South Eastern Connecticut Landscaping

Your vanity garden is scarcely the first place you look for salad toppings. Instead, most turn to the leafy standbys–lettuce, cabbage, kale, spinach. Throw in a few slices of zucchini or a handful of cherry tomatoes, maybe sprinkle the bowl with a few herbs to push the salad toward “exotic.” But what if I told you that eating the florid, elegant blooms that might otherwise end up in a vase is as natural as dousing your Caesar with dressing?

I’m not saying you should go right out and make a trial-and-error buffet of your window planter. There are only certain flowers that you would have any desire to eat, as many are poisonous or taste beyond awful. And that’s all the disclaimer I can give: don’t eat anything unless it is properly identified.

Plenty of flowers have already made a name for themselves in the culinary nomenclature; mint, lilac, lavender, jasmine–they tend to find a home in teas. But what about snacking fare? TreeHugger recently put together a collection of the delicious, dainty, and downright delectable flowers of the gardening scene that could make their way onto your plate with minimal preparation.

For our purposes we focus on a heavy-hitter in the middle of the list, the nasturtium, a favorite of Impressionist Claude Monet and a regular on international dinner tables. The brilliant flowers and rich green foliage are entirely edible, and offer what TreeHugger calls a “sweet, floral flavor bursting with a spicy pepper finish.” More than a simple garnish, nasturtium flowers and seed pods have found their way into traditional stir-fry dishes, pickling jars, and hors d’oeuvre platters.

It’s doubtful Monet was ever caught stuffing his face along the walks of his garden, Giverny–certainly not with his own nasturtiums. As an aesthetic choice, the flowers overflowing along the main path of the Impressionist’s French sanctuary were carefully selected, as was everything else in the botanical paradise that inspired so much of the painter’s work. But unlike the perfect disc configurations of his water lily pond, or the carefully shaped stands of irises, the nasturtiums were a rare product of unintentional trial and error.

Monet’s decision to soften the edges of his central allée with nasturtiums led him to a dwarf variety which suited his original purposes. He wanted subtlety. Unfortunately, the flowers he went home with weren’t dwarf nasturtiums at all, but a rambling variety that quickly tumbled over the borders of the path, spilling into the main walkway. The unchecked flood of rich foliage and flowers, contrary to what Monet had initially intended, proved a fortunate mistake–he insisted on a similar planting of unruly nasturtiums in the years that would follow.

Of course, there’s no need to jet across the Atlantic to see the flowers that so inspired Monet. Visit the NYBG beginning May 19 to experience an homage to Giverny in New York City, with rarely-seen works of art from the Impressionist master himself. And this advice is sound: don’t make a sample tray of anyone else’s garden without permission (especially while visiting Giverny, unless you plan on spending an awkward night in lockup with the gendarme).

Monet’s Garden opens May 19 and welcomes visitors through October 21, with rarely-seen gallery exhibits, stunning recreations of the gardens at Giverny, and a focus on the artistry of the great Impressionist. Be sure to reserve tickets.

Photos courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Tags: edible, Flowers, Monet’s Garden, nasturtium

This entry was posted
on Monday, April 9th, 2012 at 12:00 pm and is filed under Exhibitions, Gardening Tips.
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Article source: http://www.nybg.org/plant-talk/2012/04/exhibit-news/florid-appetizers/

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Beth Breakstone, 2012

Roberta Rosenthal’s talent with the brush extends well beyond her own canvas. By helming painting courses here at The New York Botanical Garden, her legacy as a botanical painter and an instructor has trickled down to the many burgeoning artists to have studied under her in the last 25 years. But her coursework is far from a paint-by-numbers explainer for weekend hobbyists.

“The more I can get students to ask questions and develop answers for themselves, the more I can expect them to be life-long learners who will continue to develop their artistic skills and understanding,” writes Roberta. Her courses focus not only on technical ability, but on working within a social environment in which critiques from peers and instructors become integral to the process of maturing as an artist.

“I encourage [students] to think like team members in the same way that athletes work in teams. Their goal is help each other so that everyone can benefit from the practice.”

Loren Levine, 2012

Rosenthal’s latest course, “Painting Nature Science Subjects with Gouache,” zeroes in on the specific technique of working with a paint which saw its first successes in 14th century Europe. But as foreign as it sounds, gouache may be more familiar than at first assumed–it’s very similar in composition to the materials used in watercolors. Pigment and water are mixed with a binding agent, such as gum arabic, to create the final product. Though unlike watercolor, gouache paints are opaque and fully-covering.

