Upcoming events

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• Tree and Shrub Pruning Lab

  • When
    28 Mar 2026
  •  
    9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
  • Location
    92nd St and Dewey Gibbs Rd. Urbandale, IA 50322

  This event is for Master Gardeners only. 

  Education and hands on experience pruning trees and shrubs led by an expert from Brenton Arboretum. Sign up below.

  
  

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• Jordan House Gardens - Spring Kick Off

  • When
    28 Mar 2026
  •  
    9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
  • Location
    2001 Fuller Rd, West Des Moines, IA 50265

  

  Join us for the Jordan House Gardens Spring Kick-Off

  Saturday, March 28, 2026
  9-11 a.m.

  Jordan House Gardens
  2001 Fuller Road, West Des Moines, IA 50265
  
  Please join us at Jordan House Gardens as we make bed planting plans, align on overall garden strategy, and walk through our work night schedule, volunteer roles, and summer events. 
  
  Please use the Sign Up Genius link to sign up for the Spring Kick Off. 
  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

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• Rose Garden Preparation and Pruning Lab

  • When
    28 Mar 2026
  •  
    10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
  • Location
    92nd St and Dewey Gibbs Rd. Urbandale, IA 50322

  This event is for Master Gardeners only. 

   Education and hands on experience pruning and preparing roses for spring and summer. 
  

  
  

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• Spring Kickoff Demonstration Garden- Urbandale

  • When
    30 Mar 2026
  •  
    6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
  • Location
    Urbandale Public library

  This event is for Master Gardeners only. 

  An introduction of the Demonstration Garden to new interns and a great opportunity for existing Demo Garden volunteers to get together and discuss the needs and priorities of the garden for the year. 
  

  
  

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• Cultivated Connections: Mentor Night 2026

  • When
    9 Apr 2026
  •  
    5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
  • Location
    Extension Office, 1625 Adventureland Dr. Suite A, Altoona, IA 50009
  • Spaces left
    62
  • Registered
    13 registrants

  Register

  

  This program is for Master Gardeners Only.

  If you’ve ever wanted to be more involved but weren’t sure where you fit, this is for you. We’re launching Cultivated Connections for 2026—a simple mentor program built on shared time in the garden. Not pressure. Not perfection. Just two people learning, working, and growing side by side.

  Mission:
  To foster meaningful mentorship through shared learning, relationship-building, and lasting community.

  Who it’s for:

  • New interns and newer volunteers
  • Those navigating busy seasons of life
  • Anyone who wants to feel more rooted and connected

  Flexible.    Relationship-based.    Low-key.

  
  

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• Spring Kick Off PCMG Awards and Recognition

  • When
    9 Apr 2026
  •  
    6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
  • Location
    Polk Extension Office 1625 Adventureland Dr. Suite A
  • Spaces left
    24
  • Registered
    126 registrants

  Register

  This evening is to celebrate all the accomplishment of 2025! There will be special awards and dinner is provided. 

  Common Weeds & Earth Friendly Control

  Jeff Reiland, Permaculture Designer and owner of Abundant Design

  Learn about some of the common weeds in your yard and garden and how to safely remove them.

  You will also have a chance to learn about Abundant Design and Jeff’s efforts to help restore the quality of our waters, renew the fertility of our soils, and improve the health of our planet.

  This evening will include 2025 Awards and Recognition.

  Evening Agenda:

  6:00 p.m. Meal Time
  6:28 p.m. Introduction of Speaker
  6:30 p.m. Speaker 
  7:30 p.m. Break
  7:45 p.m. Awards and Celebration. In addition to the MG Special Awards, folks with milestone MG years will be honored.

  This event is open to the public. Please bring family and friends! Master Gardeners and non-Master Gardeners are welcome. Master Gardeners receive 1 credit CEU for attending. 

  UPDATE: HyVee has graciously donated the meal for this evening's event. Menu includes fried and roasted chicken, green beans, roasted red potatoes, drinks and cake for dessert.

  REMINDER: Let's keep it green, please
  bring your own reusable water bottle. 

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• Spring Clean Up at Demonstration Garden- Urbandale

  • When
    18 Apr 2026
  •  
    9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
  • Location
    92nd and Dewey Gibbs Rd. Urbandale, IA 50322

  This event is for Master Gardeners only. 

  An opportunity to assess and prepare the garden for the spring. Bring your garden gloves, rakes and other tools to help us prepare the beds for the season.
  

