Reiman Gardens

Coordinates: 42°00′35″N 93°38′20″W / 42.00981°N 93.638809°W / 42.00981; -93.638809

Reiman Gardens is a 17- acre university-owned public garden located immediately south of Jack Trice Stadium on the Iowa State University (ISU) campus in Ames, Iowa. Reiman Gardens (pronounced Rye-Men) is a year-round garden with events, programs, lectures, tours and ISU student classes that has consistently been one of the top visited attractions in Central Iowa. It is open seven days per week; 9:00 am to 4:30 pm, with extended hours in the summer season and extended evening hours for its events. The Gardens are closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day.

The Christina Reiman Butterfly Wing

Reiman Gardens consists of a dozen distinct garden areas, an indoor conservatory and an indoor butterfly "wing", butterfly emergence cases, a gift shop, and several supporting greenhouses. ISU students and their classes are admitted free of charge, as are the Gardens' members. An admission fee is charged to the public. Many United Way of Story County agencies directors can receive free passes to distribute to their clients.

The Garden Campanile

Construction

Iowa State University has had a horticulture garden since 1914; Reiman Gardens is the third location for these gardens. Today's gardens began in 1993 with a gift from Bobbi and Roy Reiman. Construction began in 1994 and the Gardens' initial 5 acres (20,000 m2) were officially dedicated on September 16, 1995. The landscape design was created by Rodney Robinson Landscape Architects. The Mahlstede Horticulture Learning Center was the original building in the Gardens; the original maintenance building was torn down when the new conservatory was built and a new maintenance building was built in an area of the S1 parking lot. The Gardens officially opened its 30,000-square-foot (2,800 m2) conservatory complex with an open house on November 2, 2002. The new building made the Gardens a year-round facility with an indoor plant conservatory (5,000 square feet), a glass house filled with tropical plants and exotic butterflies (2,500 square feet), an auditorium for classes and events, gift shop, a cafe an events hallway, greenhouses dedicated to the indoor glass house needs, a headhouse, staff offices, and two large areas housing all the heating and cooling and greenhouse systems equipment. In 2007, a construction project removed the cafe and mved the gift shop to the north of the conservatory building. The old gift shop and cafe space was converted into meeting space and became known as The Garden Room.[1][2]

Architects Smith Metzger designed the Christina Reiman Butterfly Wing, the Mahlstede Learning Center, Conservatory Complex and Hunziker Garden House.

Annual themes

Reiman Gardens uses a process called Dimensional Design to create its annual theme. Using a holistic approach, Dimensional Design requires a team effort from all departments. Thus, the Gardens' staff develops educational programs, interpretation, communications, events and amenities that support one theme, which in turn, also supports the Gardens' mission. The theme encourages guests to view the garden and its mission from a different perspective each time they visit. The theme year planning also gives structure to displays and programs and generates innovative ideas that turn into horticulture displays.

Reiman Gardens' Theme Years:

Facilities

Primary facilities at Reiman Gardens currently include:

See also

References

  1. Kranzusch, Kara (19 Sep 2001). "Reiman Gardens evolves, expands in 7th season". Iowa State Daily. Ames IA. Retrieved 30 Mar 2016.
  2. Sood, Kiran (7 Sep 2015). "Iowa All Over: Reiman Gardens celebrates 20th anniversary this year". The Gazette. Cedar Rapids IA. Retrieved 9 Mar 2016. The setting is part of a display at the Home Production garden, one of 12 gardens that surround the Marge Hunziker House at Reiman Gardens in Ames. In total, there are 26 distinct garden areas spread over the 17-acre facility. *** In addition to the Home Production garden, other gardens surrounding the Hunziker House provide inspiration and suggestions that can be incorporated into residential and business landscapes. Founded in 1995, Reiman Gardens at Iowa State University aims to "educate, enchant and inspire an appreciation of plants, butterflies and the beauty of the natural world," Merritt said. *** Merritt said Iowa State has been supportive as seeing the gardens as the gateway to the university. A remodeling project is underway to integrate the neighboring football stadium and the entrance to Reiman Gardens called the green space, Merritt said.
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