The latest graduates of the course were kind enough to share their final projects on Roberta’s blog, each a detailed and unique take on the interplay between flora and fauna. Be sure to keep an eye on our Adult Education offerings for more opportunities to better yourself as a botanical artist, or even pick up the brush as an ambitious novice.

Tags: Adult Ed, art, botanical, gouache, Painting, Roberta Rosenthal

This entry was posted
on Friday, March 30th, 2012 at 4:40 pm and is filed under Adult Education.
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Article source: http://www.nybg.org/plant-talk/2012/03/adult-education/nature-in-gouache/

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WISCONSIN — To live sustainably, you may bike to work or buy local organic food, but have you considered how you can go green, quite literally, in your own backyard? You can support environmental and public health by caring for your lawn and garden in a sustainable way.

Talk about how by enjoying a FREE screening of “A Chemical Reaction: The Story of a True Green Revolution (www.chemicalreactionmovie.com),” Producer Paul Tukey will be on hand at Promega Corporation, 2800 Woods Hollow Rd, Fitchburg, to introduce and talk about his award-winning documentary about the town of Hudson, Quebec, the first town in North America to ban synthetic lawn and garden weed and insect killers. An acclaimed author and speaker, Tukey is the founder of the SafeLawns Foundation and author of “The Organic Lawn Care Manual” and his new book, “Tag, Toss Run: 40 Classic Lawn Games.”

The film tells the story about the perseverance and power of a community. Local experts will be on hand to talk about the issues presented in the film, from natural landscaping to effective community action.

TThe event is sponsored by EnAct, Purple Cow Organics, and Healthy Lawn Team, and Willy St. Co-op. For more information, contact: kayla.baake (at) madisonevironmental.com.

Article source: http://www.safelawns.org/blog/index.php/2012/03/a-chemical-reaction-to-screen-in-madison-thursday-evening/

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The Orchid Show means thousands upon thousands of orchids, curling and spiraling their way across nine separate vertical walls of exotic foliage. It’s a family reunion of sorts in the Conservatory.

Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen

Tags: Morning Eye Candy, orchid show

This entry was posted
on Monday, March 26th, 2012 at 6:00 am and is filed under Around the Garden, Photography, The Orchid Show.
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Article source: http://www.nybg.org/plant-talk/2012/03/photography/morning-eye-candy-thousands-and-thousands/

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Avoidance of pesticides is the surest way to keep children safe.

In recognition of National Poison Prevention Week beginning Sunday, March 18, the SafeLawns Foundation is joining the Environmental Protection Agency and numerous other agencies in urging parents to take extra steps around their homes to reduce the more than 150,000 calls to poison centers involving pesticides and disinfectants.

In just the past year, America’s 57 poison control centers fielded approximately four million calls, treating 2.4 million human poison exposures. Pesticides — weed and insect killers and fungicides — cause a significant number of the worst cases. More than half of pesticide exposures involved children age 5 or younger.

To reduce this exposure to the most vulnerable population, here are eight steps to follow:

1) Avoid using synthetic pesticides and fertilizers on lawns and gardens. Numerous safer, natural alternatives exist that work well and are more cost competitive than ever before.

2) Even with natural or organic products, always completely read the label and follow all safety instructions with regard to application and storage.

3) Never leave open and/or unused products unattended with children around.

4) Even if the label does not indicate doing so, consider locking away unused products in child-safe containers or at least far out of reach.

5) Prior to a pesticide application, be sure to move all toys, picnic tables and other objects that children might be drawn toward.

6) Understand that some organic, natural products may be toxic to children and pets.

7) Avoid using soda bottles, pails, cups or spray bottles when applying pesticide products; these can easily be mistaken by children as safe to drink from or touch.

8 ) Keep the Poison Control Centers’ national helpline number, 1-800-222-1222, near your phone. Program the number into your phone’s “address book” or redial feature.

Article source: http://www.safelawns.org/blog/index.php/2012/03/national-poison-prevention-week-8-tips-to-stay-safe-on-the-lawn/

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In looking at the green walls that Patrick Blanc pulls from his imagination, you might regard each one as something similar to a painting. In a way, they are–they rely on careful color choices and shapes to create (in this case) an abstract flow. But depending on the artist you ask, the process of building a green wall can be far more organization-intensive.

