Who's Who in Alaska Gardening Circles: (in alphabetical order)

Les Brake - Willow garden writer. The garden he and his partner have been making since 1984 has been featured in numerous magazines, including “Horticulture;” “Sunset;” “Country Living Gardener;” “Gardens Illustrated (England);” “Garten Praxis (Germany);” and “New Zealand Gardener.” The garden has also appeared on two HGTV shows, as well as the PBS series "Smart Gardening". Brake's ice arrangements have gained some notoriety, too, featuring most recently in the December 2006 issue of Better Homes and Gardens. He was a featured speaker at the 2007 Alaska Master Gardener's Conference.

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Michele Hebért- Cooperative Extension Service, Fairbanks. Her duties range from commercial agriculture to water quality. Into her busy life she fits a seasonal TV show on garden education topics, teaches the Master Gardener courses in Fairbanks, and hosts her own garden web site.

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Dr. Pat Holloway - UAF, Georgeson Botanical Garden. She is an Associate Professor of Horticulture with the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and the Manager of the Georgeson Botanical Garden. She is in much demand as a garden speaker and teacher. She has a strong interest in (and extensive knowledge about) propagating her own plants, has been on trips to gather wild seeds overseas that might grow in Alaska, and is the resident expert on commercially grown peonies as far north as the interior.

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Grant Matheke - UAF, Georgeson Botanical Garden. He is employed at the Georgeson Botanical Garden, and is the guy who gets everything done. His special area of interest is irrigation.

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Julie Riley - is a horticultural agent with the University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service in Anchorage.  Her photographs have been featured in “Good Fruit Grower,” “Horticulture,” …….

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