Submit Garden Photos
View Garden Gallery

courtesy of National Garden Association

June is National Garden Month, and the National Gardening Association (www.garden.org) offers lots of tips -- from urban gardening to edible landscaping to backyard safety for kids -- that can be adapted for Alaska gardens. PLUS: A report on how air pollution can reduce flower fragrance, and how that may have contributed to declining honeybee populations.

ONGOING PROJECTS: Turpin Park, Abbott Loop Park, Lions Fairview Park, Lyn Ary Park, Little Campbell Creek Park. Please pencil in some time in your calendars this summer to help water, weed and general maintenance in the above parks. Email TREErificAnchorage@yahoo.com to let us know which days you can help.

Through September 3. The Alaska Botanical Garden. Guided tours every day at 1pm. Wednesdays: Storytime in the Garden, 6 pm (cancelled if raining), guided tour, 6:30 pm, live music, 7-8 pm. Shop in the Garden and nursery open until 7 pm. For information contact ABG, 770-3692.

Every Friday-Sunday in June. 12 noon-6pm. Neighborhood plant sale. HARDY PLANTS FROM OUR GARDEN TO YOURS.
Bleeding hearts, peonies, lewisias, delphiniums, raspberries, ground covers, shooting stars, pulmonarias, astilbes and numerous other hardy rock garden and shade plants. Huffman Rd. and pintail St., follow signs to sale. For more info call Joyce at345-0146

June 1, Sunday, 2pm. Discovering Morels. Eagle River Nature Center. Join morel sleuths, Blanche and Jim Tinius to search for this mushroom's habitat. Learn to identify an edible, tasty morel from a false morel. A 30-minute indoor program is followed by a 2-mile walk down the Rodak and Albert Loop Trails. Free program, $5 parking for non-members.

June 1, Sunday, 4th Annual Mat-Su Greenhouse Gallup Noon til? Carpool from the Big Lake Library. FREE, donations for gas to drivers appreciated! Visit nurseries, greenhouses and treelots from Palmer to Big Lake on an organized tour with map and stops for coffee and goodies. Contact Linda Lockhart at 892-8119 for info.

June 3 and 4, Tuesday and Wednesday. Habitat for Humanity plantings at 32nd & Spenard project from 430pm-730pm. TREErific will be helping with the tree, shrub and perennial plantings at this worthy project. More details to follow. We are looking for volunteers for this project. Please contact Stephen Nickel at stephen.nickel@alaska.gov or 269-8466 if you can help.

June 7, Saturday. Anchorage Garden Club Annual Plant Sale, 9:00 am-5:00 pm, 3734 W. 35th Avenue, Anchorage Garden Club hotline 566-0539.

June 9 through July 30, Mondays, Tuesdays or Wednesdays. Junior Master Gardener summer program for kids ages 7 to 11, 9 am-12 pm or 1 pm-4 pm at the Alaska Botanical Garden, instructor Pat Ryan. Cost: $125, call 770-3692 for registration information.

June 14 through Sept. 27. Saturdays, 10am-3pm. The Homer Farmers' Market. Fresh produce and more from Peninsula farmers and artisans. On Ocean Dr.

June 15. Tickets for July 26 events with author and educator Allan Armitage go on sale at the Homer Bookstore and the Chamber of Commerce. LECTURE: “Crazy Plants for Crazy Gardeners” ($15) Saturday evening is at the Islands and Ocean auditorium, 7 p.m.; limited to 125. WALKABOUTS ($25 per ticket) at Fritz Creek Gardens earlier in the day are limited to 15 for two groups, one at noon and the second at 2:30 p.m.

June 17, Tuesday. 6 - 8 pm, join Citizen Weeds Warriors for a weed pull and help control the spread of invasive plants in your park lands. Lidia Selkregg Chalet. Contact Wade Collins 343-4460.

June 18, Wednesday. Alaska Rose Society Plant Sale, at the Centennial Rose Garden on the west end of Delaney Park Strip, 7:00-9:00 pm. Contact Debbie Hinchey 278-2814 for more information.

