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The Rock Garden at the Reykjavik Botanic Garden |
I was always curious what might actually be persuaded to grow in Iceland, since I've known the climate is essentially alpine: I had a wonderful 18 hour visit this past summer on June 27 en route to Copenhagen at the start of my Chanticleer Scholarship study trip to Greece and Turkey.
And I knew there was a botanic garden, so I made a beeline there. The rock garden held pride of place near the main entrance: there were many fine gardens there--all meticulously weeded, and wonderfully planted to unusual plants as well as the Standard Fare of European botanic gardens. This garden is well worth a visit during the growing season: I'd love to go back in May to see the
Adonis (they have a fabulous collection of species) in full bloom as well as early alpines, and later in the summer as well...below is just a smattering of the hundreds of superb alpines in bloom in late June. I wish I could show them all! Most were well labeled and all were superbly grown.
The entrance sign board...
Closer detail of the map...pretty straight forward! Now on to the "Steinhaed"..
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Anemone magellanica |
Usually considered a variant of the circumboreal A. multifida any more...we've grown a much larger flowered plant under this name. This could be from Colorado!
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Aquilegia aff alpina |
One of the few whose label I couldn't find--a great colony of blue columbines!
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Aquilegia flabellata f. alba |
And a superbly situated specimen of this east Asian classic...
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Brimeura amethystina |
This clump made my poor specimens at home look pretty measly by comparison.
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Arenaria purpurascens |
There were huge mats of this in several places--best I've seen at any garden.
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Delphinium ramosum |
Doesn't quite match up to what I know of this species--but spectacular nonetheless...
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Dodecatheon integrifolium |
I believe this may be the same as
P. pulchellum (pauciflorum/radicatum etc.)
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Doronicum clusii |
One doesn't often see this daisy in American gardens--a lovely one.
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Geranium cinereum |
A fine form of this classic geranium.
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Geranium farreri |
I've grown this, but not like THIS!
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Iris reichenbachii |
Another classic--a lovely form well grown. Look at all the buds--that will bloom all the way through July! For us it's April and early May.
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Lewisia pygmaea |
Abundant in the high Rockies--these look just as happy in Iceland.
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Oxalis enneaphylla |
A spectacular specimen of a choice plant rarely seen in the States.
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Paederota lutea |
I've grown this too...but this made me sick with envy. Check out the next frame too...
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Paederota lutea |
Yikes!
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Potentilla stenophylla |
A platn new to me: and a showy one. I've seen a similar plant from Bhutan--so this is likely Himalayan.
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Pulsatilla violacea |
I would love to have a pasqueflower with this many flowers!
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Ranunculus aconitifolius |
Part of an enormous planting of this old fashioned perennial one rarely sees nowadays.
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Ranunculus traunfelneri |
A new one for me: a gorgeous buttercup!
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Ranunculus sartorianus |
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Another buttercup I've not heard of hitherto...
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Saxifraga taygetea |
Does not look like the
S. taygetea I've grown for years: I'm curious which is correct! This is more like
S. rotundifolia in my experience. I'm so plant focused I forgot to get a release signed by the fellow with the pack in the back who unintentionally photobombed this picture. I suppose he's wandering around the planet, oblivious that his soul was stolen as a backdrop to a misnamed plant.
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Veronica schmidtiana |
A delightful tuft of this East Asian Veronica...
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Paeonia anomala, elder and tulips |
There are wonderful vegetable, woodland and perennial gardens as well--but this vignette shall suffice for now: Amazing how everything is in bloom at once--with peonies and tulips making it into midsummer! Iceland is definitely worth the visit! Next time, Akureyri where there is another ambitious botanic garden!
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