In 2008 two avid master gardeners from Anchorage started Garden Snaps LLC. Every year for the past 25+ summers we would set out to find new sources of plants and gardening supplies. As soon as spring was upon us we would go (what we call) "greenhousing" - making a day out of visiting greenhouses, filling our car up with plants, having lunch and just enjoying the fact that winter was over and we could dig in the dirt again. To keep track of the various retailers we started noting our favorite locations on a map. As we were doing this we kept saying that we should publish the map, thinking that if we saw a need for a gardening reference map, then others might too. In the summer of 2008 we decided to take the plunge and formed Garden Snaps LLC. Our first publication, the 2009 Garden Snaps Map, was printed in April of 2009. It showed the location of greenhouses, nurseries, garden centers, farmers markets, public gardens, and resources in Anchorage and the Mat-Su Valley. We have received tremendous support from the gardening community to develop and distribute the map. Also in 2009, we developed a website to provide reference information for the gardening community and support the Garden Snaps Map.
The 2010 Edition of the Map expanded to include the Kenai Peninsula and all communities on the road system up to Fairbanks. In 2011, we added Delta Junction and Manley Hot Springs. The website continues to develop and now includes interactive maps mirroring the printed map and includes links to other gardening related websites. We are excited about offering web based tools for businesses to get the word out about what they have to offer.
Our goal is to promote the many wonderful, locally owned garden retailers and Alaska Grown products, as well as to provide the gardening community with information about gardening events, local sources for healthy produce and educational and social resources. We wholeheartedly support all aspects of the gardening community in Alaska - gardeners are just the nicest people!
Thanks to all gardeners across Alaska for your continued support of the Alaskan Gardening Community!
