Fours hours' walk in the Eyne national park, and a lovely mountain meadow landscape spread itself out before us. It would have been even more colourful a month ago, but still there were blues, purples, pinks, yellow, and loads of waving and foaming white French Cow Parsley... or Ammi as it has become fashionably known in the garden world. The blues and mauves were from Geranium Pratense, the hardy geranium that is the basis of so many perennial garden plans for dry and shady areas. To see it reveling in the sunshine (though at a rarified 1600m) was a delight. The best sight was these two waving together in the wind - how could it be photographed? It was such a moving sight I had to video it to get the best record of the combination.
Also a pale pink Ammi, though that was further down the mountain, so possibly a sport. Sitting together were Scabious and Thrift, both a gorgeous fuschia/Sciaparelli pink. Little bright pink Dianthus too, and a small paler pink one with a deep perfume. And Spotted Orchids, just like you get on the Lewes bypass! Pyrenean Valerian, pale pink and a beautiful scented flower like Valerian Officialis at home. A tiny white and yellow pansy or viola, occasionally tinged with lilac.The yellows included a plant I had not seen before, a tall and stately single stalk, a rosette of four fleshy leaves at its base, and a series of yellow upturned points, arranged around in a circle on the stem, with a little frill of green under each, like a chandelier. It reminded me of the fritillary lily, but it wasn't until we had a look in the Maison de la Vallée (visitor centre) that we found it is a Gentiane Géant, a Yellow Gentian.
Now, none of these flowers were in the Pyrenees mountain flower book. Are they garden escapees? Certainly the gardens about the village abounded in them as well, with lupins and other cottage garden plants. Hmmm, needs a bit more research. In the meantime I have saved a few sprigs of the seed of each, and will plant it fresh, and see what happens.
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