fjords, which stretch out into the sea. Their color was magnificent, and we were able to see them a different times of the day.

On the evening returning to Reykjavik, the same range transformed into a magical vista, reminiscent of another planet.

Frost lifts many of the grassy fields in what is known here as Pufa, or frost heaves. We’ve seen the same phenomenon in Switzerland as well. It makes walking difficult, and farmers hate it, as it can make a hay field un-mowable.

Massive glacial valleys in the north of Iceland were so impressive. Look – not a single house, nor an electrical pylon in view. This is what our planet must have looked like thousands of years ago.

All in all, the landscape here is stunning if not epic when it comes to beauty and natural wonders. Geysers, magnificent waterfalls, massive canyons, and rare geological formations ranging from basalt towers to deep fissures make Iceland like no other place on earth. Add in ice sheets, huge glaciers and some of the cleanest water and air in the world, and one can see why Iceland is so popular.

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Cheese makers from the Von Trapp Farmstead  in Waitsfield, Vermont offer samples of some of their award-winning creations. Oma was our favorite, a distinctive washed-rind/Tomme style organic unpasturized cows cheese.

Ooo – cheese! We’ve been cheese fans for a long time so when we were offered a chance to attend this years’ sold out  7th Annual Vermont Cheemakers Festival by our good friends Tom and Bennett, we couldn’t resist. This past weekend Joe and I boarded the dogs and drove up to the lush Green Mountains of Vermont for a bit a rest, relaxation and cheese. On the way up we stopped by Tom and Bennetts farm, Tom happens to not only be the event’s organizer but also is the executive director of the Vermont Cheese Council.  The two of them just adopted one of our dogs (Lydias last litter) so little Maeva was happy to see us, if only for an hour. After all, they are practically in-laws now.

Jasper Hill Farm  (Greensboro, VT) is one of the cheese makers who has helped change how the world and cheese enthusiasts think about Vermont cheese.  Their caves ( cellars) – an underground cheese-aging facility which they share with select cheese makers and local farms, offers the perfect temperature and  humidity for aging specific cheeses (such as blues). It is encouraging to hear about their collaborative efforts and about their many successes.

The event naturally focused on cheese, but many stalls featured other artisional items from Vermont and New England ranging from bourbon and other distilled spirits, to craft beer, wine, jams and jellies and even salumi.

For more about the cheese festival, click below:

Cheese becomes art at Cricket Creek Farm as demonstrated by the decorative pattern on these Maggies Round wheels.

Tom is also the head of the Vermont Cheese Council, and spends much of his time organizing this event which has become one of America’s 10 best US Food festivals according to Foders. This was the 7th Annual Vermont Cheesemakers Festival and if you haven’t been, mark it on your calendar for next year – that is, if you love cheese, wine, craft beer, chocolate, honey, and just about anything that comes from the ground or a kitchen in Vermont. The surprise for me was were this even was held -the spectacular grounds of Shelburne Farms in Shelburne Vermont.

The landscape at Shelburne Farms doesn’t look like this by accident – we have Frederick Law Olmsted to thank. Really!

Before I go any further – I have to share with you the location of this event, for that alone is worth a post.

Oh, just a little barn where they keep some sheep. The Coach Barn at Shelburn Farms may just be one of the most beautiful barns I’ve ever seen – Heck, it definitely is. Thank you 19th C. architect Robert Robertson – (by the way, nice name alliteration! And I can say that since I am Matt Mattus.).

The location couldn’t be more stunning, the event is held at Shelburne Farms, – a non profit education organization set of a camp that is 1,400 acre working farm, first and National Historic Landmark. Shelburne Farms is dedicated to cultivate a conservation ethic for a sustainable future. Located on the shores of Lake Champlain on a farm and estate built in 1886 with spectacular views created but he landscape architect Frederick Law Olmstead, Sr who created the conceptual designs for the grand landscape.

Italy? Nope. Vermont. The gardens behind the grand home at Shelburne Farms situated on Lake Champlain take me back to…Lago de Garda.

By itself, without the lakeside and the vista, this could be located in England and not northern Vermont.

The architecture perhaps even outlines the landscape vistas with buildings sand barns designed by the prominent architect Robert H. Robertson who designed the Farm Barn a Breeding Bard and a spectacular Coach Barn as well as the Shelburne house itself. This grand family residence and working farm once the home of Dr. William Seward and Lila Vanderbilt Webb  (yeah, those Vandebilt’s) was renown even then for its innovative practices. The site is such as treasure, and worth visiting or dining at if you are ever in northern Vermont.

Robert Robertsons craftsmanship in design. Incredibly detailed shingle and wood craftsmanship – for a barn.

The colors inspired me – those who know me know that I have a passion for shades of green on a house – even the Tyvek sheeting looks great on nicely designed houses until they cover it with beige clapboards. Bring back the green!

