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• Bringing Gardening Home: Urban Conservation & Gardening

  • When
    19 Jun 2025
  •  
    7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
  • Location
    Demonstration Garden, 92 St. & Dewey Gibbs, Urbandale
  • Registered
    14 registrants

  Register

  Our urban areas are growing at a record pace!  Master Conservationist Andy James of Prairie Fire Restoration will speak about gardening that protects and preserves our urban green spaces.

  The public is invited to our summer lectures.

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• Tips and Tricks to Improve Your Garden

  • When
    24 Jun 2025
  •  
    6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
  • Location
    Enabling Garden - 1050 1st Ave S. Altoona, IA 50009

  Register

  

  Eva Henderson, Master Gardener, will educate and discuss the little details you can do to make plants thrive, and the science behind it.

  This event is open to the public.

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• The Making of a Garden: Past, Present, and Future

  • When
    25 Jun 2025
  •  
    6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
  • Location
    Discovery Garden 1207 E. Iowa St. at the Iowa State Fairgrounds
  • Registered
    9 registrants

  Register

  Marcia Leeper, garden enthusiast, will talk about all the tips and techniques that led to the evolving garden she has today with an emphasis on durable perennials and their maintenance.

  This event is open to the public. 

  
  
  

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• Organic & Low Impact Gardening for Pollinators

  • When
    26 Jun 2025
  •  
    7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
  • Location
    Demonstration Garden, 92nd St. & Dewey Gibbs, Urbandale
  • Registered
    13 registrants

  Register

  Presented by Kelly Jensen from Ted Lare Garden Center:  

  Kelly will be talking about his personal methods for weeds and pest control, as well as tolerance for having those things around. "Organic gardening is a lot about give and take with nature -- not to control it and bend it to your will."

  
  

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• Polk County Master Gardener Bus Trip

  • When
    28 Jun 2025
  • Location
    Start and End at: 1625 Adventureland Dr. Suite A. Altoona, IA

  

  Join the Polk County Master Gardeners for a day full of beautiful private gardens, a flower farm, a farm-to-table lunch, a prairie restoration and plant nursery shopping in Story and Boone County.

  Register Now!
  

  Registration fee: $85– includes bus travel, lunch, snacks and garden admissions. Physical activity: moderate walking stairs, occasional uneven terrain, will require walking on a gravel road for a short distance, and stairs on/off bus.

  Itinerary:

  • We are very excited to have the privilege of touring 4 very special private gardens. Highlights include:
  • A large urban garden that has numerous conifers, Japanese maples, sun and shade plants of various sizes and shapes.  While wandering through the garden you’ll find 6 water features and fish too! 
  • A five-acre perennial garden that is situated on three levels.  Each level contains distinct microclimates and plant ecosystems.  You will see over 1500 Hosta’s and hundreds of companion shade perennials displayed in various designs.  You will observe several pollinator gardens, a rose garden, a daylily collection, water features and several original art pieces.
  • A 10-acre home site of a local Story County Master Gardener that includes a reconstructed prairie, a large daylily collection Hosta, iris and a diverse collection of perennials, shrubs and trees.
  • A 3200 square foot garden that features 57 different plant species! This entire landscape was designed and planted by Kelly Norris.  Kelly is an award-winning author and plantsman, and the former director of horticulture and education at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Gardens.
  •  Friend’s Flowers is a family run flower farm with over 70 varieties of flowers through the season.  There will be an opportunity to build a bouquet at their flower bar for $15 per person.  Please note your interest in participating on the registration and bring cash the day of the trip.
  • Nursery Red Granite Farm is a diverse, family-owned retail garden center operation.  Its garden center is full of unique perennials, succulents, shrubs and hardy vines.

  Learn More

  
  

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• Wheatgrass: growing Health from the Ground Up

  • When
    9 Jul 2025
  •  
    6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
  • Location
    Discovery Garden 1207 E. Iowa St. at the Iowa State Fairgrounds
  • Registered
    2 registrants

  Register

  Learn more about this beneficial and nutritious crop with Kerri Rush, also known as The Wheatgrass Girl and is the owner, farmer and chef of Fresh Wheatgrass Girl Farm in Carlisle, Iowa.

  This event is open to the public. 

  
  
  

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• Open House at the Demonstration Garden

  • When
    10 Jul 2025
  •  
    6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
  • Location
    Demonstration Garden 3305 92nd St, Urbandale

  Come enjoy this gem in the heart of the metro area! Spend some time exploring the different areas of the garden, enjoying some unique activities and refreshments, and connecting with neighborhood residents as well as other master gardeners.  Everyone welcome!

