I don't have the address anymore for another friend's website (Michele got plants from this woman), but she had incredible gardens in zone 0. She's moved to BC now, zone 5 - she deserves it, eh? :) If i ever get her new web page address, i'll post it again so you can see how beautiful her yard was. She grew many alpine plants, lilies, lychnis, she had a Thunderchild Crabapple, hops vine - can't remember it all. And she took wonderful pictures of her flowers too.

Laurie and I may see Michele in the next week or two so I will try to ask her then, to see if she remembers the lady's name.

Brenda

I didn't have the address for my friend's new site at school, but i have it here. Unfortunately, she hasn't transferred any of the old pictures over to this site. I suspect that she probably won't do that until next winter now. But you can bookmark the site just in case she does something with it.

Here is a link that might be useful: A view from here

I don't know about Zone '0', but Fairbanks is officially listed as zone 1 in some sites, zone 0 in others, and has pockets that may be zone 2a or b. The attached website has plants that have been tried at the Georgeson Botanical Gardens in Fairbanks, or have been evaluated by garden clubs, master gardeners, or greenhouses in the area.

Here is a link that might be useful: Plants worth Growing/Testing

Thanks All!! I'll pass along the info. Let me know if you come across any more. :-)

Verena

Not sure what Whitehorse's offical zone designation is, but it tends to be much warmer than other parts of the Yukon. There is a chinooky type wind off the ocean that keeps it warmer most years - it's not nearly as warm (or as damaging) as Calgary's. Also, lots of insulating snow cover. I'd go with zone 2a plants & whatever is for sale at the greenhouses ... there is a good one just off the highway. If your friend would like a natural garden, there are packages of local wildflower seeds available. (Sold at the bookstore downtown the spring I lived there.)

Here's some ideas from zone 1b:

Lilacs, alot of varieties get winter kill, but the most dependable is the pink flowering type you can get from the gov't windbreak planting program (I have the form somewhere...maybe someone else can help here because I don't know the name of the variety). It has very different leaves than the traditional types, they're longer and narrower and tend to be lighter green in color with prominent veining. Does anyone with a digital have one they could post a pic of?

Ashleaf spirea
Poppies
rhubarb
monkshood
delphiniums
mints
iris
globeflowers
columbines
lillies (Asiatics for sure and last year I planted an 'Iceberg' LA lilly that proced about 10 babies this year!)
dames rocket
dianthus
lilly of the valley
perennial hops
yarrow
shasta daisies
creeping thyme
daylillies
martagon lillies
rasberries, gooseberries, strawbarries
lupins
peonies
maltese cross
siberian iris
achillea 'the pearl'
silene electra (catchfly), annual baby's breath, johnny jump-ups (and the odd other viola) and california poppies all reseed well for me.

I grow these unmulched (except the LA lilly, because I wasn't sure about it). IMHO, plant perennials in the ground (not raised) and annuals in raised beds or containers. At least until she finds out whats going to work for her. A neighbor of mine here has used large rocks and upright flat rocks in her garden extensively to absorb heat and her plants love it! I have plans to try this myself and hopefully mine will get as big!

How's that for some enabling!
Toots :^)