Flowers of Two Islands

When Vigdis Finnbogadottir, former president of Iceland, was asked by Iceland Post to suggest a theme for the September 2011 issue she chose something near to her heart, wetland conservation. The stamp says 'verndun votlendis' (protection of wetlands) and only  last week on the 2nd February  it was World Wetlands Day.  They are places that have been described as the lungs of the world,  not only fascinating for their birds but also their flora.  The artist shows what I think is a snipe appearing from the reeds and flowers.

Iceland has issued many series on flowers and here are two from 1984:

Pine Azalea and Burnet Rose

The following year they were up to series 8 of of the flowers of Iceland. 

Sea Pea

(If you are interested in other flowers of Iceland I had a postcard of them on here last year, see here).  The Sea Pea is a familiar sight all over the world on the coast because of the ability of its seeds to remain viable while floating in salt water for up to five years, enabling the seeds to drift more or less worldwide.  Lets now drift around the globe to the southern hemisphere and the seaside, but in warmer climes than Iceland, 

where plants play a vital role in the formation and stability of Australia's sandy coasts. The stamps featured are:

• Top left the Native Fuschia (Correa reflexa) a widespread species which grows on sandy soils.  
• Top right:  the Guinea Flower (Hibbertia scandens). a trailer with yellow flowers and bright red fruits.
• Bottom left: Beach Morning Glory a scrambler found sprawling on coastal dunes in northern New South Wales.  
• Bottom right, Australian Bluebells (Wahlenbergia stricta) which occur throughout south-eastern Australia.

An entry to Viridian Postcard's Sunday Stamps theme of - Flowers