Reiman Gardens - Facilities

Facilities

• The Conservatory

• The Mahlstede Building

• The Jones Rose Garden

• Lake Helen

• The Herb Garden

• The entrance gate for the Children's Garden

• The Sunny Sideyard in the Town and Country Garden

• The Conservatory

Primary facilities at Reiman Gardens currently include:

• Christina Reiman Butterfly Wing - a 2,500-square-foot (230 m2) indoor tropical garden containing exotic and native butterflies from six continents. This is named for Roy Reiman's mother, Christina.
• Conservatory Complex - a 5,000-square-foot (460 m2) conservatory of tropical plants and seasonal plant displays that change several times annually; a gift shop, restroom facilities and other guest amenities including free use of wheelchairs and an electric chair donated by the Town and County Kiwanis Club.
• Hunziker Garden House - Named in honor of Marge Hunziker, the building dedication was a gift from her husband Erb and their six sons. This prairie-style building was designed by Architects Smith Metzger to represent a home and serve as a backdrop for the Town and Country Gardens surrounding it. Inside the building is a large workroom that serves as a program workspace, meeting facility, a storage room, and restrooms.
• Dunlap Courtyard Garden - annual plantings and catalpa trees.
• Roy and Mary Amos Smith Hardwood Forest - maples, oaks and other trees that will over time form a dense grove in the Northeastern corner of the Gardens.
• Mahlstede Horticulture Learning Center - Named for ISU horticultural professor John P. Mahlstede, this building originally housed staff and The Speer Room, where many classes and events are held. It is thought to be one of the most beautiful rooms in Iowa with sweeping views of the Gardens pictured from glass walls that extend from ceiling to floor. Staff offices were removed from this building in a renovation project of 2008.
• Rose Gardens - over 2,000 rose plants, representing 254 different varieties. This garden received the All-America Rose Selections (AARS) President's Award, given annually to a single public garden. Iowa State University's own Buck Roses, that are disease resistant and winter hardy, are displayed and a central part of Reiman Gardens. There are also 300 varieties of heirloom, hybrid tea, and shrub roses on display. For 2007, the Gardens' staff has designed one of the country's first sustainable rose gardens installed in the spring and dedicated in the summer of 2007.
• Class of 1955 Hillside Garden - This area has been named for the ISU Class of 1955 and planting plans call for this area to be planted upon completion of a new master plan. The footprint of this garden gives sweeping views of the entire outside areas as this garden climbs up against Beach Avenue.
• Joey and Jesse’s Herb Garden - a geometric garden of herbs in raised beds, with tulips in spring and a summer display that changes each year.
• Lake Helen - over 12 species of hybrid Victoria waterlilies and two Euryales.
• Fr. Supple Courtyard and the CoHorts' Dancing Chimes Plaza - adjoining the herb garden to the Bald cypress Alee, this plaza has personalized pavers that lead to Dance Chimes that are tuned pentatonically and played by dancing upon each of the nine bronze tiles.
• Margaret E. Penkhus Campanile Garden - a 50-foot (15 m) steel structure with an electronic carillon. This area has a spring tulip display and changes each year to reflect the Gardens' theme.
• Patty Jischke Children's Garden - Iowa farmstead theme, including a stock tank, scarecrow garden, covered bridge, corn crib pavilion. Jonathan and Brenden's Knolls, and a stream garden.
• South Field - Each year, this area changes to reflect the Gardens' annual theme. In the past, there have been fourteen 14’ by 14’ quilt patterns grown from bedding plants including vinca, coleus, curry, bugleweed, sweet potatoes, and ornamental peppers. The 2006 display featured the Special Olympics Cauldron; in 2005 there was a 9-foot (2.7 m) topiary globe planted to describe the "Global Garden" theme.
• Stafford Garden - sycamore trees (planted circa 1920s), with wooden boardwalk and wetland bog garden. This area is planned to hold many species of native Iowa grasses and plants.
• Town and Country Garden - 12 demonstration gardens for common gardening uses. This area is anchored by the Hunziker Garden Home. The surrounding gardens include the Ross Formal Lawn Garden, the Outdoor Living Room, The Front Yard Garden, The Sunny Side Yard, The Naturalist Garden, The Reflection Garden, The CoHorts' Pattern Garden, The Walled Courtyard, The Paving Court, The Home Production Garden, Shade Garden, and the Prairie Vista Garden.