Being a Tourist in Downtown Anchorage

 

Fun Facts:

Alaskans eat more ice cream per capita than any other state.

Anchorage is the northernmost city in the United States with more than 100,000 residents and the largest community in North America north of the 60th parallel. With a population of approximately three hundred thousand people, Anchorage is home to forty percent of Alaska's population.

 

We decided to drive into town, wander around and do some shopping.   One way to get height in a planter.

Long before the green roof was a trend folks had roofs like this one on the visitor's center/cabin.

Remember when we used to se municipal plantings like this one more often.  In Alaska, these annuals will look beautiful all summer.

Someone asked about a previous post how they kept bear from entering stores.  Here we see that they sometimes don't and unwary tourists can become victims.  He was told to stay in a group, make noise, and wear a bell but did he listen?  NO!

 You may recall a winter visit to Town Square Park here.  I think you'll agree that it looks much different in July.  I'd forgotten how joyful giant swaths of bedded out annuals can be.

Planting for winter interest would be silly in beds that will be covered with snow for months so we get to revel in the intensity of everything blooming at once.

It's all about the flowers!

Imagine, kale/ornamental cabbage looking great in the summer. 

It's interesting how combining these same orange tuberous begonias with blues and purples changes the mood so much from the earlier planting with yellows, pinks and other oranges.

Another fun fact for all my garden blogging pals in Texas:

Don't feel to bad as Alaska's land mass is 1/5 the size of the entire continental U.S.

So, back to the park.   Bold colors!

Hope you enjoyed our little walk and the Alaska garden visits!