Blanc’s Orchid Show creations–as with those he builds around the world–require planning. A lot of planning. Plants must be picked not only for their visual appeal but for the way they mesh with the rest of the leafy things on the wall. Sturdy, light-thirsty plants may need to sit higher up, while shade-loving species fit in lower on the totem pole to ensure each individual can thrive within the miniature ecosystem. There is nothing haphazard about the selections. And once Dr. Blanc has a solid idea of what he wants to fit into a given wall, he must then sketch out a blueprint using finely-delineated sections for each type of plant. This is how the swooping, soft-edged sections of color and texture come about.

The gathering begins shortly thereafter. Each wall can require a broad and exotic variety of plants, some in great quantity, and all of them needing tending before, during, and after their placement.

As assembling a green wall is not a one-man effort, the blueprints serve to help each staff member in our Conservatory work as efficiently as possible. We were lucky enough to get our hands on some of Dr. Blanc’s “set lists,” if you will, and came up with some fascinating breakdowns of what goes into each climbing work of art.

In this case, we’re looking at one of the centerpieces of the Orchid Show: the waterfall wall. It towers like a monolith over the Conservatory floor, with tiger-striped sweeps of orchids interspersed along a wall of contrasting greenery. And broken down into its component parts, it’s simultaneously simple and complex:

You can better understand the blueprint comparison here–it’s not too far removed from a floor plan for a house. And as with any blueprint, the final result can be so much more awe-inspiring than the paper concept:

The Orchid Show runs from now until April 22. During the course of the exhibition we’ll be offering lectures, workshops, and special evenings dedicated to the elegant allure of this most exotic of flowers. Be sure to get your tickets!

Tags: blueprint, green wall, orchid show, Patrick Blanc

This entry was posted
on Wednesday, March 14th, 2012 at 11:00 am and is filed under The Orchid Show.
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Article source: http://www.nybg.org/plant-talk/2012/03/exhibit-news/the-orchid-show/imagining-the-green-wall/

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BOSTON, MASS. — On April 17, one of the last full days of classes for the spring semester at Boston’s Northeastern University, administrators have come up with an old-fashioned way to help students decompress before final exams.

Paul Tukey, author of Tag, Toss Run: 40 Classic Lawn Games and founder of the Lawn Games for Life campaign, will offer a lecture and book signing in the university library at noon, followed by an afternoon of the games Tukey features in his book — from bocce, badminton and croquet, to lesser known discoveries such as Molkky from Finland, Kubb from Norway and double ball from Native Americans.

The event was the brainchild of Executive Professor Ron Whitfield from Northeastern’s College of Business Administration, who has invited Tukey — a well-known environmentalist focused on toxin reduction in the landscape — to lecture at his courses on business sustainability for the last several years.

“We think that Paul’s message of pesticide and fertilizer reduction, and this new book that encourages people of all ages to take time away from computers and video games, dovetails perfectly with Northeastern’s goals of sustainability,” said Whitfield, an economist. “We think students will thoroughly enjoy the opportunity to get outside and run around prior to what is traditionally a high stress time on campus. I’m sure we’ll see a lot of laughter, smiles and re-living of childhood memories.”

Article source: http://www.safelawns.org/blog/index.php/2012/03/final-preparation-college-sends-students-outdoors-to-play/

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February 2, 2012; Isla Gordon, middle arm of Bahía Tres Brazos, approximately 54º58′S, 69º41′W

You might have noticed that I didn’t write yesterday. About 5 p.m. I came down with a bad headache and went to my bunk. Apparently I missed some bad seas, including 9-10 foot waves in the Beagle Channel as we moved sites. I got up around 8 p.m., decided against dinner, took a couple of aspirin and went back to bed. I didn’t get up until about 8 a.m. I still have a mild headache, but felt that I needed to deal with yesterday’s collections.

So, while the others are out collecting this morning, I got yesterday’s haul onto the dryer and am now catching up on my blog. I had hoped to do this on the deck because it wasn’t raining this morning, and there were even a few patches of sun, but typical of the region, the skies have darkened again, and it is now spitting rain (at least not sleet or snow). I have managed to be able to sit outside, but under cover, which is a real treat because, once again, the scenery is spectacular. My  vista is a row of snow-capped peaks, with much of the snow fresh. Usually when it is raining at sea level it is snowing on the mountains and since yesterday was colder than usual, the snow is lower down on the slopes.