June 19-25 National Insect Week"

June 19, Thursday. Alaska Botanical Garden Midsummer Gala in the Garden. 5:30 pm-8:30 pm. Includes children's activities, reservations required. Tickets $50 each, $100 family, early ticket purchase encouraged, 770-3692.

June 21-22, Saturday and Sunday. Alaska Botanical Garden's 9th Annual Garden Fair. 10:00 am -6:00 pm, Saturday and 10:00 am-4:00 pm on Sunday. Special guest speaker, Brent Heath, of Brent &Becky's Bulbs, sellers of popular and uncommon bulbs. For more information, 770-3692.

June 24-27, Tuesday - Friday. Floral Design Workshop. 10 am-1 pm, taught by Sharon Hoffbeck at the UAF Cooperative Extension Service (CES) in Anchorage, suite 130. Designed for the beginner; students will create a floral display to take home each day. Cost $110, pre-registration required. Contact CES, 786-6300 or fndew@uaf.edu.

June 25, Wednesday. UAA Tree Tour, 5:30 to 7PM Come learn about the many interesting trees and shrubs that are growing on campus and maybe get some ideas for your home landscape. You might be surprised at the variety of options we have available to us here in south-central Alaska! The tree tour will be lead by, UAA Landscaping Horticulture Manager and certified arborist Pat Leary. Meeting location to be determined. Info: 269-8466.

June 28-29, Saturday and Sunday. Alaska Botanical Garden Parade of Ponds. 11:00 am-5:00 pm, come visit backyard water features and ponds. Cost: $15, contact ABG at 770-3692.

GARDEN CLUBS AND ASSOCIATIONS MEETIINGS

Alaska Native Plant Society. First Monday of each month at 7:30pm at the Campbell Creek Science Center in Anchorage. October - May. No June meeting.

Valley Garden Club: First Tuesday of each month at 10:30am at the Old Catholic Church on Bogard Road. A short business meeting and an education program followed by a potluck lunch. It is a great time to catch up on all the gardening events and happenings in the Valley. All are welcome.

North Root Big Lake Gardeners: First Tuesday, 6:30pm. June 3 at the Lockhart & Erskine Garden, Mile 6.7 South Big Lake Road. Dahlias with Margaret Gitts of Swan Island Dahlias. Seed packets just too enticing? Started too many of anything? Bring excess plant starts to share and trade. Contact Linda Lockhart at 892-8119 for info. Everyone welcome.

Central Peninsula Garden Club: First Tuesday, 7:00 p.m. at Cook Inlet Aquaculture Bldg., K-Beach Road. Everyone welcome. Contact Marion Nelson at mmkn@ptialaska.net

Anchorage Garden Club: First Thursday at 7pm (new time) at Pioneer School House basement, corner of Third Avenue and Eagle Street. June 5: "Tips for Entering a Flower Show. Everyone Can Do It!" Everyone is welcome.

CANWIN (Citizen's Against Noxious Weeds Invading the North): Second Thursday of the month, 3:30pm, at the BLM's Anchorage Field Office, 6881 Elmore Road. E-mail or call Lori Zaumseil at AKCANWIN@aol.com, or call 245-2373 for more details.

Wildflower Garden Club: Second Thursday at 10am at Central Lutheran Church, 15th Avenue and Cordova Street. September - April. No meeting in June. Contact phone no. is 441-8736.

Alaska Pioneer Fruit Growers: Second Thursday at 6:30pm in Anchorage at the BP Energy Center, Coop Ext Room. 907-745-2043

Alaska Master Gardeners: Third Monday.
June 16, Monday, 7pm. Anchorage Master Gardener field trips to 1) Amy Olmstead's at 6946 Apollo Drive to see "Lasagna Gardening", and 2) Mary Nan Cunningham's at 1736 Dolina Circle to see "Perennials, Succulents, Garden Art". Call 786-6300 for more info. June 23, Monday, 7pm. Anchorage Master Gardener field trip to Sharon Davis's garden to see "Lilacs and Perennials" at 1510 P Street, contact 786-6300.

Alaska Rose Society: Third Wednesday. June 18, Rose Basics, Centennial Rose Garden, Park Strip. Call Shirley Kelly for more info, 248-1624