Jaser

Monte Rosa is the highest mountain in Switzerland, and is surrounded by alpine scenery so glorious we’ve named it one of our favourite hikes in Europe. This craggy, snowcapped mountain massif has four summit peaks - the highest one is Dufourspitze, named after surveyor Guillaume-Henri Dufour. It’s inspired artists (including Leonardo da Vinci, who ventured onto its slopes) and has a rich climbing tradition - the first recorded ascent was in 1778.

Ushba is a prominent peak with two summits in the Western Caucasus - the south summit is slightly higher than the north (which has an elevation of 4,690m). The mountain’s steep slopes and towering double peaks have been enticing climbers for years. Reaching the top is a considerable achievement as the mountain claims the lives of around half a dozen climbers a year; their vertical walls and ice-filled crevices are not easy to navigate. The area is also renowned for its awful weather; think gale-force winds and icy blizzards.

Mount Dzhimara is located just 5.5 miles to the west of Mount Kazbek, in North Ossetia-Alania, a Russian republic. It’s the second highest peak in the Khokh range - Mount Kazbek is the highest.

Unlike its neighbour, you won’t find guided expeditions to the summit - in fact, we weren’t able to find much information out about Dzhimara (also known as Jimara) at all. There were no blogs or recorded climbs in the usual places (although we did see some videos about trekking its foothills). Feeling intrigued about this mysterious mountain? Yes - we are too!

The legendary Mont Blanc is the highest mountain in the Alps and Western Europe - it’s also the 11th most prominent mountain in the world, attracting climbers from all over the world. The first ascent was completed in 1786 by Jacque Balmat and Michel Paccard. The fastest ascent and descent was by speed climber and runner Kilian Jornet in 2013 - in 4hr 57mins! That feels to us like an unbeatable speed (but by all means, prove us wrong) - however, with 20,000 people reaching the summit every year, the climb itself is an achievable challenge.

This Georgian mountain might not be as high as Mount Kazbek, but it’s located in the wild, remote Svaneti region that’s fantastic for hiking. It makes for a spectacular, challenging climb - as with Tetnuldi, a couple of lower-altitude hikes to acclimatise come highly recommended.

The carnation isn’t just one of the most beautiful flowers in the world, it’s also one of the most popular. It’s grown on almost every continent: America, Europe, Asia and Africa. Currently, there are five known types of carnations. It’s typically used as ornamentation.

The chrysanthemum is native to Asia and is special because it’s part of the “four Junzi flowers.” There are many varieties of chrysanthemums and you can find them in many different colors: lilac, white, pink, etc. It’s one of the most common flowers in boho-chic style decoration.

The spikenard is also known as the “Saint Joseph flower” and belongs to the Valerian family. Its beauty makes it an ideal option for creating floral art: from centerpieces to bouquets, among other items. It’s a typical flower at weddings and in church decoration, especially white spikenards.

The orchid is a lovely flower that is often used in decoration and also as a gift. It’s an unusual flower that is easily identified by the shape of its leaves. There are nearly 25,000 different species and they’re found throughout the world, except in desert and polar climates.

This flower is originally from Southern Asia and also is very popular worldwide. It has undeniable beauty and is commonly used in decoration. Also, the hydrangea is an ideal flower for creating bouquets, since it provides lots of volume and texture.

Last, but certainly far from least, the Lotus symbolizes purity, beauty, majesty, grace, fertility, wealth, richness, knowledge, and serenity (just to name a few). With the Pink Lotus being the national flower of India, the Lotus is even thought to be quite sacred. Generally found in white and pink colors, Lotus flowers is an aquatic perennial and most commonly cultivated in water gardens.

If a flower is named after a Greek goddess, you can be certain it was for a reason. Every gardener wants Irises in their garden and it’s mostly because of the reason they attract beautiful butterflies and hummingbirds. Even with such a divine origin, Irises are known to be hardy, reliable, and easy to grow. Most Irises bloom in the early-summer and can even bloom again during late-summer.