Making amends: Mongolia revisited (part 2)

I looked back in horror! I only began this Blog two or three months AFTER this magical trip was over...and the next year, when I went back, I never bothered to describe THAT trip to Kazakhstan and Mongolia either. Fortunately, the images are fresh, and the impressions vivid within me, so I make amends. Why part 2 then? It should be part five: it happens to be the first chunk of pictures I've uploaded from around July 10, 2009. I will restrain from too much commentary--or I'll never get the other pictures done! The picture above was taken after we'd crossed the high pass: we're very near China and Kazakhstan at this point, but still in Mongolia--easy to find on a map! Those camels carried our gear (thank you camels!).

Eurybiam (Aster) sibirica

Mark McDonough will not approve because I don't show the whole plant--but I'm rather proud of this picture and will probably make it my Facebook header when this posting comes out. You'll see some of the other players in this picture in a bit!

I love this shot: the most elemental of rock gardens. By the way, this is the part of Mongolia where "the Eagle Huntress" was shot--one of the best movies I've seen in the past year--do check the movie out to see the amazing life the regional Turkic people lead. Progress may not be so progressive.

Saussurea alpina

There are seven or eight Saussureas in this region, and this one seems  closest to the widespread Eurasian species.

Dracocephalum grandiflorum

I've grown this once or twice in my garden and gave up. Then Mike Bone planted it in the Steppe garden at Denver Botanic Gardens where it seems to be thriving: go figure! The most magnificent of Dragonheads. It was everywhere in the Altai at altitude.

Dracocephalum grandiflorum

Crepis chrysantha

I'm pretty sure of the identification. Some fuddy duddy will say "looks just like a dandelion" (there's oa killjoy in every crowd).

Allium amblyophyllum

Won't swear to the I.D.--but if it's not this species it's close. We saw dozens of Alliums on this trip, one lovelier than the next.

Swertia banzragczii

Not your typical gentian. The range of swertias in Asia is amazing. We saw one in Pakistan that looked and grew just like a crocus! Their VERY close cousins in the Rockies (the Fraseras--which I think are really Swertias) are stunningly variable, including some remarkable xerophytes.

Persicaria bistorta (elliptica)

Very similar to our alpine bistort in the Rockies--one of dozens of close parallels.

Aconogonon (Polygonum) divaricatum

The various polygonaceous herbs with feathery flowers were striking in both the Altai and the Tian Shan--many would make wonderful garden plants.

Ligularia altaica

I saw a remarkable range of ligularias in the Reykjavik Botanic Garden--not quite in bloom at about the same time of year. I believe this was one of them: I'd love to try this in my garden.

Juniperus pseudo-sabina

I am quite sure we saw several species of carpeting Juniper, though this seems to be the predominant species--here covered with male strobili...

Juniperus pseudo-sabina

Juniperus pseudo-sibina

And here's the girl: suspiciously similar to Juniperus communis in Colorado.

Papilio machaon

The common swallowtail of Eurasia also occurs in the Rocky Mountains, albeit in a slightly different color phase and subspecies.

Here it is featured on a Mongolian stamp:

Pedicularis rhinanthoides

Quite a few pedicularis--this being one of the most distinctive. 

Sanguisorba sp. ign.

The views and vistas were enchanting. Fun to watch the horsemen ford the streams. There weren't bridges hereabouts! Don't ask how we did it.

Rheum altaicum

The rhubarbs were dotted here and there--never abundant. I believe they've been pretty heavily impacted by humans over the millennia.

Sedum (Hylotelephium) ewersii

On our next trip we saw this in glorious bloom--the stem is from last year's flowering--a fabulous saxatile plant.

There's always thyme! As this blog proves.

          Thymus cf altaicus (praecox)    

There's always "thyme" as this post proves!

Veronica porphyrantha

One of the gems we managed to tame from this trip. A striking veronica.

Campanula albovii

I grew this in the 1980's from a Russian Botanic garden--and would love to again. A large flowered, graceful montane plant. May actually be C. altaica...

Geranium collinum

One of several geraniums we saw on the trip--and a lovely one.

Woodsia alpina

It could be Woodsia ilvensis: ferns are as rare and elusive in the Altai as they are in the Rockies--so we're always thrilled to find one.

I love to see the root systems on trees--pretty skimpy really for the size of the trunk.

I love the fairy ring on the juniper here. Very different morphology on the plants--I suspect several species are in play.

