Hello from Holland and Greece

[alpines4u]

Hello all,

Nice to be on this forum!
Since a long time busy with alpines, the first years as a rock gardener around
our home in Holland.
Selling our home and garden, quitting our jobs in 2002 to start an "other" life:
a 3 year journey with a campervan to several countries in the Middle East,
major goal: to find species of the genus Dionysia in the wild.
Returning by the end of 2005, starting to organise tours for mountain flora
enthusiasts to the mountains of Greece.
Therefore now in winter living in Holland, rest of the year in Greece.
For more info, please visit our websites.

Regards, Klaas and José.

[Lori S.]

Welcome to the forum, Klaas and José!  What a beautiful place you had in Holland.  It must have been very hard to leave it, but it seems you have traded it for what sounds like some really interesting experiences!  You must tell us more! 

[McDonough]

A hearty welcome to the NARGS Forum! I am very familiar with your web pages, having spent lots and lots of time on greekmountainflora and your
dionysia web sites.  I'm most eager to learn more about your exciting life decision to quit jobs in 2002 and take on such a globe-trotting tour and total change of venue; looking forward to learning more about your travels and plant interests.

Please tell us more sometime about that incredible alpine retaining wall that backs up top your greenhouse, I think everyone would love to see close-up photos of that impressive structure.

[Lori S.]

Oh, now that I put two and two together, I realize too that the Greek Mountain Flora site that I have bookmarked and browsed often is yours!  
Wow, can't wait to hear more about your plant-finding excursions!

[alpines4u]

Thank you for the warm welcome!
Of course, it was hard to leave our home and garden, but we got something in return.
Although I miss the gardening, its also great to search and find plants in the wild, meet
interesting people at unexpected times and places, see beautiful landscapes etc.
Guiding people around in Greece, showing them the beauty of this country and its flora
is very satisfactory too!

The pictures show some more of our former garden, the vertical stones are granite curbstones
filled up with tufa blocks with a watering system inside.
But remember, the house and garden are not ours anymore!
(By the way, the house and garden are for sale again at the moment...)

Regards, Klaas.

[RickR]

Welcome!  We are so glad you both have joined us on this forum.

Such marvelous and intense use of a small space!
And what an architectural feat.

How do you keep the long narrow granite pieces from splaying outward from the weight of the soil?  Are they tied together somehow?

[alpines4u]

Welcome!  We are so glad you both have joined us on this forum.

Such marvelous and intense use of a small space!
And what an architectural feat.

How do you keep the long narrow granite pieces from splaying outward from the weight of the soil?  Are they tied together somehow?

The granite pieces are placed in a concrete "foot".