Grasagarður Botanical Garden — Attraction in Reykjavik

Oh geez, I can't possibly say enough good things about the beauty of Iceland, let alone this magical, phantasmagorical fairy-tale garden! On the last day of my trip in Iceland, I decided I just absolutely had to have one more adventure, no matter how big or small it was. I used Google Maps on my phone to see what was around me, and when I saw that this botanical garden was only a short walk from behind Reykjavik City Hostel(where I was staying) and saw the beautiful pictures other travelers had posted, I just knew this was the perfect adventure to squeeze in before my flight! To get to the garden from the hostel, I exited onto the deck, and followed a dirt path past the campgrounds, then past another little park that had some informational signs, bridges and trenches(it was like a mini-Shire). Depending on your pace, and whether you stop along the way at the park, it takes about 8-12 minutes to walk to the garden.

To be honest, what I kind of loved about this garden is that it was a bit of a journey to get there: following the path to get there and then having the magnificent bursts of color greet me made me feel a bit like Alice in Wonderland :3

But I digress...when you arrive, you'll the most gorgeous flowers, trees, plants, and you can tell that tender love and care has been invested into every single nook and cranny of the garden-as evidenced by the many volunteers(many of which seemed to be young, grade school girls) who are wheeling things about, or digging, or leaf-blowing. I'm not a botanist, so my adjectives can only go so far, but there are thousands of species of plants and flowers here.

My special moment: As I perused the garden, I came across a bench that had some graffiti(or "wall art" as they call it) which was framed by a bush of white daisies. The morning dew was still on the petals, and the bench, and I felt the juxtaposition of street art and daisies with the crystal droplets would make a beautiful shot(you can see it in my photos here-hopefully it is in high quality).

Overall, Reykjavik Botanical Garden is a wonderful, little-known secret that is great to visit if you have some time before...

First i would say that it is a pleasure to visit such a clean and litter-free garden (as are most places in Iceland). I visited early evening in August with the sun shining and the place almost entirely to myself. The garden is not big by botanic gardens standards but has plenty of hidden areas that you discover as you work your way around. Specimen plants are named and labelled with their Latin botanical names with accession numbers. The main garden is open with grassed areas, water and bridges, rock gardens and seasonal bedding. There is work in progress on one of the rock gardens which is good to see. Order beds are tucked away behind the kitchen garden area (produce from which is used in the rather attractive cafe). At the back of the garden is a small fernery, close to the propagation area. For anyone who has worked in botanic gardens this is a must on your Reykjavik visit. However, this is a garden that everyone will enjoy and I would definitely visit again next time I'm in Iceland. Oh... It's...

I like botanical gardens and always try make a point to visit the garden when I visit a city. This one is very basic but exceptional when one considers the climate. Nice enough walk especially if you include a walk on the paths surrounding the garden. A nice to do if the weather is pleasant and you have not arranged something else more exciting, like Icelandic horse rides. It does have a very nice tea garden which is enclosed...