I can imagine the main house ( which is about a half mile from this coach house) calling down for three coaches – “Quick. Three coaches to take us to Starbucks in Burlington – pronto!”

Relaxing with a view.

Again, Italianate vision of Vermont (and New York State on the other side).

Papaver somniferous just finishing their season and developing their distinctive seed pods.

Down on the shore of Lake Champlain, a carriage path the leads on to the coach house and cheese making facilities.

This cheese festival started when Allison Hooper and Bob Reese of Vermont Creamery threw a party at Shelburne Farms, inviting their fellow cheese makers to celebrate their collective success in  putting Vermont of the map as the “Napa Valley of Cheese.” Today, Vermont has more cheese makers per capita than any other state, and more than 40 of them came together at this years’ festival at Shelburne Farms.

Bread, croissants and pastry balanced out the diet.

Aged cheeses and unpasturised cheese is making an heroic comeback here in Vermont.

With more than 200 cheeses that we could taste as well as purchase, as well as tons of artisan foods, local wines and Vermont-made beer and spirits, we spent many hours – I did find some favorites however. Barr Hill vodka (produced by Caledonia Spirits right on Barr Hill, in Hardwick, Vermont ) which Joe and I ‘tested’ in rather obscene volumes the night before,was just one that I enjoyed. This Vodka – well, listen – I’m one of those guys who just buys fancy Vodka believing that cheep Vodka burns ones throat? – I’m not sure if any vodka tastes any different from rubbing alcohol, but I want to “believe” that some of it does. Barr Hill Vodka was so smooth, that I first mentioned it to Joe before I knew that he spent a pretty penny on that first martini (and the second, and the third). Considering that now 8 hours later at 10 in the morning and I am sipping it once again ( hey, I was “testing” it – that’s all. And– I was on a 2 day vacation, OK?), I found that I had to buy a bottle. Thankfully, I didn’t have to – Joe already did.

Hotel Vermont (the Tonic which I didn’t know was a hotel too)  (actually the syrup) in the reddish bottle, was another favorite of mine – a table spoon in soda water and instant elixir. It’s in my refrigerator right now. Muddle in some lime and pea tendril as they did, and serve with a wedge of watermelon. Next time, maybe I will stay there?

Sidehill Farm jams and jellies ruled this part of one of the brand. Yum.

The American Honey Tasting Society table was very popular – maybe all those folks thought that those were cocktail glasses?

I make so many jams and jellies, but this was the only one that I bought here.  Marsh Hollow makes this  Triple berry with tart lemon and lemon zest. Can’t wait to open the jar this Saturday (Saturday, because I have certain rules about jelly). The beer jelly was tempting however – I ‘tested’ a few spoonfuls. OK. I admit it, but it was the Vodka, really.

Nuts! not local but prepared with love, locally with local ingredients! Besides, with a name like Squirrel Stash Nuts, I could not resist. Nice design, as well which gets kudos from me.

Besides the tents, many of the out buildings had vendors in them too.

I didn’t know what to expect when I say smoked maple syrup, but yum came out of my mouth. Sugar Bob’s Finest from Landgrove, VT  is indeed, the finest in my book. Bacon anyone?

Shakesbury Cider had great design, but it was too crowded to get a taste.

By noon, the event was pretty crowded and with the heat, we were starting to feel like melted cheese ourselves.

A walk up to the sweeping lawn near the estate house provided cool breezes and a spectacular view of the lake and event tents.

Overall, I voted for a brand which was already a favorite in our kitchen, the cultured butter with sea salt (like Paris)  by Vermont Creamery. They had a new one with maple sugar stirred into it.

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A just past prime Spotted Coralroot or Corallorhiza maculate blooms near the Santa Fe Basin Ski area.

NARGS members stop and gather at a trail head, before heading into the forest for our first hike at the Annual Meeting of the North American Rock Garden Society in Santa Fe.

Allium ceruum, the Nodding Onion blooms in the Sangre de Christo mountains at around 9,000 ft.

An Acer glabrum, a trifoliate maple looks a bit like poison ivy to me!

Geranium richardsonii

Common Woordland Pine Drops, Pterospora andromedea on the trail

Look! A Gilia flower! We ere excited, that is until we found many more on another mountain ( see below).

Common Harebells, or Campanula rotundifolia

We were so happy to have found this alpine saxifrage, Saxifraga bronchialis growing on a rock at around 9,000 elevation. I had to crawl out onto a ledge to get a photo of it.

Gentiana calycosa (?) not sure. Please correct me! Image taken  at 11,600 ft above the Santa Fe Ski Basin. Sorry for the poor quality, my battery pack ran out so I had to use my iPhone.

The great Panayoti Kelaidis from the Denver Botanic Garden, our hiking buddy, teaching me how to collect seed.

Ligularia pudica, a Ligularia with nodding flowers grows in a sub alpine meadow around 12,000 ft.