The three gacliers of Seno Pia

And it is yesterday that I want to write about. The engines started about 6 a.m. I had been told the night before that it would be about a two hour ride to our destination, Pía Fiord. This fiord has two arms, and we were scheduled to hit both, the northeast (approximately 54º46′S, 69º35′W) in the morning, and the northwest in the afternoon. The Romanche Glacier has several branches which come down to the sea here, with a small piece of land separating them. We could tell we were getting close when the frequency of small icebergs increased. Our Zodiacs had to move slowly to avoid all the sea ice and we were put ashore on a small spit of land projecting into the harbor.

This is a popular stop, and several years ago I stopped here while on a cruise ship on which I was given a free room and collected samples while the other passengers went ashore. Another perk of that trip, occasionally at about 8 a.m., the crew would chip-off some glacial ice for a pre-breakfast whiskey! Despite its popularity, Pía Fiord is really a beautiful site.

Although I had been here before, my previous collecting mission was a study in quick and dirty plundering; I only had time to pick up the most conspicuous mosses. This time I had as much time as I wanted and therefore was able to more systematically survey the area.

The Zodiac crew enjoying the nice weather

I have never been one of those people who is obsessed with adding one more dot to a map in order to fill in distribution data, and so I have to keep reminding myself that in working on a flora, I need to do just that. But no matter how many ties I remind myself of this, it is still all too easy to pass over yet another common species while on the hunt for the real gems. And boy were there gems at Pía Fiord.

Once again I was able to find one of the rare lantern mosses (Andreaea fuegiana) that we sought so desperately at Caleta Coloane in the first half of the trip. I now know the reason I had overlooked the species on previous trips. It seems to have a very specialized ecology, growing on inclined to vertical rock outcrops with light–but more or less constant–water flowing over it. In this saturated condition, the small cushions, mostly less than 2 inches in diameter, look like many of the common, dark-pigmented liverworts that dominate the habitat.

Apparently experience counts in hunting mosses, just as it does in so many other aspects of life. Blanka and I had been together at Coloane (the weather having driven the others back to the ship) and so both of us now seem to understand the ecology of this rare–or at least seldom collected–moss, and sure enough we both found it yesterday. To collect this moss has become a goal for Juan, and it is like salt rubbed into the wound every time I bring it back and he doesn’t. Like me, he needs to get past the habit of ignoring the liverwort-looking bryophytes.

From my previous trip to Pía Fiord, I recalled that the spit of land where we came ashore becomes an island at high tide. Immediately upon remembering this, I headed back there early to monitor the situation. Certainly the access was less than when we disembarked, but I thought we would be out before it really became a problem. I used this opportunity to collect on the soon-to-be island and found a few nice mosses that I hadn’t seen on the mainland.

Bill and Laura heading into the old growth forest

During the second half of this trip, we have gained a second, but smaller, Zodiac which has a maximum capacity of four passengers plus a motorist. Our larger Zodiac usually has two crew members (a motorist and someone in the bow) and can hold as many as eight passengers, though fewer in rough seas. As I waited for the appointed pick-up time, the wind picked up, and the seas became white-capped. I then noticed the smaller Zodiac being lifted back onto the ship off in the distance; an ill omen of weather to come.

When noon arrived, the larger Zodiac came to get us, ferrying us back to the ship in two groups, five and four. On the way back a cold wind blew (we were adjacent to glaciers after all) and the waves sprayed us with frigid salt water. Even with wet gloves, my fingers were really cold and I hate to imagine how cold Xiaolan’s and the motorist’s fingers must have been with no protection.

The Zodiac returned for the second group, but unfortunately, once again, some of our group were late. Being the leader, it unfortunately falls on me to say something. I have no children, and I have no interest in being the father-figure disciplinarian., however, Matt and I agreed that something needed to be said; it is both inconsiderate to be late and it can be a safety issue. So, once again I pulled aside the worse offender for a little talk, stating that this  would be the last time I would say anything, and that if it happened, then that person would not be invited back on future expeditions. This is by far the worst aspect of the trip for me, but it would be irresponsible of me to shirk it. (Note: thankfully, it never happened again.)

