Inuvik (Apr 26/04) - While Inuvik is still under snow, spring has already started in the Inuvik Community Greenhouse.

The air is getting warmer, the resident squirrel is beginning to scurry around and Carrie Young, the greenhouse co-ordinator, has dug her way through the snowdrift across the door to start up the furnace.

Carrie Young, co-ordinator of the Inuvik Community Greenhouse, holds up some plugs that recently arrived in Inuvik. The plugs -- mostly flowers -- will be transplanted into bigger containers when the greenhouse is warm enough to keep them alive. Until then, Young's house is full of trays. - Erin Fletcher/NNSL photo

"I'm so lucky. I get spring early in the greenhouse where it is 18 or 20 degrees even at this time of the year," said Young.

"I'm fully into spring even though there's snow outside. That's when I get a lot of people in there."

Young, who's been co-ordinating the community and commercial aspect of the greenhouse for the past four years, is both apprehensive and happy to see the first signs of spring.

"I find spring a struggle for me because I'm making the transition from having no responsibilities to having lots. One week I have nothing and the next week I have hundreds of plants that need watering," she said.

Right now her cozy home has trays full of baby herbs and flowers laid out around every available window. It's still too cold for them in the greenhouse.

She hopes to begin moving them in over the next few weeks. By mid-May some people will already have their plots started and plug transplanting will be underway.

Much of the old favourites and a few new ones are in the works for the greenhouse this year.

Young plans on having more ready-made hanging baskets and planters for sale, and some new flower varieties and herbs.

"There'll be more wave petunias and a lot fewer marigolds," said Young.

After the plant sales, the commercial greenhouses turns into a small market garden with fresh tomatoes and cucumbers for sale. But this year Young will be reducing the tomato and cucumber plants to make room for lettuce.

"It was quite popular (the first year)," she said.

Young hopes to branch out into landscaping and wants to spend more time teaching gardening to interested community members.

"The focus this year will be more on the community rather than the commercial sales," she said.

There's also going to be more parties.

Last year the greenhouse hosted the first-ever harvest party, which was a big success. Besides the harvest party in September, Young also hopes to host a few coffee house gigs over the summer.

"I think people really liked the idea of music and the garden together," she said.

Greenhouse membership fees are due May 8.

Anyone wishing to have a plot can call Young to have their name put on the list.