The first Sunday of August brings a special event to Homer: the opportunity to step into private gardens that showcase the uniqueness of Alaskan gardening and get some real insight into what it’s like to work the land in a place where the growing season is short and the days long. Some 400 people come to Homer from all over, some of them gardeners from other parts of Alaska, and others from outside the state who simply have an interest in gardens.
The event begins the day before, on Saturday, when a notable guest speaker lectures at the Island and Oceans Visitor Center. Authors, garden designers, and photographers have all spoken at this free event. On Sunday, you can tour five or six of Homer’s best gardens, all carefully chosen to represent the broad spectrum of growing in the Homer area. Organizers try to have perennial, annual, and vegetable gardens represented, as well as gardens with special features. The weekend concludes with a reception, held on the grounds of Bear Creek Winery from 5 to 6:30 p.m.
