The Habitat of Gentian at Lovrenc

On the border between two municipalities, Laško on one side and Sevnica on the other side, on a hill offering views of the rolling Posavje hills, stands a small church, which bears a legend about a little shepherd named Lovrenc. Once a year, the nature here decorates the spring green meadow with blue ornaments.

Clusius’ gentian is an Alpine flower, which has preserved as a remain of the ice age in some of the foothills and is protected in Slovenia. On the hill of Lovrenc (722 m), in the end of April and the beginning of May, it blossoms on the meadow near the St Lawrence church from the 16^th century and creates a blue carpet. In 1993, the Municipality of Sevnica adopted a measure to declare the habitat of Clusius’ gentian on the hill of Lovrenc a botanical nature monument. This is one of the most beautiful habitats in Slovenia where gentian grows.