Enjoy touring six gardens on Friday, with four in the Ames area and two within 18 miles. Four gardens will be featured on Saturday, with three in Des Moines and Ankeny and one near Madrid. See a sneak preview of each garden below!
Optional bus transportation is available, in addition to self-driving! Bus tours include breakfast and lunch each day!
Friday Garden Tours (Ames area; Roland; Jewell)
- Don and Dee Draper
- Nancy and Robert Briggs (Lincoln View Farm)
- Marcus and Caroline Kehrli
- Kris and Tom Jurik
- Sue and Greg Olson
- Ken Outzen and Dean Koob
Saturday Garden Tours (Des Moines, Ankeny, & Madrid area)
- Linda and David Grieve
- John Schmacker
- Joan Burke (the Russ O’Harra garden)
- Iowa Arboretum and Gardens
Optional garden tours will also be available on Sunday – to be announced.
Don & Dee Draper — Friday
The “Hillside Hostas Garden” of Don and Dee Draper encompasses a huge collection of hostas spread over several rolling acres.
Nancy and Robert Briggs (Lincoln View Farm) — Friday
Meandering paths, water features, a shade house, an artful flair, and a bit of whimsy await you in the gardens of Nancy and Robert Briggs.
Marcus and Caroline Kehrli — Friday
Caroline and Marcus combine numerous hostas with unique conifer varieties, companion plants, perennials, and extensive rock features.
Kris and Tom Jurik — Friday
Hostas, iris, peonies, lilies, daylilies, and countless other plants are distributed over several acres of Kris and Tom’s garden, featuring extensive terraced areas on a hillside overlooking a river.
Greg and Sue Olson — Friday
Greg and Sue’s garden has multiple water features, a wide variety of conifers and other perennials, and beautiful hostas. That’s despite a derecho wind storm that destroyed many trees and shifted much of the garden from shade to sun, showing the resilience of the garden.
Ken Outzen and Dean Koob — Friday
Ken and Dean have hundreds of hostas and numerous unusual plants artfully tucked away in their quaint, “small town” city lot, showing you don’t need to have acres upon acres to make a statement with your garden.
Linda and David Grieve — Saturday
Hostas, conifers, and numerous other perennials sit among towering mature trees and pleasing displays in Linda and David’s beautifully designed and landscaped garden.
John Schmacker — Saturday
Follow paths that traverse the side of a ravine in this secluded retreat, featuring rock features, a waterfall, and other inviting elements in John Schmacker’s garden
Joan Burke (Russ O’Harra Garden) — Saturday
Joan continues the garden of famed hybridizer, Russ O’Harra (her father), who developed many hosta varieties in this urban oasis.
Iowa Arboretum and Gardens — Saturday
Not only can you enjoy a delightful hosta display garden beneath an impressive pergola, you can also take in the extensive plant collections featured at the Iowa Arboretum and Gardens, with many cultivars created by Iowans.
