The property was previously owned by Carl and Caroline Jensen. Carl was a great friend of my dad - a good hunting buddy. He ran a shipyard down where the city shop is currently located by the Gastineau Channel bridge. I dimly recall going down there with dad when I was just a young whipper-snapper.
Caroline was a master gardener before such a title existed. I also dimly recall visiting the Pearl Harbor property many, many, many years ago. I remember walking through the garden with Grandma Newman.
In any event, Carl died quite a few years ago and Caroline passed away around 2005 or so. Caroline gave the property to the City and Borough of Juneau in trust - to be open to the public as an arboretum. I believe the bequest also included a substantial piece of coin, although I read in the paper last year that the value of the trust took a big hit in the recent financial meltdown. I think the city is struggling to keep the place running without a general fund subsidy.
Lots of primroses and bulbs were in bloom and the grass was green. I look forward to visiting again later this year when the garden is at its peak.
The house and garden at the Jensen Arboretum
The primroses and bulbs were cheerfully blooming away
Alison and Dougie soaking up some rays
After our visit to the garden we went and hiked the trail to the Boy Scout Camp. It was beautiful. No wind and the sun was warm. Saw a number of Mountain Bluebirds on the wetlands but unfortunately I was not able to get any decent pics of them. Very pretty birds. They are rare in Southeast Alaska. Also a fair number of geese and ducks. And there was a HUGE flock of seagulls working some sort of feed off the beach. A very pleasant afternoon indeed.
Yesterday I walked around out by the glacier visitor center. Walked the shores of Mendenhall Lake and then the moraine ecology trail. The beavers have been busy in that area too. I saw four kingfishers on one beaver pond - there were lots of fish flipping in the pond so no mystery why the kingfishers had staked the place out. Another bust in the pic department however.
Went to the folks after my walk and stacked a cord of wood alongside the fence. That's #4 for the season. No room for any more until we burn all last year's wood - there's at least six weeks or so left in the shed.
Tonight is steak night at the elders. Cousin Sandra and Aunt Emilie will be there as well as Amanda.
Cheers!
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