Ulu Dag remembered

Acantholimon ulicinum

Looking at Facebook and Instagram, at gardens in full flush of glory in California and Britain and the Southeast, I squirm a bit at our incredibly tardy season (Galanthus just coming on for Heaven's sake). Perhaps you won't blame me for dipping into the vast ocean of my image library, revisiting Ulu Dag--the majestic mountain south of Istanbul (Constantinople as I still call it!)--the mountain that also went by Olympus in Greek times. My trip was funded by a scholarship from Chanticleer, and I was accompanied by Bob Beer (whose picture turns up)--our expert Turkish interpreter, as well as Lefteri Dariotis (better known as Liberto Dario) who deterimined most of these plants (any mistakes are mine however) and Eric Hsu, the Plant collections maestro of Chanticleer gardens. The second leg of our journey took most of us to Greece, but that's another story!  [P.S. not including much commentary--plants herein were all photographed in Ulu Dag National Park--listed alphabetically]

Aethionema (Eunomia) oppositifolia

Ajuga orientalis

Alyssum sp.

Alyssum sp.

Anthyllis vulneraria v. pulchella

Andryala vulneraria v. pulchella

Astragalus angustifolius and Lefteri (Liberto) Dariotis

Astragalus angustifolius

Asyneuma limonifolium

Erica (Bruckenthalia) spiculifolia

Campanula olympica

Castanea sativa

Cephalanthera rubra

Daphme oleioides

Daphne pontica

Dianthus giganteus

Draba brunifolia

Erysimum pulchellum

Erysimum pulchellum and Viola altaica

Gentiana verna

Geum coccineum

Helianthemum canum

Helichrysum plicatum

Hypericum calycinum

Lamium garganicum 

Linum olympicum

Lotus corniculatus

Myosotis olympicum

Orchis mascula ssp. pinetorum

Orobanche elatior

Paronychia amani

Pedicularis comosa ssp. sibthorpii

Salvia tomentosa

Saxifraga sempervivum

Sedum acre

Sedum alpestre

Sedum pallidum ssp. bithynicum

Sedum hispanicum

Sedum pallidum ssp. bithynicum

Eric Hsu and Lefteri (Liberto) Dariotis

Verbascum olympicum

Veronica caespitosa in seed

Veronica teucrium

Viola altaica