The Arctic

Polemonium boreale	Dianthus superbus	Arnica angustifolia
This important collection have had a troubled start in the Garden, due to problems with structure and weeds. Many of these problems have been mended now, and hopefully this collection will develop well over the next few years. The most important factors explaining the distribution of species in the Arctic are the temperature-gradient from north to south, the soil and nutritional factors, moisture and the degree of exposure and snow-cover during winter. We have tried to create such gradients through landscaping features. However, species from the far northern Arctic find Tromsø too warm, while a species such as the Svalbard Poppy (Papaver dahlianum) flourish. Species from the middle and southern parts of the Arctic often grow in the northern Norwegian mountains as well (Arctic-alpine species). Examples are the Mountain Aven (Dryas octopetala), White Arctic Bell-flower (Cassiope tetragona) and Moss Cahmpion (Silene acaulis). Boreal Jacob`s Ladder (Polemonium boreale) grow on mainland Norway only in Bugøynes in the county of Finnmark, but is more common in Sibiria. Likewise the Kola Poppy (Papaver lapponicum) only grows in Talvik in Finnmark in Norway, but is far more common on the Kola Peninsula and in Sibiria. We also have a selection of arctic plants from Sibiria, Alaska and Arctic Canada and Greenland which do not grow in the wild in Norway. In addition there are collections of same species collected from different places in the Arctic. These serve as reference for studies on genetic and ecological differentiation. Furthermore we have propagated a threatened species like Woolly Willow (Salix lanata) from it`s single small location in Svalbard. From Greenland we have the Nathorst`s Saxifrage (Saxifraga nathorstii). This new species illustrates how creation of a species can occur even in a far northerly location. Here the Purple Saxifrage (Saxifraga oppositifolia) hybridised with the distantly related Yellow Mountain Saxifrage (S. aizoides). This normally would result in a sterile hybrid which would soon disappear from nature. In this case, however, a chromosome duplication have allowed viable seed to be produced, and thus a new species have been created.
Saxifraga nathorstii	Papaver lapponicum	Primula scandinavica