  
  

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• A-Z Perennial Plant Sale - Enabling Garden

  • When
    18 Apr 2026
  •  
    11:30 AM - 3:00 PM
  • Location
    Enabling Garden, 1050 1st Ave. S; Altoona, IA 50009, behind the Altoona Hy-Vee

  A-Z Perennial Plant, Flea Market, and Craft Sale

  Saturday April 18, 2026

  11: 30 am - 3 pm

  Enabling Garden

  (Southeast of the Hy-Vee behind the loading dock)

  1050 1st Ave. S., Altoona, IA

  The Enabling Garden will host a perennial plant sale featuring unique daylilies, ornamental grasses, native plants, blooming perennials, ground covers, and much more. Lightly used garden tools and equipment, along with crafts, will also be available for purchase. 

  All proceeds benefit the work at the Enabling Garden and Polk County Master Gardeners.

  Come to this amazing sale and pick from a large selection of plants to get your garden growing.

  Consider joining The Enabling Garden Facebook Group for notifications

  Questions about this sale can be directed to Linda Brown at ericandlindabrown@gmail.com.  

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• Discovery Garden Pond Cleaning

  • When
    25 Apr 2026
  •  
    9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
  • Location
    1207 E Iowa St., Des Moines, IA 50317

  Register

  Learn more about pond maintenance and help Dean and the crew prepare and clean up the pond for this season over at the Discovery Garden!

  We are located on the Iowa State Fairgrounds, on the south side of the Agricultural Building. For more information contact  discoverygardenpcmg@gmail.com

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• PCMG 1st Biannual Leadership Summit

  • When
    29 Apr 2026
  •  
    6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
  • Location
    Extension Office, 1625 Adventureland Dr. Suite A Altoona, IA 50009

  Register

  
  

  For Master Gardeners Only. 

  All Master Gardener project leads and garden leads are invited to gather together and share expereinces!

  Why This Summit Matters

  This summit brings PCMG leaders together to align on mission, coordinate a shared calendar, and strengthen collaboration across all gardens and projects—so no one is planning in isolation and no good work is duplicated or lost. By connecting leaders by role, surfacing shared challenges and resources, and clarifying responsibilities, we reduce burnout and increase impact. Just as importantly, the summit intentionally builds a leadership pipeline—identifying emerging leaders, creating mentorship connections, and ensuring knowledge, relationships, and momentum carry forward—so Polk County Master Gardener projects remain resilient, well-supported, and sustainable for years to come.
  

  What We’ll Do (Snapshot)

  • 10-minute lightning updates from each garden/project
  • Share wins, challenges, and collaboration opportunities
  • Align on events calendar (work nights, education, tours, special events)
  • Confirm roles, handoffs, and support needs
  • Identify cross-garden partnerships and shared resources
  • Break-out sessions per role/responsibility and/or interest.

  If you are a leader or want to lead a project, please register now!

  
  

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• 2026 Polk County Master Gardener Bus Trip

  • Start
    13 Jun 2026
  • End
    14 Jun 2026
  • Location
    Start and End at: 1625 Adventureland Dr. Suite A. Altoona, IA

  

  Registration: coming soon!– includes bus travel, meals, snacks and garden admissions. Physical activity: moderate walking stairs, occasional uneven terrain,  and stairs on/off bus. 

  Hotel reservation is not included with the bus trip registration. Participants will be given instructions for booking their room from the block reserved for the group.

  Saturday and Sunday,

  June 13-14, 2026

  Please join us as we take a tour through Eastern Iowa to tour both public and private gardens as well as stop at local nurseries. We will stay overnight in Moline. Educational hours will be available.

  Highlights of the private gardens include:

  • We will visit a garden that has transitioned from larger trees to those focusing on intermediate and dwarf conifers.  Numerous troughs and a rock garden showcase the miniature plants.  This garden displays a wide variety of interesting trees, conifers, shrubs and perennials.
  • We will explore a garden filled with witch’s brooms along with other rare and unique conifers. Three ponds are home to water lilies and goldfish of various sizes.  You will see metal artwork throughout the landscape and vegetable garden.
  • We will travel to the land of fairies on a ½ acre backyard that displays conifers, hostas and fairy gardens.  Two ponds contribute to the soothing sound of water and a pavilion with a fire pit provides an entertainment area.  There is also a playhouse for the younger family members.  The entry to the garden has a brick patio made up of 8000 bricks that the owners installed themselves.
  • We will enjoy a one-acre yard that has several flowing beds and rock outcrops filled with a collection of over 800 conifer cultivars as well as many non-conifer trees and perennials set off by walkways and walls. A pond, streams, and waterfalls rea scattered throughout the garden as well.

  Registration will be available March 27^th.

  Please join us for a fun full weekend of gardens!

  Learn More

  
  

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