Botanic Gardens in Bohinj

Mountain Avens - Dryas octopetala TOURISM BOHINJ Triglavska cesta 30, SI - 4264 Bohinjska Bistrica Tel: +386 (0)4 574 75 90 Fax: +386 (0)4 574 75 91 www.bohinj.si

Bohinj

Botanic gardens in Bohinj LAS GORENJSKA KO©ARICA: LIN 2009 Sprehodimo se po neznanem podeæelju - 9. faza Informativni material

Lokalna akcijska skupina za razvoj podeæelja

Evropski kmetijski sklad za razvoj podeæelja

“GORENJSKA KO©ARICA”

Evropa investira v podeæelje

Text: Jurij Dobravec, Design: Nimbus Kranj, Printed by: Trajanus d.o.o., Year of issue: 2010, Photos: Peter Strgar, Karmen Pavliha, Tomaæ Sedej

• GoriËica by Bohinjska Bistrica • »rna prst • Velo polje

All plant lovers in the world feel a special affiliation for the alpine flowers. When we think of ruthless life environment, long lasting winters, steep cliffs, winds, and catastrophes we can not help but wonder how these colorful beings survive. The fact is that in the mountains plants are different, more resistant, adjusted to the harsh climate and weather, lack of water, erosion etc. It sounds a little bit strange but they have problems with finding a partner. Not everyone is good, not everyone is appropriate. Descendants have to be vigorous and healthy in order to continue and sustain the genus.

Therefore mountain flowers are colorful and thus attract insects which connect partners and pollinate.

In Bohinj, which lies under the southern slopes of the Alps, the conditions are a bit milder. Thus, we can find plants which are expected to be seen closer to the sea. They sustain in groups at the sunny sides, screes, and valleys. Valleys are known for its inversion of temperature; below, there is still the winter cold and above it is getting warm. Visit Vogar, Javornica or Podjelje in the winter! Bohinj is special due to a lot of natural non-forested land; most of these lands are high in the mountains, above the timberline. Some are also lower, for instance grassy marshes at the bottom of the valleys and peat bogs. Throughout the millennium flowers have independently developed all over these different areas. Primordial plants sustain also on the traditional mowed meadows.

To see all the alpine flowers − a wish of above-mentioned lovers − is not an easy task. It is necessary to trudge along all the mountain paths and to overcome the steep terrain to reach some of the sites.

On the way our exhausted body is not able to observe carefully.

Grassy Leaved Iris - Iris graminea

Dark Rampion - Phyteuma ovatum

Bohinjska perunika - Iris cengialti f. vochinensis

Crimped Bellflower - Campanula zoysii

It is possible that we get a quick impression of the meadow.

However, the body does not note the colors which we might otherwise see detailed.

Due to nowadays fast paced life we pay much more attention to alpine gardens, alpinums, botanic paths and other sorts of botanic gardens where the plants are almost touchable. The visitor has the time to learn official names of the flowers; maybe he or she has the luck to listen to the professional or common explanation. Bohinj with its flourishing variety has always attracted many professionals. Therefore, we know a lot about plants. What is more, we also have three botanic gardens, each with its own characteristics. The common quality is very commendable: the gardens are natural − it has not been needed for the plants to be brought to the place as it happens mostly in other cases. Here, they live in domestic habitats from generation to generation. While at the GoriËica hillock by Bohinjska Bistrica we can still encounter some lowland and highland flower varieties, we can see a whole range of authentic mountain flowers under the Mount »rna prst, especially at the Velo polje under the Mount Triglav. These treasures will remain due to our reasonable attitude to the nature which we have inherited. The three gardens with all their flowers and vegetation expect you with a warm welcome.

However, each botanic garden, each rock garden is just a picture, a proxy of the real colorful beauty. They present a classroom and are basically a lesson for us in order to be closer to the nature.

Narcissus-flowered Anemone - Anemone narcissiflora