Zigadenus elegans ( or Z. venenosus)  the Meadow Deathcamas

High above the Santa Fe ski basin, at about 13,000 we could see for over 100 mile. Absolutely incredible.

Panayoti from the Denver Botanic Garden and my friends, Bella and Barbara from the Ontario Chapter of NARGS check out the roadside for some botanical treats. Below is what we found at about 10,000 feet.

A close up, or as close as I could get with my iPhone camera of Gilia ipomopsis aggregata

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Krasnaya Polyana? Yes, it’s where Snowboarding in Sochi currently rules…..but in the summer, these hills are alive with the sound of  plant people botanizing. This resort area known as the ‘Switzerland of Russia’, was off limits to any Westerner until maybe, hopefully now. This area around Sochi opens up a new botanical world to explore.

The answer is obviously, Sochi Russia, and with the Winter Olympics well under way, we are getting a chance to see some of the impressive scenery that exists in these remote villages in the western Caucasus’. Particularly in the small village of Krasnaya Polyana, where  most of the snowboard  events are held. Knows to Russians, for both skiing and summer hiking, few outside of the country have ever had a chance to visit, and explore these peaks and valleys so rich in flora. As I watch the snowboard events today, with those breathtaking images of icy rivers and footage of inspiring snow capped peaks in the NBC bumpers and interstitials, I can’t help but wonder about the inspiring adventures we could have there soon – searching for plant species as we hike and explore a region which, until recently, was difficult if not impossible to visit as an American.

In he autumn, the high elevation areas around Sochi offer spectacular scenery with streams, waterfalls and forests as well as one of most plant species diverse areas in on the planet in its alpine region.

Aside from the natural beauty and friendly people of this mountainous region, where the Caucasus truly become valuable is with its botanic treasures, many species which are unique to this area, are related to the forests along the same latitude ( primarily maples, beech and spruces), but in the high mountain meadows, and high mountain forests, the real treasures lie. Hellebores, Trolius, Delphinium and a few choice Galanthus ( Snowdrop)  species only found on these slopes, yet tragically, one the five known sites of an endangered snowdrop, Panjutin’s snowdrop (Galanthus panjutini),  which was just recognized in 2012, was reportedly destroyed by construction crews preparing the area for these very Olympic games. The species is now considered to be Endangered according to IUCN Red List criteria, as it is known from only five locations, and its only area of occupancy (AOO) is estimated to be 20 square kilometers, with a major part of that now destroyed due to the new Olympic facilities.

 On a lighter note, the Olympic Snowboard events are held in the small resort town of Krasnaya Poliana, a name which in English translates roughly into Red Meadow. The alpine plant authority Vojtech Holubec mentioned in his book THE CAUCASUS AND IT’S FLOWERS (Loxia 2006) states that the name may come from bright red autumn foliage of a large Rumex species which is abundant on these slopes.

Mountainous areas around the world are popular with plant people, where trails and lifts open up areas which would typically be inaccessible if it were not for ski resorts, and their gondolas.

Most mountainous areas share the same genus are certain elevations, like Pulsatilla, Anemone Trollius and Gentiana, these are the Pasque Flowers,  Buttercups and Gentians we all see on place mats at ski resorts, but the same genus here are unique. Pulsatilla aurea instead of the species common in the Swiss Alps, Pulsatilla alpina for instance. Of course, there are over 33 species of Pulstatila worldwide, each specific to a different mountain range, but without getting too geeky, those species of most alpine plants in the Caucasus are perhaps the most undiscovered, and when it comes to botanizing – hiking to see plants and then identifing them, photographing them and yes, Instagraming them, the Caucasus are going to offer us a whole new world to discover soon.

Other plants you may know, but which have rare relatives which hail the Caucasus include many species of Peony such as Paeonia mlokosewitschii (yeah, Molly-the-Witch), the ferny leaved alpine peony, P. tenuifolia, P caucasicam, P. wittmanniana and P. lagodechiana. Now, add to this many species of Corydalis, Saxifraga, many rare Primroses not in cultivation (Primula), and many campanula species and you can start to see how rich this area is with plants – and I haven’t even mentioned bulbs. If you are interested in hiking and exploring the Krasnaya Polyana area, you may want to visit the website Russkie Prostori, which presents many of the hikes and trails in the area which is also known as the Switzerland of Russia.

Now that there are modern lifts in at the ski resorts, it will be easier to explore the alpine flora in Krasnaya Polyana. which offers more species per square meter than any mountain in the Swiss Alps.

 I hope the events go well, for both the athletes and for the people who live in this once remote area of Russia, for now that there are hotels and ski resorts here, and many sporting events planed for the future, that the area will also be open for hikers and trekkers looking for new places to botanize. Ski areas with modern lifts offer a secondary benefit of summer high elevation sightseeing and sports, but before the mountain bikers take to the trails, it’s common for hikers and plant lovers to take gondolas and lifts up to the highest peaks, to not only save time in trekking up the mountain, but to save ones knees and legs.

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