During lunch we moved to the northwest arm of Pía Fiord. Small icebergs dotted the seascape and limited the Zodiac to the east side of the fiord as we approached yet another glacier. Most of our group chose to hit the shore near the glacier, but after my morning responsibilities, I opted for a little solitude and chose a small stream valley quite close to where our ship was anchored. On both sides were patches of moss-covered, but otherwise bare soil, probably a result of a particularly large deluge-like event in the not-too-distant past resulting in large scale erosion.

Old growth forest

These early successional habitats are hard to find, because although the climate here is harsh, bare soil is rapidly colonized. What makes this possible is the nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium, Nostoc. Hornworts have pockets of the cyanobacterium in their thalli; the mosses often have small free-living colonies of Nostoc among their leaves; and the ubiquitous Gunnera magellanica has Nostoc colonies in its rhizomes. All these “leak” nitrogen into the environment and encourage plant growth, much like a high nitrogen commercial fertilizer would. Therefore, habitats with extensive areas of mostly bare soil are infrequent and short-lived.

Nevertheless there is a whole suite of bryophytes that have specialized in this kind of habitat, before the vascular plants arrive and out-compete them. I must have spent almost 45 minutes within ten yards  of the shore picking up one small moss after another. The hair-cap mosses (Polytrichaceae) were particularly abundant and diverse. I slowly worked my way upstream and found the mosses changing, presumably due to the increased shade. On one streamside rock, provided with a constant high humidity from the splashing current, I found several mosses, but only one really excited me; it was (again!) one of the rare lantern mosses, Andreaea nitida. As before, it helped tremendously to know the ecology of the species in order to find it. Once again, though, I realized I was overlooking the common mosses, and so as I worked back downstream I tried to pick these up. As I approached the shore for my 4:15 p.m. pick-up time, an earlier Zodiac was passing by, so I waved it down. Back on board the ship I was able to get all my day’s collections numbered. It was shortly after that that my headache struck.

It is now about 10:30 a.m. and I am reluctant to get all suited up in my head-to-toe rubberized gear for what would probably be at most an hour of collecting. So, I will instead enjoy the relative quiet of the ship (except the constant rumble of the generator) until the others return (hopefully on time!).

February 2, 2012; Isla Gordon, western arm of Bahía Tres Brazos, ca. 54º59′S, 69º45′W

After babbling on for so long this morning, I am reluctant to write again, but two things demand attention; the weather and this  afternoon’s field site. Today’s weather has been amazing. Although slightly overcast, with an occasional break in the clouds, there has been no real rain. It is warmer than it has been and the air has been calm. It is such a surprisingly nice day, even the crew is commenting on it.

What capped off the day though was my afternoon collecting site. Even from the ship it reminded me of the one truly old-growth forest we found last year. Such forests are exceedingly rare. They require surrounding mountains to shelter them from the wind, and a permanent river which drops its silt and results in deep soils. Only then can trees get really large. Here the largest trees are at least six feet in diameter, and harbor a suite of species that require a long-term, stable habitat with high humidity. Hornworts and liverworts carpet the forest floor and the numerous large fallen logs. Mosses are in a minority, but those that do occur are often small–and in small quantity–and mostly restricted to this special habitat. Small, curious birds who harbor no fear of humans come within inches, chirping away. The whole effect of the forest is that of a kind of wonderland. Although I could go on and on about this very special habitat, no words can accurately capture the mystical nature of such a place.

Tonight we go back to the same anchorage we used last night, alongside a small island near the mouth of Bahía Tres Brazos. Tomorrow we move onto the Garibaldi Fiord, and possibly the last glacier access of our trip. It’s hard to believe we have only about five more days on the ship. How time flies!

Ed. note: NYBG scientist and Mary Flagler Cary Curator of Botany, Bill Buck is currently on expedition to the islands off Cape Horn, the southernmost point in South America, to study mosses and lichens. Follow his journeys on Plant Talk.

Bill Buck’s Previous Reports From the Field:

2012

January 31, 2012; Isla Gordon, Bahía Romanche, 54º57′S, 69º30′W

January 30, 2012; Isla Gordon, Bahía Romanche, 54º57′S, 69º30′W

January 29, 2012; Canal O’Brien, on the way to the Brazo Noroeste of the Beagle Channel, approximately 54º55′S, 70º35′W

January 25, 2012; Isla Darwin, Caleta Virginia, approximately 54º57′S, 70º10′W

January 24, 2012; Unnamed sound off Isla Whittlebury, in Bahia San Jorge, west of Isla Hoste, approximately 55º16?S, 70º00?W

