Cold-Climate Gardening

Brake began his garden as an innocent flirtation with plants and color, and soon he was cultivating a love affair with landscaping artistry. Gardening in southern Alaska--home of sub-zero winters and well over 100 inches of snowfall every year--provides a big payoff. "I love gardening in Alaska," he says. "For summertime gardening in July and August, it's the best spot on the continent."

Relatively delicate plants like this Gentiana asclepiadea), or willow gentian (figure C), which is typically hardy only to Zone 6, benefit from the important principles Brake has learned over the years:

1. Raise planting beds (figure D) to allow them to drain and warm faster, an important consideration after a lot of snow has fallen.

2. Use containers (figure E) for more tender plants to give them a hedge against the cold. If a frost is expected, simply move them to a warmer location.

But even in the land of extreme winters and short growing seasons, Brake gets a helping hand from another Alaska extreme, which he credits as one of the reasons Alaskan gardeners can grow such beautiful gardens. "The long days of summer add the equivalent of 20 days to our growing season," says Brake. "My actual frost-free period is only about 73 days, so the 24 hours of light from mid-May to late-July is what makes the garden possible."

Even though Brake deals with extreme conditions in Alaska, many of his tricks and techniques such as raised beds and cold frames can work great for gardeners all across the country.