Garden fair delights: peaceful and beautiful, this is one show you don't want to miss.

• Author: Pounds, Nancy
• Position: Alaska This Month

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An oasis of woodland peace and horticultural delights at the Alaska Botanical Garden in Anchorage contrasts to nearby city sights and sounds. This month, on June 21 to 22, bagpipers will march along birch-lined paths to mark the opening--and later the closing--of the 11th Annual Garden Fair and Garden Art Show.

The 110-acre botanical garden is located at 4601 Campbell Airstrip Road, just south of the intersection with Tudor Road. The facility showcases northern gardening techniques and native plants among a forest of spruce and birch trees. The botanical garden has more than 1,100 species of perennials and 150 native plant species set in two perennial gardens, a formal herb garden, an alpine rock garden and a wildflower walk. A 1.1-mile nature trail winds down to the north fork of Campbell Creek.

The garden fair features vendors, entertainers, guest speakers, children's activities and a food court. It serves as a fundraiser for the Alaska Botanical Garden, as well as a showcase for the facility and garden art. Organizers also hope the fair attracts first-time visitors.

"It's a wonderful opportunity for us to show people that the botanical garden is a vibrant place for research and education, not a static museum," said Julianne McGuinness, Alaska Botanical Garden executive director.

The garden fair is open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on June 21 and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on June 22. Admission is $5. Parking is available at the Alaska State Troopers Headquarters and The Alaska Club, with shuttles to ferry visitors to the botanical garden.

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PAST AND PRESENT--A BLOSSOMING EVENT

Former board member Jay Schoonmaker created the garden fair in 1997. The family oriented and educational event he imagined has grown over the years. Eleven years later, the garden fair spans two days and features more sponsors and vendors. The Garden Art Show was added in 2002.

Last year, organizers ushered in a sister event, the Gala in the Garden, to debut garden art displayed during the fair. This year's...