January 23, 2012; Arm of Estero Webb, SW coast of Isla Hoste, approximately 55º14′S, 69º41′W

January 22, 2012.; Unnamed sound on Isla Gordon behind Cabo El Gorro, approximately 55º02′S, 69º48′W

January 21, 2012; Isla Hoste, Estero Fouque, 55º1′S, 69º35′W

January 20, 2012; Isla Hoste, Estero Fouque, approximately 55º11′S, 69º35′W

January 19, 2012; Chile, unnamed sound on north-central coast of Isla Hoste, approximately 55º00′S, 69º12′W

January 18, 2012; Canal O’Brien, just south of Isla O’Brien, 54º55′S, 70º35′W

January 17, 2012; Punta Arenas, Chile

2011

July 15, 2011; Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

July 14, 2011; Pyengana, Tasmania, Australia

July 13, 2011; Weldborough, Tasmania, Australia

July 12, 2011; Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

July 11, 2011; Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

February 8, 2011; Punta Arenas, Chile

February 5, 2011, unnamed sound northwest of Isla Georgiana

February 4, 2011, unnamed sound directly east of Seno Mama, Chile

February 2, 2011, Seno Courtenay, northern arm, Chile

February 1, 2011, Seno Courtenay, Chile

January 31, 2011, Canal between Isla Georgiana and Isla Clementina,, Chile

January 30, 2011, Unnamed sound on south side of Brecknock Peninsula, NW of Isla Georgiana, Chile

January 29, 2011, Isla Aguirre, Seno Quo Vadis, Chile

January 26, 2011, Punta Arenas, Chile

January 24, 2011, Seno Chasco, just north of isthmus to Brecknock Peninsula, Chile

January 23, 2011, Isla Grande de la Tierra del Fuego, Puerto Consuelo, Seno Chasco, Chile

January 22, 2011, Isla Grande de la Tierra del Fuego, Seno Brujo, Chile

January 21, 2011, Isla Grande de la Tierra del Fuego, Seno Brujo, Chile

January 20, 2011, Isla Grande de la Tierra del Fuego, Seno Bluff, Chile

January 18, 2011, Punta Arenas, Chile

January 16, 2011, Punta Arenas, Chile

Tags: Bill Buck, Bill Buck Cape Horn 2012, Bryophytes, Lichens, Mosses, Science, Science Expeditions, The New York Botanical Garden, Vascular Plants

This entry was posted
on Thursday, February 23rd, 2012 at 4:22 pm and is filed under Bill Buck, From the Field, Science.
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Article source: http://www.nybg.org/plant-talk/2012/02/science/from-the-field-bill-buck-in-cape-horn-day-13/

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You don’t actually need to bushwhack your way through the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory. If that were the case, we probably wouldn’t be holding salsa classes there.

Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen

Tags: Caribbean Garden, Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, Morning Eye Candy

This entry was posted
on Thursday, February 9th, 2012 at 6:00 am and is filed under Around the Garden, Photography.
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Article source: http://www.nybg.org/plant-talk/2012/02/photography/morning-eye-candy-2/

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January 24, 2012; Unnamed sound off Isla Whittlebury, in Bahia San Jorge, west of Isla Hoste, approximately 55º16′S, 70º00′W

Before retiring for the evening last night I talked with the captain and told him that ideally tomorrow, we would like to get to one of the more exposed southern islands, Isla Waterman, and that he would have to decide–based on weather and sea conditions–if it would be possible in the morning. As a backup, I told him we would be quite happy collecting on Isla Whittlebury, off of which we were anchored for the night. This morning the engines started at 7 a.m., and almost everyone just stayed in their bunks for the ride. Because we were moving for about an hour, and we hit rough seas for about 20 minutes on the way (while crossing Seno Christmas), I realized that we would soon be arriving at our first choice, Isla Waterman.

Isla Waterman

When we eventually left the warmth of our bunks and ventured out onto deck, I was immediately reminded of last year; a cold, driving rain drenched the low-slung landscape of Magellanic tundra in front of us. Once ashore the spongy vegetation, dominated by liverworts, transported me back a year in time. Many common species presented themselves, and many uncommon taxa found their way into my collecting bag. With good rain gear and warm clothing, I was completely comfortable and actually enjoyed the inclement weather.

