International Dendrology Society trip – days eight and nine
Raef Johnson was awarded a bursary to join a two week trip to Georgia with the International Dendrology Society. Dendrology is the study of the natural history of trees and woody plants.
The society aims to bring together dendrologists from around the world to promote the study and enjoyment of trees and to conserve rare and endangered plant species.
Georgia, day 8
A morning walk along the cliffs above Batumi heeds little new native plants, but plenty of exotics such as Juglans manschurica, citrus and tea (Camelia sinensis). These were all planted by the Soviets for feeding the country, but are now left to nature.
The afternoon was spent further up the coast at Batumi Botanical Garden, it is 112 hectares of one of the finest growing climates in the world.
4500mm of rain falls a year here and winter temperatures average at around 7 degrees, this means that fresh cut grass can be over waist height in one week! All species of trees in the botanical garden are towering tall and magnolias flower in January due to the climate.
Georgia, day 9
The waterproofs were unpacked for the first time today as we headed into the lush cloud covered mountains in Mtirala National Park - rain is a cert. Little new to us is found in the park, except for the beautiful flowering Rhododendron ungernii, triumphantly found by the intrepid rhododendron experts of the group, Peter Cox and Peter Hutchinson.
