Polk County Master Gardeners, ISU Extension and Outreach upcoming events

Gardening With Roses (23 Jul 2026)

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Join the Polk County Master Gardeners for their 2026 Summer Lecture Series in one of four demonstration gardens. Bring your own lawn chair and learn with us.

Leslie Hunter, Horticulture Manager and the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden, will discuss the principles and reasoning behind gardening WITH roses and how this can be done organically. Despite what you may have heard, roses do need friends and enjoy the company of other plants beside themselves. Interplanting provides not only a beautiful garden, but also attracts beneficial insects, disrupts disease processes, and provides seasonal interest all while using less chemicals.

Building Seasonal Interest — What’s Working Now & What’s Next (30 Jul 2026)

Fri, 31 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT

This event has been rescheduled from the original date and is now taking place on July 30th!

Join the Polk County Master Gardeners for their 2026 Summer Lecture Series in one of four demonstration gardens. Bring your own lawn chair and learn with us.

In this class, Dustin Reese, Nursery Manager, Ted Lare Garden Center, will discuss bloom times, structure, and foliage to better understand how gardens evolve over a season and help ensure our gardens look their best all year long. We will also dive deeper into "off season" interest by looking at plant options to add to your garden. These options will bridge cold-season gaps and keep your garden the envy of the neighborhood even in the dead of winter.

Making Land Resilient and Supporting Habitat (25 Aug 2026)

Tue, 25 Aug 2026 23:00:00 GMT

Join the Polk County Master Gardeners for their 2026 Summer Lecture Series in one of four demonstration gardens. Bring your own lawn chair and learn with us.

Andy James with Prairie Fire restoration will present on land resiliency and supporting native habitats. Andy is a Master Conservationist and Woodland Steward. This program will increase your skills in managing the land you’re responsible for while creating an awareness of alien verses native flora & fauna.

Restoring Roots: Indigenous Food Sovereignty & Seed Stewardship (8 Sep 2026)

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 23:00:00 GMT

Originally Scheduled for July 14th, this event has been postposed and rescheduled to Sept 8th due to heat. Bring your own lawn chair and learn with us.

Marianna G. M. Cota, MPH, Food Sovereignty Coordinator for the Meskwaki Nation, will share insights on Indigenous food systems, seed stewardship, and community-centered approaches to land and nourishment. This lecture will explore the meaning of food sovereignty, the cultural and ecological importance of traditional crops, and ongoing efforts to restore Native foodways in Iowa. Attendees will gain perspective on how history, resilience, and environmental care intersect in Indigenous agriculture. The program invites gardeners and community members alike to consider how cultivating food can also cultivate cultural understanding and long-term sustainability.