Margaret Tharp and David Lendrum of Landscape Alaska have spent a quarter century testing methods and acquiring a plant collection that works in the unique climate and terrain of Southeast Alaska.
Margaret was born in Portland, Oregon, and reared in Holland for a portion of her life. She received a master’s degree in landscape architecture from the University of Oregon, aptly preparing her for her subsequent work in Juneau. Margaret designed a method for reusing the understory — the underlying layer of vegetation — as if it were sod, thus allowing ancient landscapes to grow around new structures.
David Lendrum is Southeast Alaska’s best-known horticulturalist, with wide exposure on the radio as well as in newspapers. He gives classes and lectures throughout the region. Dave’s work has introduced modern horticulture both to long-standing indigenous communities and to newcomers to the region, bridging the gap between the formal gardens of the early twentieth century and the needs of today’s public and private landscape.