Martin Hajman: Plants from all Continents in Tromsø Above Polar Circle

Martin Hajman is a gardener in Tromsø Arctic-Alpine Botanic Garden – part of The Arctic University of Norway… far north above the arctic circle.

Working there since 2007, he got hands on the large Rock Garden landscape construction with Bjørn Thon – the man who made Tromsø BG into a rock landscape. Martin still goes on with rock building and spreads his knowledge with students, enthusiasts and public which made him winner of 2024 Mediation Price at Tromsø University.

Martin’s early rock gardening career in included Pruhonice park in the Czech Republic – where he was head gardener at the large historical rock garden on natural rocks (UNESCO site) and ran a small alpine nursery.

In 2003 Martin Co-founded Czech Perennials Growers Society and participating in Prague Rock Garden Club, Scottish Rock Garden Club, Meconopsis Group and Norwegian Rose Society.

His plant interests are changing according to season - in early spring a Saxifraga enthusiast, through summer Cremanthodium-Meconopsis specialist, rose lover and ends with autumn Gentiana expert and potato collector.

Botanical Trips : European mountains, Turkey, Georgia, Armenia, Syria, Jordan, South Africa, Tibet…and spectacular wild flowers of Northern Norway.