2008 Theme Year “A Novel Garden”

Reiman Gardens is gearing up for the 2008 theme, A Novel Garden, which is intended as a double entendre, and interweaves the plants of Reiman Gardens with scenes and characters from classic literature. Each year, we choose a different theme used to design new displays throughout the Gardens; as always, we'll put a horticulture and entomology spin on everything throughout the Gardens.

The Conservatory will feature Peter Pan; a beautiful spring growth of tulips is planned in the Campanile Garden based on The Color Purple; a walk-through whale made out of willow branches and inspired by Moby Dick; an Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland Mad Hatter’s tea party will be planted in the Herb Garden; Little House in the Big Woods inspired miniatures amongst scale trains will highlight the Children’s Garden; and visit Peter Rabbit in the Home Production Garden.

Inside Conservatory Shows

Peter Pan a play by J.M. Barrie (April 1 – November 17)

Second star to the right and straight on till morning!  This display will highlight the story of Peter Pan on the island of Never Never Land through plants, props and interpretation. Beyond the delightful, magical story that’s a metaphor for eternal childhood and immortality, this display shows how children are the future to sustainable practices and ecological stewardship.

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (November 18 – December 31)

“I have endeavored in this Ghostly little book, to raise the Ghost of an Idea…may it haunt [your] houses pleasantly...”  Inspired by this Victorian classic, this display will be filled with traditional holiday fare. 

Outside Garden Shows

The Color Purple by Alice Walker, Spring Tulip Display (April)

Inspired by the Pulitzer Prize winning novel, the bulb display will be filled with shades of purple, violet, and lavender. Throughout the novel, the appearance of brighter colors indicates the liberation of various characters as Walker uses color to signal renewals and rebirths. In fact the novel’s title is cast when a main character, Celie, describes her religious awakening as she marvels that she never noticed the wonders God has made, such as “the color purple.”

 

Moby-Dick by Herman Melville, Margaret E. Penkhus Campanile Garden (May 15 – October 15)

A giant whale, lighthouse, sailors, fish and birds will be constructed from bent willow by local artists.  These structures will be surrounded by a sea of purple and blue flowers in this popular area of the Gardens. This display will reveal the parallels between literature and garden design as a general overview, plus in detail, interpret the symbolism of Moby-Dick and how that story translates into the realities of our own natural environment. Guests will be able to walk into the belly of this creature.

A Mad Tea Party Joey and Jesse’s Herb Garden (May 15 – October 15)

This garden is inspired by the tea party in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, by the English mathematician and author, Rev. Charles Lutwidge Dodgson; written under the pseudonym Lewis Carroll. The author used nonsense and absurdity to comment on reality. The Herb Garden will be filled with plants, some in absurd arrangements, which are grown and used to brew teas around the world.  Visit soon and remember to bring a tasty treat and a pink flamingo too. 

 

Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder, Patty Jischke Children’s Garden (Memorial Day to Labor Day)

This festive garden features G-scale railroad trains on four sets of tracks traveling among log cabins, split rail fences and other structures inspired by the 1933 book Little House in the Big Woods. The story took place during the 1870s, so our display will highlight pioneer life. Original structure sponsored by Country Landscapes, Central Landscapes, Green Hills Retirement Community, Kidman Tree Farm, Weber Stone and Midwest Groundcovers.

 

Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter, Home Production Garden (May 15 – October 15)

Farmer McGregor has hung Peter’s jacket and shoes on his new scarecrow, earning Peter and his sisters, Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail a scolding from their mother, Mrs. Rabbit. See the famous Beatrix Potter story within a traditional vegetable garden.

BioWalk Tour (May 15 – October 15)
Test your plant knowledge while exploring the diversity of plants and the issues and practice of sustainability while viewing many different plants being used and researched in the bio renewable industry.  Explore the Gardens’ sustainable rose garden and the resulting savings of labor and materials using new plants and designs.

Sustainablity in our Future - The new Jones' Rose Garden design
To carry on the rich tradition of rose care at Iowa State University, Reiman Gardens' staff has developed the next level of innovative rose gardening.  The Jones Rose Garden has been redesigned and replanted to incorporate sustainable concepts.

Specifically, this new bed has only roses that are disease resistance and winter-hardy.  The rose palette includes several cultivars and a mix of Buck Roses developed at ISU, Earthkind roses tested at Texas A&M University and Bailey Nursery's Easy Elegance roses.  To create a display with sustainable concepts, these roses are paired with native and non-native perennials.  This design presents a beautiful, varied mix of roses, shrubs and perennials,  These plants will not require any spraying and minimize labor requiremnts.  In its first month, this bed has cut the Gardens use of fungicide in half and whereas the roses used to consume more than one-third of the annual labor budget, staff has not been freed for other Horticulture duties. 

Those who love roses will find a new way to have a beautiful, diverse display and those unfamiliar with roses will find they can have beauty with much less care.

Reiman Gardens' Annual Events

A Novel Garden Preview Party
April 24, 2008
A special preview evening for CoHorts' members and Reiman Gardens' volunteers.

Mother’s Day
Sunday, May 11, 2008
All mothers admitted without admission charged, free carnations upon departure. Fabulous brunch served for one price for adults.

Ice Cream Sunday, June 1, 2008, 3 to 5 p.m. 
Kick off of our CoHorts' Appreciation and Membership Week, free to members. Music and free ice cream (while supply lasts). This event is to show appreciation of the Gardens’ most important asset: our CoHorts’ Members.

Dancing under the Stars, June 6, 2008, 7 to 10 p.m.
Featuring the 16-member High Society Big Band
Come and see dancing at its finest. Free to members and a small charge for guests. Free snacks and a cash bar. An optional dinner is available prior to the dance to make it a complete evening out with your friends. This event is sponsored in part by Reiman Gardens' CoHorts.

Father’s Day
Sunday, June 15, 2008
All fathers admitted without admission and given a gift upon departure. 

Rose Festival
June 21, 2008
Details to come.

4th of July at the Gardens
July 4, 2008
Enjoy the 4th with an excellent view from Reiman Gardens.

Garden Art Fair
Sunday, July 13, 2008 9a.m.-4p.m.
Celebrating Art in the Garden and the Garden in Art...With over 40 exhibitors, this one-day art fair is becoming well-known as a top summer event. Come and experience how artists draw inspiration from the landscape, gardening, flowers and butterflies to create prints, paintings, jewelry, sculpture, pottery, photography and more.  All items available for purchase within a beautiful garden setting. Admission to the Garden Art Fair is FREE!

Spirits In The Gardens
Sunday, October 19, 5-7 p.m.
Sunday, October 26, 5-7 p.m.
Featuring trick or treat with celebrity mascots, children’s crafts, storytelling, creepy crawly hands-on stations and more. This event has grown through the years and is planned to become one of the Gardens’ best family events. 

Blossoms of Light
Friday, December 5, 2008 5-8 p.m. 
Music, Santa, and family activites perfect for the holiday season.