Just in case you thought it was all a picnic--the mosquitos in one area were horrendous--but strangely few bites. Truth be said, we only encountered them in one small stretch. It was pretty idyllic.

There's Mike--you can see how he's suffering.

And we descend to our last camp...near the borders. After dozens of miles of pristine mountains, the herding masses of livestock have appeared. But then, these landscapes have always had many ungulates--and the sheep and goats and cattle are pretty much in the same mode...

The border between the National Park? China? Kazakhstan? I wish I could remember...

Here is the border between the grazed bit, and that waiting for winter pasture. And so ends the second of many postings I hope I may unroll as the winter passes from one of the most enchanting expeditions I have ever been on.

(The trip was funded by Plant Select, q.v., and undertaken under the auspices of Denver Botanic Gardens. I am deeply grateful to both organizations for providing me the opportunity to visit this part of the world not once, but twice!)

Two hot little numbers from the steppes of Mongolia

1 Panzerina lanata

 In 2009, I was very fortunate to be able to visit Westernmost Mongolia on a trip with Mike Bone--Curator of Steppe Collections at Denver Botanic Gardens. As we drove back from the Eagle mountains towards Bayan Olgii, we noticed this magnificent little mint along the road. I managed to take ten pictures of it--every one of which I rather like: perhaps you can let me know which is your favorite? They're conveniently numbered!

2

 I should clarify that I'm not entirely sure if this is Panzerina lanata or P. canescens: they seem very close. And both occur widely in the vicinity of the Altai where these were photographed.

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10

 Growing here and there with these (if not so abundantly) was Goniolimon congestum, at least I believe that's what this is. Or perhaps just a microform of Goniolimon speciosum? I managed several  pictures of this as well...

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On strange new plants like these, it is always instructive to see them in different lights and from different angles.

Now if we can only add these to our steppe gardens!

Two terrific trees...

Acer monspessulanus in east Denver

 If I had to pick one favorite tree....well, I couldn't. But Montpelier maple may be near the very top of the list of five or so in Denver. This specimen was first shown to me twenty, maybe thirty years ago by Lainie Jackson, one of the most long term volunteers at Denver Botanic Gardens. I have admired it ever since, and since it's on my commute from work to home (and vice versa) I often drive by to admire it. And bring friends along to do so--colleagues in the instance above: I recognize Ebi Kondo in the middle, Mark Fusco on the left, but not the bearded gent (this WAS several years ago)...

Acer monspessulanus in seed at Denver Botanic Gardens

These are seedpods on a seedling of the maple in the first shot we grew where the Childrens garden is now. It was moved to the parking near Waring house where it transplanted and is thriving, although perhaps a tad stunted from its change. It sets wonderful samaras nonetheless!

Acer monspessulanus in fall color

Many a maple has good fall color: but this ancient specimen (I guestimate 100 years old) does so each year--old gold in some lights, more daffodil yellow in others (see below). The tree is really big--although perhaps just 40 tall, it's very happy. I don't think it's been watered in a very long time. These are drought tolerant plants!

Acer monspessulanus in fall color

I love the elegant trident shaped leaf: there IS a trident maple (we have one in Plantasia at the Gardens) but Acer buegerianum is from a humid, maritime climate rather than from the Mediterranean. I doubt it would tolerate this sort of dry spot.

Acer monspessulanus in fall color

Euonymus bungeanus in red fruit

I have rhapsodized about this tree in another blog, But driving by the parkways on the way home and seeing them glimmering with red berries: time to rhapsodize again. This giant Euonymus was planted generously in the magnificent boulevards designed by Mayor Speer and Saco DeBoer almost precisely 100 years ago. They're one of Denver's real marvels--just take a closer look at that trunk! I've always thought they'd be ideal trees for Japanese Gardens since they take on the sinuous look that suits these naturally. And this does grow wild in Japan. Interestingly enough, it appears as though it extends its range into Steppe climates, and I have one in my garden that is thriving--and un-watered!

Euonymus bungeanus closer view

If you drive down 17th or 6th Avenue--or other Boulevards as well--you can hardly help but notice the blazing yellow and red color of these magnificent and unique trees.

Euonymus bungeanus fruit closeup

I think it's ironic that two of the best trees for Denver are restricted to one or two homes in the case of the maple, and to boulevards in the case of the Euonymus.

But they may have a grander future in the next century as we wake up to the value of Tree Diversity!