Articles
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The search for the right plant By Rannveig on June 24, 2011 There are few things more exciting than planning a new garden or redesigning an old one that‘s in need of a facelift. There are quite a few things to bear in mind when starting out on such a project. First to define how the garden will best serve it‘s owners, plan patios, walkways and other hardscapes. Then it‘s time for the fun part – to pick the plants. |
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Herbs and vegetables in containers By Rannveig on June 10, 2011 Not everyone has the space for a big vegetable garden that can provide their family with veggies well into winter. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s not possible to enjoy the taste of homegrown vegetables even if it’s just a small quantity. Many vegetables can be grown successfully in pots and other containers on balconies and patios. |
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Forsythias and other spring flowering gems By Rannveig on June 3, 2011 I’ve dreamt of growing a Forsythia shrub in my garden for a long time. These wonderful yellow bushes that are an unmistakable sign of spring in Europe and the US. I thought it was a hopeless dream, that it would be impossible for this shrub to grow, let alone flower here, but when I stumbled upon plants for sale at a plant nursery two years ago I knew I just HAD to give it a try. |
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Iceland's Independence Day - June 17 By Rannveig on June 20, 2010 June 17, we celebrate our independence day here in Iceland. On this date in 1944, Iceland became a republic and severed all ties with its former ruler, the King of Denmark. It was the end of a very peaceful independence battle, quite possibly the most peaceful in world history; an independence battle fought with pens instead of swords. |
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Happy Summer! By Rannveig on April 23, 2010 This was the greeting of the day as Icelanders celebrated the first day of summer yesterday. It's a national holiday and children receive summer gifts. Celebrating the beginning of summer when the temperature is still in the 30's might seem exceedingly optimistic. But according to the Old Norse calendar, there were only two seasons, 6 months of winter and 6 months of summer. |
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A second volcanic eruption in Iceland wreaks major havoc around the world. By Rannveig on April 21, 2010 Less than 48 hours after the spectacular Fimmvörðuháls eruption ended, another one started in the main crater of the nearby Eyjafjallajökull glacier, which last erupted 190 years ago in 1821. This is not a tourist eruption and there's nothing pretty about it. It's wreaked havoc around the world as most airports in northern Europe closed because of the enormous cloud of ash that swept across the continent. |
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A volcano erupts in Iceland By Rannveig on March 25, 2010 Just before midnight on Saturday, March 20th 2010 a volcanic fissure opened on a mountain pass between two glacier covered volcanos in the south of Iceland. The fissure is located near one of Iceland's most popular hiking trails in an area that hasn't seen any volcanic activity for several thousand years. It's been described as a small and tidy tourist eruption. But if it triggers an eruption in the mighty Katla volcano nearby, there won’t be anything small or tidy about that. |
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Gardening in Iceland - The Climate Challenge By Rannveig on March 17, 2010 Gardening in Iceland is a challenge; I think that is what I like about it. I find it exciting to try out new plants to see how they will manage in our unique climate. Many plants that "looked good on paper" do not do well, while others that were unlikely to succeed do for some reason. |
