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January 2010

Volunteers needed: Beloit Learning Garden in Ames

This project is just beginning, but we’ll need volunteers for a variety of tasks, both short- and longer-term. The Beloit Learning Garden is an outdoor classroom for at-risk youth from Lutheran Services in Iowa’s Beloit campus near 13th and Northwestern Avenue in Ames. We are using the garden to connect these youth with adults and to help them learn life skills. Some of garden produce will be used in the Beloit dining hall and some will be donated to the Bethesda Community Food Pantry (located next to Beloit). Future expansion will hopefully include fruit trees and bushes. Short-term volunteers needed for:
• Site preparation
• Fence installation
• Build eight raised beds, composting area
Longer-term volunteers needed to:
• Meet regularly with Beloit youth (we’ll be using 4-H garden materials and working with Beloit staff)
• Help Beloit youth plan the garden, start seeds, care for seedlings, transplant, etc.
All volunteers working with youth must attend a training session where they’ll learn about children who live on the Beloit campus in order to make the experience more rewarding for adult volunteers and for the youth. Partners in this project include Story County Master Gardener Association, ISU Extension, the USDA and Bethesda Lutheran Church. We are building a list of volunteers for this unique project and we would love to have your name on it! Please contact our volunteer coordinator, Allison Severson, severson.allison@gmail.com, (515) 851-7820.

ORCHID FEST

Feb 13 2010 - 10:00am - Feb 14 2010 - 4:00pm
Location: 

Reiman Gardens

Reiman Gardens is giving central Iowans a unique event to celebrate St. Valentine’s Day this year - the first annual Orchid Fest on Saturday and Sunday, February 13 and 14, 2010. Saturday hours will be 10 AM – 4:30 PM and Sunday hours will be 11 AM – 4:30 PM.

Most people regard the orchid as a beautiful, exotic and romantic flower, but it also has a spectacular history that includes passionate efforts to locate, catalogue and create the flowers that we enjoy today. At the Reiman Gardens’ Orchid Fest, visitors will be able to enjoy viewing a selection of orchid varieties and purchase orchid plants as well. One or more speakers are planned for each day, as well as a Question and Answer booth staffed by the Central Iowa Orchid Society, providing novices and experienced orchid growers with the opportunity to interact with others who “speak the language of Orchids”.

In addition to the Orchid Fest, visitors may enjoy the Christina Reiman Butterfly Wing, featuring native butterflies from six continents, the Conservatory and our Gift Shop, bursting with unique items, including sustainable jewelry, wind chimes, hand-made lotions and soaps, cookbooks, home décor and more.

For more information about activities at Reiman Gardens, call (515) 294-2710, e-mail reimangardens@iastate.edu, or visit www.reimangardens.com

Spring Fever Mini-Symposium

Apr 17 2010 - 10:00am - 3:00pm
Location: 

Iowa Arboretum

Feed your spring fever by exploring how to design with perennial plants. We are pleased to welcome renowned garden designers Scott Ogden and Lauren Springer Ogden of Fort Collins, Colorado, to the Iowa Arboretum. Many of you first became acquainted with Lauren by reading her award winning book, The Undaunted Garden: Planting for Weather-Resilient Beauty. Now Scott and Lauren have collaborated to produce Plant-Driven Design: Creating Gardens that Honor Plants, Place, and Spirit, the topic of their first presentation. Join us for an exciting day of presentations, plant talk with your friends, a delicious lunch, and book and plant sales! You will have an opportunity to purchase their book and have it personally autographed by the authors. We have also chosen 12 of Scott and Lauren’s favorite grasses and colorful perennials for you to purchase.
Visit http://www.iowaarboretum.org for more information.

January Newsletter is available to download:

December Newsletter

2010 Des Moines Home and Garden Show

Feb 11 2010 - 10:00pm - Feb 14 2010 - 6:00pm
Location: 

To be announced.

The Iowa Arboretum is looking for volunteers in the All Iowa Store and
Wine Village during the 2010 Des Moines Home and Garden Show, February
11-14. They need about 15 people per shift to help with greeting,
cashiering, sacking, restocking, and sample distribution. Volunteers
will be admitted to the Show free of charge on the day that they work.
Shifts are 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm and 6:00 pm to 9:00
pm on February 11 and 12; 9:00 am to 1:00 pm, 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm, and
5:00 pm to 9:00 pm on February 13; and 10:00 am to 2:00 pm and, 2:00 pm
to 6:00 pm on February 14.

Please contact the Iowa Arboretum at 515-795-3216 by January 15 if you
are interested and for more information.

SCMGA Monthly Meeting - Ornamental Grasses

Jan 18 2010 - 7:45pm - 9:00pm
Location: 

Reiman Gardens