Mosiaculture

The P&O committee is responsible for garden planning especially the area at the top of Tower Hill that is devoted to a display of different annuals every year. This area is always one of the most colorful and beautiful in the entire grounds and because it changes every year one of the most eagerly anticipated. This space includes several raised beds as well as a large square at the far north end. In the past, the square was planted with different annuals like the raised beds, but in 2013 a new approach was taken for this space. It would change each year and become a feature to anchor the annual gardens. That year it became a sunflower house much to the delight of the child visitors. This year it was decided to use this space as a display area for a different mosaiculture each year. Mosaiculture is defined as the art of composing a motif, an image, a picture, or a sculpture using carefully selected and pruned plants. In 2014 it would be a peacock!

STOUT LILY COLLECTION

For many years the arboretum has been proud to possess one of the few complete collections of every cultivar of Stout award winning daylilies. This top award is presented to the daylily cultivar that is deemed the best of breed for a given year. Competition is stiff. The award carries the name of Dr. A. B. Stout, the "Father of the Modern Daylily", and a breeding pioneer who worked for more than fifty years from the early to mid-1900s to develop the colors and form we think of as typical for daylilies.

For the best in education purposes, each cultivar has its own descriptive sign with the name and the date it won the award. The display begins at the Shade Garden with the 1950 award winner and continues to the top of the path and then onto the other side to the north leaving plenty of room for subsequent year winners.

This collection was originally planted just south of the Shade Garden which was not really an ideal location to showcase this wonderful display. So, in the fall of 2013, the entire collection was moved to a spot along the path leading down to the Shade Garden to give it the better visibility it deserved.

The Perennial Garden

A completely new garden was introduced this year to add some interest along the fence that divides the lawn area of Tower Hill looking West into the Rose Garden. This would be a perennial garden and was proposed by Paul Kammerdiner who planted it with the help of Melinda Young. The garden was designed by P&O committee members Billie Hemmer and Maurine Crisp and would include at least one example of each of the Perennial Plant of the Year award winners. This award began in 1990. 

Hydrangea and Sumac Gardens

In 2013 enhancements were made to the area around the Forget-me-not Pond. To make this area even more attractive; attention this year was focused on two spots just adjacent to the pond. Both of these areas were relatively bare and certainly not in keeping with the beauty of the rest of this tranquil spot. Thanks to a generous donation from a long-time volunteer and supporter we were

able to purchase some wonderful plantings for both areas.

Butterfly Meadow

As part of the new look to the grounds due to the new lease agreement; the Arboretum acquired 10 acres of land to the north and east of the Children’s Garden. This space was roughly in the shape of a triangle and a similar location had been called out in the 1996 site plan as a “sheep meadow”. It was decided to update this plan into a Butterfly Meadow. This is an undertaking that looks to the future for its fruition. A meadow of this type takes about four years of specific care to yield visible results. In 2014 we prepared the space and planted the seeds of a very unique mix of plantings. The next three years will be maintenance years; followed by what we hope becomes another gorgeous space to enjoy.

The Master Gardener Orchard

This project is another long-term effort. It also was part of the original Arboretum site plan. The idea was to showcase four fruit tree varieties that were part of Iowa’s early landscape; Apples, Pears, Cherries, and Plums. A unique aspect of this project is that it would be done in conjunction with the Black Hawk County Master Gardeners.

Planting new trees is always part of what happens here. Thanks to the ongoing support of Green Scene Grants, we continue to add to the tree collection.

This year five new trees as part of the Hill Side Garden; four new trees in the Conifer Garden; three new trees adjacent to the Shade Garden path; and twenty-four trees around the perimeter of the Wild Flower Meadow. That is a total of 36 new trees all of which are new cultivars to not only increase the numbers but add interest to the overall collection. This is essential as over time we will lose some trees to disease and the elements. An exciting thing was the acquisition of a section of land to the West due to the new lease. This land contained 83 trees some of which were new species to our collection.

Fall Harvest Festival always a treat this year we had an estimated 3,200 attend.

The Labyrinth

This wonderful garden space was originally created by two volunteers in 2007. Labyrinths have a very old and interesting history and can be found in various forms all over the world. It has been our privilege to have one thanks to these two gentlemen who took on the creation and maintenance of it for these many years. Starting in early 2014 they both decided that it was time to retire and we needed to consider the future of this space. Enter Ginny Webber a new volunteer that was interested. She presented a plan to the P&O committee to update the look of the labyrinth and for creation of a small contemplative garden adjacent to it. This plan was accepted and this great space took on a new look.

Time to meander through gardens

This year 100 volunteers donated 2,200 hours of work. As always, I marvel at the people that make up this story. Some familiar faces and many new ones.

Like other years, I only wish I had more photos of these incredible folks.