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Lily Group Programme 2017
We will have had a joint meeting with the Fritillaria Group Spring Meeting at Kew on Sunday 26th March in the School of Horticulture for which see www.fritillaria.org.uk It includes a tour of the Alpine yard and house with lectures open to the public. We welcome this opportunity to renew our previous close relationship.
The Lily Group Stand at the RHS Spring Plant and Orchid Show on 29-30th March will include the usual photographic display together with seeds, growing advice and publications but no talks or plant sales this event. By contrast the next stand will occur during the ' Shades of Autumn' Show at Vincent Square on 25th 26th October and include the AGM, the Bulb Auction and a lecture on the Visit to Greece. Any members visiting the show would be most welcome to join committee members on the stand for an hour to encourage new members.
The Evenley Wood Lily and Rose Festival will be held on Sunday 25th June
The memorial service for Tim Whiteley will be held at 2 pm Thursday 1st June in the garden.
The Lilies of Greece Tour 1st-9th July with Christopher Gardener,Vira Natura is fully booked, but may be repeated in 2018, so is described below
The Lily Group visit to the Savill Garden will take place on Wednesday 19th July.
AGM and Bulb Auction Thursday 26th October-see above.
More details can be obtained later on the web site or from the Secretary Tony Dixon.
Lily Books: The chairman has a substantial list of publications available . A range of books in English, European and Oriental languages
NALS Year books 1948-1980. The Lily Year Books 30 random numbers from 1932. Anyone interested please contact her. Any money raised will go to the Lily group.
RHS LILY GROUP TOUR TO GREECE 1 - 9 JULY 2017
Organised by Duncan Coombs. Email dcoombs@warwickshire.ac.uk
TOUR COST 1,810 Euros (based on two sharing, reduced from 1,900 Euros)
180 Euros (single supplement)
INCLUDES All accommodation in comfortable hotels • All meals and transport • Guiding
EXCLUDES International flights (BA currently less than £200 return) • Personal travel insurance Personal expenses • Drinks (alcohol or soft drinks at evening meal). Note, we have soft drinks, juice etc. for lunch.
Day 1 To Thessaloniki
After arriving in the afternoon at Thessalonik airport we will have dinner and a night at the comfortable Royal Hotel.
Day 2 Mount Vournos
A couple of hours or so to the north-west of Thessaloniki is Mount Vournos with thriving populations of Lilium carniolicum growing amid a wealth of other alpine flowers including Digitalis viridiflora, Dianthus deltoides, Viola doefleri and the globular heads of Campanula foliosa. The rest of the day will be spent exploring and enjoying the high mountain slopes. In the afternoon we'll desend and dsrive past the scenic Prespo Lakes to the village of Agios Germanos.
Day 3 To Papigo via Vikos Gorge
In the morning we will transfer to the Pindos Mountains, stopping to look at Morina persica and other interesting roadside plants. Nestled among the spectacular landscapes of Mount Timfi is the dramatic Vikos Gorge. A small population of Lilium chalcedonicum grows here in the woods too. And nearby areas have impressive spikes of Himantoglossum caprinum and other orchids. The night will be spent in the delightful Zagorian village of Papigo at the entrance to the gorge.
Day 4 Smolikas o/n Papigo
North-east of Papigo is Mount Smolikas, the best location to find Lilium carniolicum ssp. albanicum. To reach the lilies we will have to walk several kilometres and gain six hundred metres in altitude, they grow at 2400m, roads only reach until 1800m, but we will have all day to do this. Overnight in Papigo.
Day 5 Kipi & Aoos Lake o/n Metsovo
A strong population of Lilium candidum grows around Kipi, but we are unlikely to see them in good flower as their season is earlier. However, there may still be a few in flower so we will visit these as well as the impressive triple arch stone bridge. Driving on we will arrive at Aoos Lake, a deligthful flower-rich location. The rest of the afternoon will be spent travelling around the lake to see the abundant Dactylorhiza saccifera, Gymnadenis conopsea, Anthericum lilago, Pinguicula crystallina and handsome spikes of Digitalis grandiflora. The night will be spent in Metsovo at an excellent hotel with an attached winery.
Day 6 To Drama via Mount Vermion o/n Drama
A long transfer across northern Greece is necessary, but good fast roads make this easy enough and the journey will be broken with a visit to Mount Vermion to see Lilium chalcedonicum in the oakwoods there. Overnight is in the beautifully positioned village of Taxiarches.
Day 7 Megalo Lividi o/n Drama
Perhaps the most sought after lily of the tour is Lilium rhodopaeum and these grow in the lush, forest clad hills of Rhodope National Park and in inaccessible places. 4WD vehicles are necessary to cope with the bad roads, but the forests are a delight and hopefully we will get to see this beautiful species. Growing nearby are also small colonies of purple-pink Lilium martagon ssp cataniae. Overnight Taxiarches.
Day 8 Mount Falakron o/n Thessaloniki
Lilium martagon ssp cataniae also occurs on Mount Falakron, which is also host to some fine alpines with Hypericum olympicum, Anthyllis aurea and lots of Digitalis lanata. Depending on flight timings we will overnight in Taxiarches or return to Thessaloniki in the afternoon.
Day 9 Return flights or return to Mount Vournos
For anyone interested we can return for a night to Mount Vournos for the day where the large colony of Lilium martagon ssp cataniae should be in flower by now. Once again the roads are bad and we will need 4WD vehicles. o/n Thessaloniki.
Day 10 Return flights.
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