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• Circle of Life: From Beginning to End of Life for a Tree

  • When
    17 Jul 2025
  •  
    7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
  • Location
    Demonstration Garden, 92nd St. & Dewey Gibbs, Urbandale
  • Registered
    10 registrants

  Register

  
  

  Eric Foley, an ISA Board-Certified Master Arborist, will be talking about the different life stages that trees experience, and how their habits and needs change over time. 

  This event is open to the public. 

  
  
  

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• Children's Art in the Garden

  • When
    22 Jul 2025
  •  
    6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
  • Location
    1050 1st Ave. S., Altoona, IA 50009, southeast of the Hy-Vee

  

  The Enabling Garden in Altoona, IA, will host its annual Children’s Art in the Garden event from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM on Tuesday, July 22, 2025. The event offers multiple art activity centers for children, live children's music, and a StoryWalk® featuring the book, Lola Plants a Garden by Anna McQuinn.

  This year's art and exploratory stations and activities include: 

  • Imagination Garden Mural
  • Paper Bag Masquerade
  • Nature Journals
  • Laminated Suncatchers
  • Beaded Butterflies
  • Nature Backpack Keychains
  • Garden Rock Painting
  • Birdhouse and Flower Art
  • Bug Barn
  • Composting Display
  • Parts of a Flower Craft
  • Neal Smith Nature Center Outreach
  • Drum Circle by Adventures in Social Drumming

    Registration not required for this public event!

  Learn more 

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• Allendan Seed Company Tour - MG Program Committee

  • When
    24 Jul 2025
  •  
    9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
  • Location
    Allendan Seed Company, 1966 175th Ln, Winterset, IA 50273

  Register

  

  The Polk County Master Gardener Program Committee invites you to join us on Thursday, July, 24th for a tour of the Allendan Seed Company in Winterset, lowa.  This company produces native wildflower and grass seed to sell wholesale and retail nationwide. This will be an exciting opportunity to learn about every stage of the native seed and plug production process.   Allendan has over 6,000 acres of wildflowers and grasses that produce the seed which they sell.  If wanting a preview, check out their website, (allendanseed.com) to learn more about this Company.

  If you wish to participate, please review all details of the tour below; click on the signup button and select an available slot. Your name, email address, and phone number are required.

  DETAILS: The PCMG will tour the facility from 9 AM to 11 AM.

  The tour is open for both Master Gardeners and Non-Master Gardeners.  Master Gardeners will receive two hours of
  education for this tour. 

  **There is a limit of 75 individuals for this tour.**

  **Master Gardeners must provide their own transportation, and we encourage you to carpool when possible.**
  **This is a walking tour of Allendan Seed.  Closed toe shoes are required for this tour.**

  Please register with your name and email address.
  Registration is available through July 23rd. 

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• The Making of a Garden: Past, Present, and Future

  • When
    24 Jul 2025
  •  
    7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
  • Location
    Demonstration Garden, 92nd St & Dewey Gibbs, Urbandale
  • Registered
    6 registrants

  Register

  Marcia Leeper, garden enthusiast, will share her garden story of 38 years, providing tips and techniques that led to the evolving garden she has today.  Emphasis on ground bees and other pollinators.

  This event is open to the public. 

  
  
  

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• Shade Gardening

  • When
    31 Jul 2025
  •  
    7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
  • Location
    Demonstration Garden, 92nd & Dewey Gibbs, Urbandale
  • Registered
    8 registrants

  Register

  
  

  Tired of only using hostas in your shade garden? Looking for something a little more special? Dustin, from Ted Lare Garden Center will be presenting some great options for your shade garden that will broaden your plant pallet and help you think about your shade beds, differently.
  

  This event is open to the public.
  

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• The Care and Feeding of Roses

  • When
    7 Aug 2025
  •  
    7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
  • Location
    Demonstration Garden, 92nd & Dewey Gibbs, Urbandale
  • Registered
    8 registrants

  Register

  What do roses need to thrive?  Karri Rose, Chief Inspiration Officer from Rose Farmstead, will share some tips on how to care for roses and keep them healthy.

  The public is invited to our summer lectures.

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• Rooted in water: Home Hydroponic Basics

  • When
    2 Sep 2025
  •  
    6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
  • Location
    Enabling Garden - 1050 1st Ave S. Altoona, IA 50009

  Register

  

  Join Joe and Lindsay Leonetti as they discuss their experience with home hydroponics. 

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