It isn't exactly an Kincaid landscape, is it?.  Like many of our northern neighbors we're still covered in snow.  A lot of it.  The good news is it is melting. The bad news is it's taking it's sweet time about it. 

 While I'll admit that I'm not overly fond of watching the mercury drop below negative sixty, I love winter.  The beauty that comes with a drastically altered landscape, weekend trips to the mountains to sit in front of a roaring fire and drink hot toddies or picnicking on the back of the snowmachine in the middle of a frosted forest. That said, I'm ready for spring, darnit.

Although Fairbanks is still covered in a three-foot deep blanket of snow thoughts have turned from shoveling snow to planting gardens, tending flowerbeds, and lawn and tree care. One of the most respected gardening experts in Fairbanks is Michele Hebert (.PDF).  As the Land Resources Agent for the University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service and a Master Gardener in her own right, Michele knows first hand what works and doesn't with respect to growing anything in the Interior.

The Cooperative Extension Service has a library of more than 300 low or no cost publications such as a Flower Planting Schedule, A Key to Flower Growing in Alaska, Vegetable & Fruit Varieties for Interior Alaska and Raised Bed Gardening in Alaska.  Looking to bring your lawn back to life or advice for putting in a new lawn? Establishing your Fairbanks Lawn, Controlling Lawn Moss, Alaska Lawn Maintenance and/or Managing Alaskan Lawns might help.

One of our favorite local greenhouses is Holm Town Nursery and Garden Center owned by Jim and Marcia Holm.  The real treasure of Holm Town is the greenhouses full of bedding plants, vegetable starts, perennials, and trees and shrubs  In addition to a large greenhouse inventory, Holm Town is staffed by great folks who I would wager could answer any gardening question you might have.

Even if you weren't born with a green thumb, with the help of the Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service and the great folks at Holm Town, your yard and garden will be the envy of the neighborhood.