This year we have a new Executive Director, Sue Shuerman.

Planning always starts in the months prior to the growing season so we can devote the warm months to working outdoors as we build and plant. The date on the photo is in March, but don’t know if that was the date of the event.

I hit pay-dirt for this year, I found actual documented plans. I am thinking that this is what came out of the planning meeting.

1999 Garden Development

1999 Budget

Ever mindful of the importance of our best asset, we have another fun time and have the volunteer breakfast in the Head House

We also continue with the Volunteer Appreciation Day held at the college

Terry Rogers and Craig Gibleon

Dianne and Jerry Homewood

Fred and Pat Wahl

Sara Roy and Mickey Johnson

Look closely, the kids are in the sun flower house, this would be the first photo of story time which remains as one of our most popular activities

The Iowa Tree Stewards Program is a class put on by Iowa State Extension Office.

The Fall Harvest Festival continues to grow and improve.

Two projects that are kicked off this year but not actually started yet, are the Children’s Garden and the temporary parking lot.

Children’s Garden

We are in the planning stages, but have chosen the site which will be North of the tool sheds, into what has been corn fields. 

We have already gotten a commitment from several major donors and they attend the ceremonial ground-breaking.

Left to right in the above photo; Ken and Mary Allbaugh Max and Helen Guernsey

Jim Atkins (with Weyerhaesuer) and Nancy Showers

Temporary Parking Lot

Phase One-A of the Master Plan called for a temporary parking lot from the access road, this was in keeping with having a temporary welcome center. The actual Visitor’s Center was in Phase Four of the plan. This hasn’t happened yet.

This year the site was chosen for the temporary parking lot but work was not started.

Well

As can be seen from previous years’ photos, getting water to the grounds has been a pretty primitive affair. It included lots of hose lines and a fair amount of hauling in buckets. So, this year an on-site well is dug a little Northeast of the Head House

Fence

The landscape of the Tower Hill area is changing, this entire area now becomes very different from the Master Plan even though many elements of the plan are now located here. Having established the site for the Children’s Garden, an L-shaped section of redwood fence is built to frame out an area adjacent to where the Education Center will be, the Ed Center is part of the Children’s Garden project and will sit in front of it.

This fence will also act as a backdrop for the Community Gardens which have been moved to the West from their original location. It will have decorative brick pillars.

Following is an excerpt from an article written by Craig Gibleon.

“It was very windy on top of the hill where the community display was placed. Some kind of fence was needed to hold back the wind. I drew up plans for the stone pillars and adjoining fence during the winter, and in the spring of 1999, construction began.  Most of our projects garnered a lot of public support, and the fence was no exception.

After a heroic attempt by volunteers to dig the 4’ x 4’ x 4’ holes for the stone pillar bases, Craig Ceily showed up one night with the cutest little backhoe, and in less than an hour he had dug the square pits. The brick substructure was donated, along with most of the concrete. Leonard Truax laid up the fieldstone pillars, using long-lost skills passed on to him by his father Harold. Tom Walton and Arboretum volunteers finished out the fence.

Kay Glessner has to be mentioned for the generous donation she made as a tribute. This donation paid for the materials our volunteers needed to keep working. Donations of this type have paid for many additions to our facility and are deeply appreciated.”

Enabling Garden

This is a major project for this year. Not only will the garden be created but the construction will include a small greenhouse, two shade structure courtyard areas, and include pathways running South to North toward the future Education Center, this connects the two tool sheds and fills in the tower hill area on a line from the tower to the Children’s Garden site.

Construction

The next two photos were taken during the formal dedication of the finished garden

Forget Me Not Pond

This project was built by the Iowa Pond Club and the Cedar Valley Foster Parents. It is dedicated to all children in foster care who, “like flowers will blossom and grow when given roots and tender loving care.”

Quite a lot of excitement and publicity surrounded this project

One really nice thing about this project is that everything was well documented, I even found an autograph page for all of the builders.

Lots of work went into this project

And the finished product is amazing

This kiosk was erected at the top of Tower Hill this year, access was still only to this area and the major development is happening here. In the background to the West, you can see what is left of the Nursery and in the far back the Head House.

The tables were built by the Pioneer West Volunteer Group

Another mini project was the installation of a stone walk-way up to the head house, this is to tie in with the new garden to be planted here.

There are a few gardens put in this year, some taken from the Master Plan and some not. This year also sees land to the east and across the path from the community gardens being developed.

There is a round garden down the hill by the Head House called the Ethnic Garden

The Head House Garden

The perennial beds are getting a chance to mature and the annual gardens are looking great

Green Scene has gardens again. We saw their food bank garden a couple of years ago, here are some more of theirs.

Test Plots were to allow gardeners to try out different aspects of how to grow things in this climate and soil type

Every journey we take together through the years has always been, and will always be about the people who have, and continue to, generously and tirelessly devote their time and resources to our beloved green space.

Board of Directors in 1999:

Kelly Conrad

Jean Gerrath

Norma Hoelscher

Tom Laglas

Art Finke

Don Watson

Sharon Miller

Gary Karr

Vie Mossman

Sally Young

Denise Glenny

Lots of people always hard at work

Fred Button

Brownie Troop working in the Wattle Garden

FFA group working on fence repair

Bob Frenchick

Of course, I don’t always have names

So, another year has passed and the Arboretum is feeling more established and looking good.