Dracaena Draco

17 december, 201717 december, 2017 / Leya / 10 kommentarer

As we did not manage to walk the whole garden before dark, we returned the next day. I knew there was a Dracaena Draco path on the steep slopes – I just had to walk it!

I have always been fascinated by the Dragon tree, and many years ago I went to Icod de los Vinos, Tenerife, to see the ancient Draco, 22 meters high and trunk diameter 10meters. The inhabitants here call it El Drago Milenario: the Thousand-Year-Old Dragon.

On the ground, under Draco’s canopy, I picked 5 possible new trees…planted them at home, and – they grew up to beautiful little trees all of them. I gave away all except one. I cared for it lovingly for many years, but when it was about 1.50 meters high, a Swedish summer killed it. Too much rain made the top fall off, rotten. The tree never recovered.

So, in the the botanical garden, on the steep slopes of the Barranco de Guiniguada, Gran Canaria, I picked another 7 possible Dracaena draco. Hopefully some of them will start growing…and I will keep them away from the Swedish summer rains…

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And the reward for returning here this day was…

…all I could ask for!

Jardin Canario

16 december, 201717 december, 2017 / Leya / 25 kommentarer

Establishing this botanical garden was the life work of the Swedish-Spanish botanist Erik Ragnar Svensson (1910–1973), who searched – and found – the optimal site for this garden, one that could successfully accommodate many of the diverse plant species of the Canary Islands. The garden was layed out in Tafira Alta, near Las Palmas, and the Jardín Botánico Canario Viera y Clavijo was officially opened in 1959. Svensson (Sventenius) served as its first director. When he died in a traffic accident in 1973, David Bramwell was appointed his successor in 1974.

According to Wikipedia, the garden comprises approximately 27 acres (10 hectares), on which approximately 500 plant species endemic to the Canary Islands are cultivated. Important divisions are the ”Garden of the Islands” (Jardín de las Islas), the ”Garden of Cacti and Succulents” (Jardín de Cactus y Suculentas), where approximately 10,000 cultivars of succulents are on display, the ”Macaronesian Ornamental Garden” (Jardín Macaronésico Ornamental), and the “Hidden Garden” (El Jardín Escondido) with greenhouse. Also worthy of mention are the pinetum (El Pínar) and the ”Laurel-leaved Forests” (Bosque de Laurísílva), featuring trees which once covered most of Macaronesia prior to Spanish settlement. At the ”Fountain of the Wisemen” (La Fuente de Los Sabios), botanists who discovered and described the flora of the Canary Islands are honored.

But we will remain in the impressive garden of cacti and succulents. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did! The last tree in this gallery is a gigantic ficus.

A Walk In the Cactus Garden

15 december, 201715 december, 2017 / Leya / 7 kommentarer

In fact maybe the most astonishing one I have ever seen – and I visit in every country and every city I go…But this particular garden is very well thought through, which shows in its architecture and its natural environment. (It was a Swede that started it, Sventonius.)

So, the Canary Islands’ Botanical Garden, situated just west of Las Palmas, in Tafira Baja, is well worth a visit – and not just because of its cactus garden. Let us go, tomorrow!

Cee’s B&W Photo Challenge: Abandoned or Alone

14 december, 201714 december, 2017 / Leya / 10 kommentarer

Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge: Abandoned or Alone

Hiking the mountains of Gran Canaria, I saw this dog standing in an old shed. He sounded abandoned, but I guess he was only left alone there while his master was working elsewhere.

The sound of a raven echoes – and there he was, high up on a rock, with a splendid view of his domains. I tried to zoom him in, but he was perched very high up.

Travel theme: Love

13 december, 2017 / Leya / 11 kommentarer

Travel theme: Love

What is Love?

Well, there are so many ways of showing it…

…and we all want it…

…mmm, and sometimes it is so obviously shining and true!

I guess the one thing in common is – we ALL need it!

Wordless Wednesday

13 december, 201713 december, 2017 / Leya / 3 kommentarer

Hiking the Roque Nublo Area

12 december, 201712 december, 2017 / Leya / 13 kommentarer

We went for the light – and a week of hiking joy. The Canary Islands still have a lot to offer even if you are not a beach person.

I have been to this volcano island once before, and fell in love with the Roque Nublo area in the middle of Gran Canaria. The highest peak is almost 2000 metres, and sometimes there is even snow here.

Driving through scorched areas on our way up, we wondered how much of the island had been taken by the big fires. Spain’s mainland was also much burnt this year. Much of this particular area was destroyed in September this autumn.

Passing Cruz de Tejeda – the hike started early in the morning. Some hikers already there!

Raging fires have left their mark in many places of Spain this year

The colours are returning – or still there – after the fires…

A diverse landscape with open, sunny parts and then shady pine forests

The light is soothingly bright and lifted our spirits – back home it would have been dark and rainy the whole, short day. The temperature about the same though, 5-7 degrees C…

Turquoise saplings getting healthy sun

Those who never have experienced a Swedish November, cannot imagine the joy of this light and this blue sky!

I love the look of those distant mountains…

… and in the forest – some quiet companions don’t mind you coming close.

Because, we are all hiking here together, aren’t we?

WPC: A Cheeky Hoopoe – or…

11 december, 201711 december, 2017 / Leya / 23 kommentarer

Maybe it was me being cheeky, trying to take photos of him eating…but he sized me up with his beady eyes, flashed his imposing crest – and kept eating. The Eurasian hoopoe is a real beauty.

Thursday Thoughts – We Must Make it Work!

30 november, 2017 / Leya / 7 kommentarer

Every December I remember our month in New Zealand some years ago. Never have I been to a country where I found so much and so many to admire and love.

This is where our antipodes live, this is where I had one of my first penfriends, this is the country whose nature I believe to be the most diverse and beautiful in the world. And this is where Rainbow Warrior went down, sending many people around the world into an unbelievable state of shock.

We are constantly reminded of how much we contaminate our world, and the focus here in Swedish media, right now, is the sea, the oceans.

Just like in Wellington, we can still bathe, swim and fish in Stockholm – but for how long?

I am a member of many organizations trying their best to help preserving our planet for generations to come. But right now, we receive news every day about all the plastic and micro plastic in the oceans – a terrible threat to all organisms-

So, I think again, with my heart wide open, about how much I respect and love NZ, its people and its genuine efforts to help the world stay healthy. Down to every detail… for example the artwork made for making us humans see and do the right things.

And these are only two, small, brilliant examples out of many, many…we saw new examples every day.

Hopefully it is not too late for the world – but You, and all of us, have to do our bit, our part, every day – to save our enigmatic and fantastic planet. Start with the little things…don’t use plastic bags, bring your own when you go shopping. Don’t throw old medicine in the toilet, in Sweden we leave them at the pharmacy for destruction.

Can you say you try to do everything you can to help? I know I try – but I also know I can do so much more.