Anchorage Daily News

Endless Summer hydrangeas, exuberantly promoted in national magazines and touted for cold-hardiness to Zone 4, may be worth a look especially in the Anchorage area's most temperate zones. Most retailers who had them early sold out: P&M Garden Services in Eagle River has a few in stock (Mile 3.5 Eagle River Road; 694-9294).

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There is an "original" variety (blue or pink, depending on the pH of the soil) like Grandma used to grow and a very pale pink hybrid called Blushing Bride that looks terrific but is only rated to Zone 5.

These repeat bloomers like partial shade. In Alaska, they might tolerate more sun since the angle of our rays is so benign, but most hydrangeas are not cheerful about being windblown. The shrubs can grow as tall as they are wide, from 3 to 6 feet, in an upright, rounded shape.

You can also win a complete garden featuring these plants by entering an online sweepstakes at www.endlesssummerblooms.com. Signing up is a little tedious -- you'll have to slog your way through subscription offers for Better Homes and Gardens and other stuff -- but the chance to win $2,500 worth of plants may be worth five minutes of clicking around.

FINDING THAT PLANTER

The short-handled spade from DeWit recently written about in this space, with the sharp blade that nicely divides perennials and makes bulb planting easy, isn't easy to find in retail stores this year. Our correspondent Joshua McCoy reports that she ordered it online from OutdoorDecor.com. It's also available on amazon.com.

Talk Dirt is a garden blog for the Alaska community hosted by Fran Durner of the Daily News with Cheryl Chapman and Mike Peters. Join the discussion at adn.com/talkdirt.

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