Greenland in Flower

We have now visited Greenland twice (and are due back in August 2010), working as cruise ship lecturers, and have accummulated a large collection of images from that fascinating region, covering flowers, landscapes, and the few birds that the Greenlanders haven't shot! Cruise ships generally can only approach the south-western corner of Greenland, but that still offers plenty of variety and has probably the richest flora of the region.

The flora in July is stunning. Although it is limited to around 500 species, the abundance of flowers colours the landscapes for the few brief weeks of summer. But the glaciers are never far away, with icebergs in all the fjords. We were lucky once to be able to cruise through Prins Christian Sund, which is stunningly beautiful but often inaccessible because of ice in winter and icebergs calved from its glaciers in summer.

The images below are therefore just a a tiny sampling of what we can offer. Publishers seeking Greenland images should contact Michael here to check what he has available.

Note that this website only allows us to display extremely low resolution images; all the photographs displayed are available as high-quality digital images with a minimum size of 2GB.

All images copyright Michael Scott

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NARSAQ HARBOUR Narsaq is one of the ports frequently visited by cruise ships. The hill in the background is coloured yellow with buttercups and has a particularly rich flora.	THREE-TOOTHED CINQUEFOIL (Potentilla tridentata) A common species, even on roadside verges as here, around Narsaq and other coastal towns in south-west Greenland.

ARCTIC RIVER BEAUTY (Chamaenerion latifolium) This stunning plant, closely related to our Rosebay Willowherb, is widespread around Greenland and generally regarded as the country's national flower.	ARCTIC RIVER BEAUTY Here it is growing in typical habitat in 'Flower Valley', a popular excursion from Narsarsuag. It grows on river banks and other disturbed ground, often in large banks. It also occurs, less commonly, in Iceland.

ARCTIC POPPY (Papaver radicatum) This attractive poppy, with yellow or occasionally white flowers, is common in fellfields throughout Greenland.	ENTIRE-LEAVED MOUNTAIN AVENS (Dryas integrifolia) The widespread European species, Mountain Avens, is confined to western Greenland. This species, more typical of North America, is common on dry heaths all round Greenland.

NORTHERN GREEN ORCHID (Platanthera hyperborea) One of five orchid species in Greenland, this grows typically amongst willow scrub.	OBLONG WOODSIA (Woodsia ilvensis) This species, which is now desperately rare in Britain, is quite common on dry rocky slopes in southern Greenland. It is one of 22 fern species found in Greenland.

MARSH FELWORT (Lomatogonium rotatum) This handsome gentian grows in damp grassland near the sea only in south-west Greenland. I photographed it on the outskirts of Nanortalik, the 'place of the bears'.	GOLDTHREAD (Coptis trifolia) This was one of the few species I found on Greenland that I had not seen elsewhere in the Arctic. Related to anemones, it grows in rich heathland in the south of Greenland.

ICEBERG ABSTRACT As well as the flora, the icebergs of Greenland exerted a particular fascination. On an iceberg cruise from Narsaq, I used my telephoto lens to penetrate into the blue heart of some of the amazing icebergs in the fjord.	PRINS CHRISTIAN SUND Ice conditions only occasionally allow cruise ships to cruise through the narrow confines of Prins Christian Sund which cuts off the southern tip of Greenland, but the scenery is spectacular.

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Page Last Updated - 16/04/2010