The Georgeson Botanical Garden is a sprawling estate that showcases some of Alaska’s most intriguing plant species and botanical phenomena. The garden began as the Alaska Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station in the early 1900s. The station’s spirit of inquiry has continued through to the current plots of multihued peonies, wild blueberries, monster vegetables, dwarf cultivars and magnificent native Alaskan plants.
Walk through the spacious gardens and reach the rotunda information point. Check out a series of maps that highlight the botanical gardens’ different areas and pick your path through the beautifully maintained 5-acre (2-hectare) estate. Situated on a gentle slope extending from the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus, the gardens are a sensory oasis filled with flowers, trees, experimental crops and sculptural features. Take the kids to the Children’s Garden, where they can go on a botanical adventure through a secret garden to reach a tree house, a little log cabin and a splashing water fountain.
Don’t miss the agricultural experiment gardens, where you can find out what happens to everyday vegetables when grown with a 20-hour daily dose of Alaskan summer sunshine. You might see cabbages weighing in at 50-pounds (over 22 kilograms) or peonies that come up to your hip. You’ll also see some of the dwarf cultivars that have adapted to Alaska’s harsh sub-arctic climate.
Join a 1-hour guided tour to learn about the thousands of varieties of herbs, vegetables and flowers in Alaska and discover the history of the original experimental farmstead. During your visit, you might see local painters and wedding ceremonies within the serene garden setting.
The Georgeson Botanical Garden is situated 15-minutes’ drive from downtown Fairbanks. Alternatively, reach the gardens by catching the bus to the university and walking for 20 minutes. The gardens are open between May and September from early morning until late in the evening. Make the most of Alaska’s extensive flowering period and visit in late summer. Admission is very affordable and children under 6 years of age enter for free. Guided tours have a fee and depart on Friday afternoons.
