Hi, congrats on your new home! I'm sure you will get more suggestions, but I would start with the following:
Delphiniums
Columbines
Gaillardia (blanket flower)
Peonies
Shasta Daisies

The first four have some fancier varities that might not be hardy enough, but the older vigorous types should be fine. Also, most annuals will probably do really great with all the extra daylight up there.

We need to drag Michele back in here - she's in zone 0. One thing i remember her planting was clematis. Another friend of mine lived in the same town as Michele and had a fantastic garden - she had a Thunderchild crabapple, for one thing, clematis, roses, and many other plants. She had a great website too, but she took it down when she moved.

Veronica, if you are in a wooded area are you finding lots of deer and rabbit tracks through the yard? If so, you will need a fence to protect perennials like daylilies and lilies and/or a dog to chase the critters away. Sounds beautiful though! The quietness of living in the country, spending time outside in the summer and listening to the birds in the trees...nothing can compare to that feeling.

As for perennials and/or shrub plants you can grow in your area...is there a local garden club? Also, scout the local plant nurseries and see what they have to offer. What about the neighbors...what are they growing in their yards for foundation plantings?

Brenda

I find the fulva and flava day lilies to be really tough,achillia, dead nettle. snow in summer,some of the dianthus (deltoides) like arctic fire etc are pretty hardy..hope that helps..savona

Marcia, I e'talked' to Michele (hunnerbun) today. She is going to see if she can find a list of some sort of the plants that she can grow in her Manitoba zone 1 garden to give Veronica an idea of what to possibly try. Michele also plans on popping by sometime soon for a visit. She said ... 'Tell everyone Hi for me and I am still alive way up here in the frozen north!'

Brenda

First thing to remember!! Always plant at least 4. One for the Voles, One for the Rabbits, and one for the moose. Then with good luck there will be at least one for yourself. If there is a University Co-operative Extension service in the area, that along with neighbors and garden clubs can make life much more pleasant.

If your area is considered zone 1, one thing to consider is that areas right around the house and in the somewhat sheltered yard may have the microclimate effect, that is, may be slightly warmer and thus allow you to grow zone 2 and 3 plants.

You mention the yard is currently all snowy. One thing that really helps is insulating snowcover, that sticks around all winter.

You may want to try daylilies, hosta, maltese cross as these seem fairly hardy into zone 2, so who knows. Also, for the more questionable stuff, a little winter mulch, or piling of winter snow, or wrapping of shrubs may also provide additional winter protection.

P.S. your property sounds very lovely.

Glen

Veronica, Hi welcome to the interior. I think you may be near Delta. I have lived here for about 20 years and love to do flowers. Try Iceland poppies, delphiniums, columbine, Shasta daisies, Asiatic Lilly , Yarrow, This is a good start. I have tried peonies and they have never done well for me. Hope this is helpful. It is a challenge to keep things growing here Bons

Thank you all for the ideas, I think I'll start keeping a gardening notebook to keep ideas in (and later note what worked and what didn't, LOL). I am a little north of Delta bonbon, right by North Pole actually, husband works at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, where I am a full time student (but I decided that I am definitely taking my summer off to play in the yard!).

We lived on Eielson AFB for 6 years back in the late 80s and 90s when hubby was in the AF, but we only ever grew annuals in our yard back then (the base gave us free flower vouchers to put in annuals). Now that we're back up here, I want my garden to be a bit more permanent and I'll fill in with annuals each year.

Let me know when you get settled and I will see if I can get some Rugosa and Acicularus rose cuttings or suckers rooted for you. Also maybe some seeds so you you can grow your own.

Hi Veronica,

-40, makes me shudder just thinking about it! We've been lucky so far (NE BC), only down to -39C, LOL!
Here's some perennials that have been faithful to me and come back with no winter kill:

Villosa Lilac (late blooming)
False Spirea
daylilies
Asiatic and LA lilies
Ornamental Hops
Dames Rocket (biennial I think and it will seed itself too)
Creeping Thyme
Wooly Thyme
Sedums
Pink Maiden Dianthus
Yarrow
Oriental Poppies
columbines
delphiniums
martagon lily (unknown variety)
Blue Moon catmint
Creeping Jenny
Trollius (not the large flowered type with the spikey centre, those have winter killed on me)
Lily of the Valley
Cranesbill
Corral Bells
Siberian Iris

I grow all of these in full sun except Lily of the Valley. Good luck and happy planning! And stick around, the more zone oners the better!

Welcome to the Interior! I've lived in Fairbanks for 10 years now, but only have 2 years experience with perennials (finally bought a house of my own). There are lots of rabid gardeners in Alaska (we have to have something to get us through the winters!), and lots of resources.

Greenhouses: in North Pole, there's Hawk's greenhouse. I haven't been there much, but Angie (the owner) is really nice and knowledgable. Lots of perennials, annuals, and perennials. In Fairbanks, my favorite greenhouses include Plant Kingdom (which does a "Garden Walk" most Saturdays during the summer to tour their extensive demonstration beds) and Holm Town Nursery (open year-round for your January fix of plants and humidity).

Botanical Gardens: The Georgeson Botanical Gardens is located near UAF. Lots of demonstration/trial beds, lots of vegetable trials, lots of long-term perennial studies. I strongly recommend touring there frequently during the summer, and if you've got time, volunteer there! You'll meet lots of friendly knowledgable people. Their website is GBG Check out their publications--every year they produce lists of vegetables and annuals and their performance, and they also have a list of recommended landscape materials. Chekc out: Publications

Cooperative Extension: Michele Hebert is the horticultural expert at the Coop Extension, and she is fantastic. She teaches the Master Gardener program, which I HIGHLY recommend. Their website is CES

Seed catalogs: if you grow from seed, look for northern or short-season catalogs for the most success. My favorites are Gardens North for perennials; and for vegetables, annuals, and some perennials Johnny's Selected Seeds, Veseys, and Territorial (do a search for their websites--all excellent).
Good luck, and welcome to Alaska!
Emily in snowy Fairbanks

Here is a link that might be useful: GBG

A good seed source is Gardens North out of Ottawa. Also the link I have added.

Clayton

Here is a link that might be useful: Clematis source for you

cmmwiebe...Heavy sigh...Now why'd you have to go provide that link???...I've already ordered so many tubers and bulbs, not counting a cabillion seeds that I'll probably have to rent space in the neighbor's yard. Trying unsuccessfully to find a forum without enablers...Course I just shared the link with three friends...LOL

BTW...Hi Emily!...This is Barbara from the MG Club

And...Ronniroo...If you'd like to email me, I'm in NP. You don't have an email in your profile for me to email you first.

Well your in good company up there. I have been in contact over the years with Clair Lammers from Fairbanks. He used to have a large fruit tree collection and I even got cuttings from him one time.
Found him on 411.com and see he has a business name too.
Clair's Cultivations. I have not heard from him lately but he is a wealth of information about fruit growing.
Clayton

Here is a link that might be useful: Clair's Cultivations

Thanks for posting those links, Clayton :) Even if a person doesn't order anything (Ha! Ya right!), its so informative just to see what folks are growing in the north country.