Fern Expedition

Last Sunday we visited quarry 't Rooth for a fern "expedition".

The kenderman is a member of the Dutch Fern society and I was allowed to join them.
The weather was perfect and the group was small...

Our guide had the key to this abandoned quarry.
This area is closed of and managed by the Limburgs Landschap.

 a not so rare but (to me) very beautiful chalk loving Asplenium trichomanes

(link in English and Dutch)

Polystichum aculeatum a.k.a. hard shield-fern (link in English and Dutch)

a rare and to me a new thistle : Carlina vulgaris (link in Dutch)

 a to me new Dipsacus: Dipsacus pilosus (link in Dutch)

Asplenium ceterach aka Rustyback (link in English and Dutch)

And just before we split up... some giveaways to whoever interested in ferns.

You can find a link to more fern posts here

Perfect Day

Yesterday we went hiking with friends in Vijlen...

After lunch we walked down hill...

we followed the Geul upstream...

came across some beautiful half-timbered houses...

and then we climbed up the steep hill...

and down hill again for the final destination...

so we could sit down for a rest with a view... and enjoy another meal together.

What a perfect day!

Plant Hunt

We visited Bastin. One of our favourite nurseries. We found some Salix exigua!
We lost 2 big ones in a storm in 2010. Now we can replace them at last :)