Back on our trusty ship, we had, once again, to traverse the rough seas of Seno Christmas. But it wasn’t the choppy seas that made the crossing completely unforgettable, instead it was a real culinary treat; our cook had prepared gnocchi from scratch, for 16! I have had all too many heavy gnocchi in my life, but these were light and tender, and the special tomato and red bell pepper sauce he made just for me (I’m the only vegetarian this year) was heavenly.

The view from the afternoon collecting site

For the afternoon we visited another glacial area at the terminus of yet another unnamed sound. The collecting was a bit disappointing, but only because it had been so spectacular at Caleta Coloane a few days earlier. Regardless, I still managed to find some interesting mosses. When I saw the zodiac dropping off some of our group at a nearby site, I signaled it to pick me up and take me back to the ship. I had multiple reasons (all selfish): I wanted a little time alone, without a group; I wanted a hot shower; and I wanted to get my specimens processed without having to compete for table space. I was successful with all.

Zodiac and glacier

We are now at sea again at the beginning of a three-hour voyage, heading toward Isla Darwin. This was not on our original itinerary but the lure of the name has proven irresistible. The middle hour of the trip is scheduled to be rough, so I am hurrying to finish today’s blog so that I might weather the turbulent waters in my bunk. I was asked by the cook if we wanted to eat before or after the bad seas. Because the lunch was so large and filling, we are planning to eat afterwards.

Looking for safe anchorage, Isla Pellara

Tomorrow we visit Isla Darwin for a half day before returning to Punta Arenas to deal with our mounting quantities of wet specimens. We will also lose Mauricio. He will be missed since he is always in a good mood and has really enjoyed his vascular plant collecting. We are all hoping that Isla Darwin will live up to its namesake.

Ed. note: NYBG scientist and Mary Flagler Cary Curator of Botany, Bill Buck is currently on expedition to the islands off Cape Horn, the southernmost point in South America, to study mosses and lichens. Follow his journeys on Plant Talk.

Bill Buck’s Previous Reports From the Field:

2012

January 23, 2012; Arm of Estero Webb, SW coast of Isla Hoste, approximately 55º14′S, 69º41′W

January 22, 2012.; Unnamed sound on Isla Gordon behind Cabo El Gorro, approximately 55º02′S, 69º48′W

January 21, 2012; Isla Hoste, Estero Fouque, 55º1′S, 69º35′W

January 20, 2012; Isla Hoste, Estero Fouque, approximately 55º11′S, 69º35′W

January 19, 2012; Chile, unnamed sound on north-central coast of Isla Hoste, approximately 55º00′S, 69º12′W

January 18, 2012; Canal O’Brien, just south of Isla O’Brien, 54º55′S, 70º35′W

January 17, 2012; Punta Arenas, Chile

2011

July 15, 2011; Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

July 14, 2011; Pyengana, Tasmania, Australia

July 13, 2011; Weldborough, Tasmania, Australia

July 12, 2011; Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

July 11, 2011; Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

February 8, 2011; Punta Arenas, Chile

February 5, 2011, unnamed sound northwest of Isla Georgiana

February 4, 2011, unnamed sound directly east of Seno Mama, Chile

February 2, 2011, Seno Courtenay, northern arm, Chile

February 1, 2011, Seno Courtenay, Chile

January 31, 2011, Canal between Isla Georgiana and Isla Clementina,, Chile

January 30, 2011, Unnamed sound on south side of Brecknock Peninsula, NW of Isla Georgiana, Chile

January 29, 2011, Isla Aguirre, Seno Quo Vadis, Chile

January 26, 2011, Punta Arenas, Chile

January 24, 2011, Seno Chasco, just north of isthmus to Brecknock Peninsula, Chile

January 23, 2011, Isla Grande de la Tierra del Fuego, Puerto Consuelo, Seno Chasco, Chile

January 22, 2011, Isla Grande de la Tierra del Fuego, Seno Brujo, Chile

January 21, 2011, Isla Grande de la Tierra del Fuego, Seno Brujo, Chile

January 20, 2011, Isla Grande de la Tierra del Fuego, Seno Bluff, Chile

January 18, 2011, Punta Arenas, Chile

January 16, 2011, Punta Arenas, Chile

Tags: Bill Buck, Bill Buck Cape Horn 2012, Bryophytes, Lichens, Mosses, Science, Science Expeditions, The New York Botanical Garden, Vascular Plants

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Article source: http://www.nybg.org/plant-talk/2012/02/science/from-the-field-bill-buck-in-cape-horn-day-8/

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