Iceland, Snaefellsnes Peninsula

We spent a good part of one day of our Iceland trip driving around the Snaefellsnes Peninsula northwest of Reykjavik.  It's an area of incredibly diverse terrain, with waterfalls, grassland, clear streams, rocky seaside cliffs, black beaches, and mountains topped with a glacier.  Above is the famous church at Budir.

I was fascinated by the cliffs overlooking the ocean at Arnarstapi, on the southern coast of the peninsula.  The cliffs were full of grasses, silenes, sedums, thrifts, alpine lady's mantle, thyme, etc.  I wondered why I bother gardening at home...

My face hurt from smiling at this 'hanging garden'.

The variety of forms and colors on the basalt cliffs was amazing. 

I'd never seen this plant before but my trusty Icelandic plant guide points to gentianella campestris.

Clear stream, mountain, no trees.  I never got tired of this type of scenery during our trip.

Rock formations along the approach to Djupalonssandur beach in Snaefellsjokull National Park.

A little further along the same trail.  

Approaching the beach.  The dude in the midground is photographing named lifting stones used to test fishermen's strength.

The black beach of Djupalonssandur with bits of the Epine shipwreck from 1948.

The glacier Snaefellsjokull overlooking the lava fields leading up to the ocean on the western tip of the peninsula.

Iceland, Southwest

We returned late this past week from 12 days in Iceland.  It was our first trip there despite it being on our short list of vacation destinations for decades.  We were lucky to travel with a close Icelandic friend and her family who live in NJ.  She had a very ambitious itinerary for us, and we kept moving in order to pack as much as possible in the time that we had.  

Above is Lake Thingvallavatn at Thingvellir National Park, the area where the Icelandic general assembly first met in the year 930.  It's a gorgeous natural area, with rocky outcroppings denoting the rift in the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates.

I was constantly amazed how the geography changed every few meters.

This area was nearby the above photos.

The clear water allows for deep visibility.  Diving is allowed in one area, despite the water being quite cold.  One person I spoke with said that when he dove the water was so clear that he had to get over the fear that he might fall.

The Icelandic Turf House near Selfoss, a group of wooden farm buildings partially built with stone and turf for insulation.

I saw many of the alpines that I grow at home in their native habitat.  The arctic thyme was everywhere, and blooming a gorgeous pink.

The non-native lupinus nootkatensis was brought in to help control soil erosion.  It's all over the island now, but quite iconic and beautiful.

lathyrus japonicus (sea pea) I think

mertensia maritima, oyster plant

armeria maritima, sea thrift, going to seed, plus more thyme

 The natural distribution of these alpine plants over the southern end of the rocky Reykjanes Peninsula made me wonder if I'm overthinking plant placement in my garden.  

And seeing the inhospitable soil and windy conditions that these plants grown in made me realize that these are seriously tough customers.  I probably coddle them too much at home in the troughs.

The ubiquitous moss over a lava field.

We visited the Setlun geothermal area nearby, where the earth bubbled and steamed in a sulfurous stench.  

As a farm boy from Iowa, where one can drive 5 or 6 hours with no change in ecosystem, I was blown away by how close together all of these strange landscapes are on one small island.