Most people don't come to Alaska expecting to be dazzled by lush greenery and bright, colorful flowers, but that's exactly what you'll find at Glacier Gardens Rainforest Adventures. Located in the Tongass National Forest just outside Juneau, the gardens and nursery are proof that Alaska is more than just tundra-- it's teeming with plant and animal life. The Gardens are most famous for one thing in particular: these upside-down flower towers, formed from uprooted trees and dripping with vibrant blooms.
The beautful, organic flower towers were actually invented by accident. Steve and Cindy Bowhay, who ran a plant nursery, purchased some storm-damaged land in the Mendenhall Valley to rehabilitate, and while Steve was using an excavator to move around hunks of rock, toppled trees, and loads of soil, he accidentally damaged the equipment on a huge boulder. Frustrated, he used the tool to pick up a tree trunk and slam it, top down, into the ground. Rather than splinter to pieces, the tree stuck in the mud, with the roots hanging down like vines. Frustration forgotten, Steve began to envision a forest of upside-down trees, recycled from the property, all with arrangements of flowers planted in the roots.
The trees are mostly spruce or hemlock, and each has between 75-100 flowering plants in the roots, creating a burst of color. They also added waterfalls and ponds to the stream on the property, enhancing the natural beauty and making the most of the once-lifeless land. The Glacier Gardens also covers some land in the Tongass National Forest, and offers guided tours of the serene woodland, as well as a bit of land on Thunder Mountain that offers panoramic views of Juneau and beyond. Seriously, you'll forget that you're in Alaska entirely!
No comments:
Post a Comment