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Nepal is one of the best places in the world to view rhododendron. It is from their original home, the Himalaya, that these plants were collected. The Himalaya carve  a wide arc across the northern borders of India, Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan and Myanmar and it is in their foothills that the most stunning specimens of the Rhododendron species are to be found. In most parts of the Himalaya, population pressure has led to forest destruction. Rhododendron arboreum (61K) Although it?s beauty is admired by all the mountain people, Rhododendron does not escape as it?s dense wood produces an intensely hot cooking-fire. There are however plenty of places throughout the Himalaya where these magnificent plants survive and thrive. Because of my long familiarity with Nepal and interest in botany I have devised a rhododendron trek to explore these byways during the flowering season. In the alpine areas there are junipers, saxifrages, primulas, rhododendrons, contoneasters and ephedras.
In the subtropics flowers bloom as the temperature gets war
The main flower season is March and April when the rhododendrons are in their full glory. The large white magnolias, orchids, lavender primuds, and blue irises. There are also flowers on the bushes.
In western Nepal the best time to see flowers is July and August. It gets less rain than the rest of Nepal, so it is more comfortable to visit during the monsoon than other places. At lower elevation there are orchids, roses, campanlas, impatiens, anemones, corydalis and edelweiss. In the alpine areas there are geraniums, saxifrages proliferate, poppies, larkspurs and sediums.
In the Himalaya area there are astragalus, Ionicera (from honeysuckle family) and caragana.
Just after the monsoon in October and November most of the flowers are gone. Some flowers may be seen in the subtropical areas such as mauve osbeckia, yellow St John’s wort and pink luculia. Also there are reds flowers on barberry bushes, flowers on the cherry trees and the yellow of the withering maples. In the temperate areas there are blue gentians.
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