Gardening in Alaska presents big challenges, whether it's the extra effort in finding plants tough enough to survive our Zone 2-4 climate, communicating with like-minded Alaska gardeners, or keeping up with the latest trends, issues and solutions. We'll try to help with that. We'll also tour gardens from Homer to Anchorage to Wasilla to Willow whenever we get the chance, and post the best garden photos around. Presenting a forum about cold-weather gardening and for cold-weather gardeners is what we are all about. We hope you'll join us on the Talk Dirt garden blog.
Photographer and gardener Fran Durner (fdurner@adn.com) writes the blog.
A member of the Garden Writers Hall of Fame, Jeff writes a weekly column on gardening in Alaska.
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Posted: June 18, 2009 - 3:40 pm
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Cindy Shake helps Duke Russell set his "Dog Table" in a bed in the garden on Thursday, June 18, 2009 in preparation for the 12th Annual Garden Fair & Garden Art Show at the Alaska Botanical Garden. Fran Durner/ADNTonight is the Alaska Botanical Garden's annual fundraising gala (5:30-8:30, $50/$100) with music, food, drink and tours of the garden. It's also a preview of this weekend's Garden Art Show featuring some of Alaska's best known artists who have created pieces just for the outdoors.
Cindy Shake's "Garden Mermaid" and Steve Gordon's "Turnagain Arm Lupine" in the lower perennial garden at the ABG. Fran Durner/ADNMetal sculptors Cindy Shake, Tarri Thurman, Chris Richey, Mark Couch, Marieke Heatwole and Hugh McPeck have work displayed. Thurman drove up from Homer this morning and brought in a stunning "Suncatcher" made from an exhaust pipe embedded with blue marbles that are the shaker bead found inside spray paint cans. (Who knew?)
Tarri Thurman's "Suncatcher." Fran Durner/ADN
Clay artists Gina Hollomon and Paul Dungan are represented with several pieces. Glass artist Laura Mendola's creations are "meant to be used and enjoyed."
Laura Mendola places one of her glass birdbaths in it's handmade stand at the set up for the 12th Annual Garden Fair & Garden Art Show at the Alaska Botanical Garden. Fran Durner/ADN
Blacksmith Kevin Foster brought a 13 1/2 ft high steel arbor down from his studio workshop in Talkeetna and set it up so fair goers can admire the hand-forged details as they stroll through.
Kevin and Peg Foster carry Kevin's hand forged arbor to it's spot for the Garden Art Show at the Alaska Botanical Garden. Fran Durner/ADN
Painter Duke Russell departs from his well-known stylistic portraits of familiar Anchorage landmark buildings, with an angular, multi-colored "Dog Table" made of plywood. He said, "If it were mine, I would use it as my garden perch. I would rest my goblet on the top of the dog's head and view the wonders of plantdom."
Gina Hollomon's "Miss Coquet" sits in a garden bed at the Alaska Botanical Garden. Fran Durner/ADN
Steve Gordon, known for his landscapes paintings has three canvases on display. Gordon wasn't concerned about his paintings being exposed to the elements for four days. "No worries," he laughed after he had finished setting them on easels in the lower perennial garden. He explained that they're oil paintings and have a coating of a special UV shellac on top. Plus they are tilted slightly so the backs of the paintings won't get wet in case of showers.
Barbara Miller works to level her concrete cast leaf table for the Garden Art Show at the Alaska Botanical Garden. Fran Durner/ADN
Former ABG horticulturist Barbara Miller and her son Dillon set up a painted concrete "Tabularis Table" cast from a Tabularis astilboides leaf from her garden.
The 12th Annual Garden Fair & Garden Art Show at the Alaska Botanical Garden is June 20 – 21, Saturday, Noon–7pm, (members preview 11am) Sunday 11am–5pm.
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