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| In
March 2010, we enjoyed a superb 12 day visit to Bhutan.
Travelling with Ornitholidays,
the trip was titled “Birds & Buddhism” so
that, not only were we looking for Himalayan bird species
but also had the opportunity to see and maybe understand
the culture & religion of the country. |
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However,
with our interest in flowers and particularly
Alpines, where better to see them than at
10,000+ feet altitude. Sadly, we were just a
little early for the best displays of wild
flowers and especially the Rhododendrons but,
while we got a taster of what it might have been
2 – 3 weeks later, we did see carpets of Primula whitei. This
picture was taken at 11,000 feet, just below the
pass of Dochu La.
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| (An
AGS trip to this pass in July 2002 is described
in the Bulletin, Vol 72 p 271, but while they
were 'overwhelmed' by the diversity of the
flora, Primula whitei was long past). |
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| High
mountain woodland is the typical habitat of P.
whitei, which requires cool growing conditions and
dislikes hot summers. It is named for Sir
Claude White, who found it in 1905.
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| One
of the amazing buildings that we saw & visited
was the Punakha Dzong. This was in fact the former capital of Bhutan. It was
built as a combination of fortress, civic centre
& temple.
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