Savoring garden tours and summer's detours

What started out to be a day of garden tours was unexpectedly disrupted by yard sale detours. I had looked forward to this day for weeks, partly because I'd missed a smaller half-day tour in June. I hadn't been able to attend the annual tour last summer either. And the weather forecast was exceptionally cooperative-neither too hot nor too cold and no rain.

Last month, a self-guided tour was sponsored by both the Valley Garden Club (of which I am a member) and the Mat-Su Master Gardening Association. Three gardens were scheduled in the morning and three more in the afternoon. In between was a stop at the Rebarchek plot located near the red gate at the south entrance to the Alaska State Fair. The instructional flyer stated it was not a full lunch stop (bring a sack lunch), but drinks and finger foods and treats would be available in the renovated Colony barn.

I had to take care of a few things before pulling out of my driveway, so I got a later start than hoped. The evening before, I'd used Google Maps to locate and write directions and plot my route...just like I used to do with a paper map for garage/yard sales with my kids in the mid-1980s.

Only two miles from home, I noticed a yard sale sign on Palmer Fishhook to the right. Oh my. Should I stop? Two summers earlier a sale down that road had produced wonderful treasures. But today was a garden tour day, not a yard sale day...and I drove on by.

As I watched for house numbers, a greenhouse set back from the road caught my attention and I was pleasantly surprised when I realized this was the first garden stop. As I approached, I saw a guy talking to two women inside a fenced area that contained a huge row garden. I walked around and entered the gate and was soon listening to their conversation about successful beekeeping in Alaska. One of the women was holding a cabbage as they left to walk to the greenhouse. David introduced himself and we started a fascinating conversation about his vegetable garden, which was picture perfect.

I learned that he has only been in this location five years, that he grows buckwheat every other row as a cover crop, and more. I told him that I was impressed...that nowadays, I only grow carrots in a raised bed.

Standing near the two rows of cabbage (discussing why he grows two different varieties), he asked me if I like cabbage. I said yes that I buy it every time I shop at Costco (about every two months). When he asked if I would like a cabbage, I hesitated but said yes. He promptly pulled out his knife, bent over, and cut a lovely specimen. "Don't you need it to make sauerkraut?" I asked. He replied that he and his wife do not make sauerkraut. He then walked down the next row and cut a cabbage of the other variety (with a pointed head). Wow!

With him carrying the cabbages (I was busy taking photos), we walked to his greenhouse. The inside was every bit as wonderful as I imagined-ripening cherry and standard tomatoes, cucumbers hanging from the vine, pepper plants near the entrance... surrounded by marigolds to protect from aphids. I noticed an excellent work area and David mentioned the automatic watering system. I told him that I do have a lovely greenhouse (about half the size of his) but things are slower than usual this year and I've only had two ripe cherry tomatoes so far and no cucumbers. As we left, he cut two cucumbers and handed them to me. I protested, but then happily accepted. There were no other garden tour people on his grounds at that time, and he carried the cabbages out to my car.

As I drove back to Palmer Fishhook Road, my mind returned to the passed-up yard sale, and I couldn't resist backtracking. It was now or never... Since I wasn't prepared for yard sales, I had to break out my emergency money. I bought some one-of-a-kind items and other unexpected treasures that will make a great birthday gift for my son.

Knowing that I now had to eliminate one garden because of time restraints, I chose the miles closer garden in downtown Palmer, which belongs to a woman I've met, a fellow Valley Garden Club member. I enjoyed her wonderful perennials and her uniquely designed greenhouse and then visited with a woman I hadn't seen in almost two years, while several other friends came and went.

About noon I went on to the Rebarchek plot and barn. Windling through the back roads, I must have passed six-yard sale signs but managed to keep my focus. Being hot and thirsty, I went into the barn first to see about a drink...and then spent the next hour eating and visiting with friends....one of whom commented that she was late for lunch because she couldn't resist the six-yard sales on the way. The finger food was so plentiful, I didn't even get out my sack lunch. The mini sandwiches were

delightful, and my favorite dessert was the dried apricots half dipped in chocolate. At 1 p.m. there was still plenty of time to take photos of all 24 assorted garden beds (eight community and 16 individual beds).

Replotting my planned route again, I decided to attend only one afternoon garden-the one I had never seen near Finger Lake off Bogard Road... but with a stop at the yard sale I'd passed up earlier on the Glenn Highway. Turned out that there was nothing I needed at that sale, but it was run by a woman I knew from working with entries in the flower department of the Alaska State Fair.

Heading toward Finger Lake, I couldn't believe all the yard sale signs. It was difficult to keep my focus, but I was rewarded with fabulous flowers, new ideas, and two greenhouses. The second one was large enough to contain a table and chairs. There sat a woman (and her husband) who I hadn't seen in many years. She asked me to pull up a chair and visit and I did.

Heading toward home, I had to pass that intersection with the most yard sale signs. My car seemed to turn left of its own accord, and I followed the set of signs that shouted "Multi-family sale" for what turned out to be miles into the countryside. Upon parking, a small silver Toyota Tacoma truck immediately grabbed my attention. Just the day before I had seriously considered selling my husband's beloved truck and getting something smaller and not diesel. Could this possibly be what I needed without having to actually do any work researching and looking? I jotted down the details, and after much conversation with the young male owner, I left that sale with his name and phone number.

Driving home on Trunk Road, I had to pass the road to the last garden listed on the tour, which I knew quite well having toured it twice in past years and greenhouse sat for the owner one spring. I decided I wasn't ready for my day to end. The fabulous fragrance emanating from her mock orange trees surrounded us (a group of four) as she answered our questions. What a way to end my day of garden tours...with yard sale detours.

Maraley McMichael is a lifelong Alaskan now residing in Palmer. Email her at maraleymcmichael@gmail.com.