2025 Summer Exhibit

Picture Perfect

Celebrating 30 Years of Beauty at Reiman Gardens

Reiman Gardens’ 30th anniversary is in full bloom! Celebrate with party-themed garden displays and make new memories at extraordinary special events. Enjoy education programs that spark imagination, and a summer exhibit featuring a scavenger hunt and enchanting Instagrammable scenes that honor our past, showcase our present, and inspire our future. It’s a season of joy, reflection, and fun!

View a map of the 12 displays here.

As a bonus, we’ve spread 20(ish) sculptural elements throughout the Gardens representing each of our themed exhibits from 2004 – 2024. Learn more about Reiman Gardens’ history as you try to find them all! 30th Anniversary Scavenger Hunt

plants in boxes along the wall on either side of a person standing under a neon sign that says Plant Kindness

1 #PlantKindness

2025 Picture Perfect – Celebrating 30 Years of Beauty at Reiman Gardens

Start your journey here! Reiman Gardens invites you to celebrate 30 years of growing beauty, inspiration, and connection with nature. Aligned with our mission to educate, enchant, and inspire, this year’s theme blooms throughout the Gardens in vibrant displays designed to uplift and engage as they connect to a past theme or exhibit. As you explore, snap a selfie at your favorite installations, created by select artists and Reiman Gardens’ staff and volunteers, and share the joy using the hashtags on each sign. Let’s spread kindness like wildflowers—one picture at a time!

Don't forget to use the hashtag at each display AND #ReimanGardens !

2 #RGExpress

2015 – Celebrating the Past & the Future

2015, our 20th anniversary, was the year of our summer exhibit InTREEguing TREEhouses, featuring interactive structures for visitors to explore. 2015 also marked the first year we installed the g-scale RG Express train in the Conservatory, complete with replica ISU buildings, a Dinkey train car, and a giant gourd Elwood the gnome, created by Applied Imagination, whose train displays merge botanical design and architecture.

Each year since, the RG Express has delighted visitors during the holiday season with a new and unique display assembled with support from the Central Iowa Garden Railway Society, and this year we’ve made a version you can play in that’s larger than life!

a colorful life-size three-car train in a children's garden — TOP: 2025 #RGExpress; Lower Left: "Metaphotonic Pod" from 2015; Lower Right: the RG Express in 2015

a fall scene in a garden with a seed-pod shaped treehouse on three legs between two trees — TOP: 2025 #RGExpress; Lower Left: "Metaphotonic Pod" from 2015; Lower Right: the RG Express in 2015

3 #ColorRush

2012 – Some Assembly Required

2016 – Color

2020 – Wild & Whimsical

In 2012 Reiman Gardens was the very first place to ever display Nature Connects: Art with LEGO(R) Bricks, which featured 27 sculptures of animals and plants representing how intricately interconnected everything in nature is. We leased the exhibit to other gardens, zoos, and museums through 2020, and hosted two additional shows during that time – one focused on color in nature, and the other highlighting a different set of threatened and endangered animals for our Wild & Whimsical year.

This wall reflects the versatility and popularity of those displays, with a color-drenched structure (reminiscent of the purple door from the 90’s TV show, Friends), and both real plants and those constructed carefully, brick by brick.

two purple-painted, slatted, standing walls with planter boxes at the bottom, with LEGO plant sculptures arranged here and there — TOP: 2025 #ColorRush; Lower Left: 2016 Gardeners from "Nature Connects"; Lower Right: 2020 Polar Bears from "Nature Connects"

a life size sculpture of two gardeners made from LEGO bricks at Reiman Gardens — TOP: 2025 #ColorRush; Lower Left: 2016 Gardeners from "Nature Connects"; Lower Right: 2020 Polar Bears from "Nature Connects"

4 #PollinatorHotel

2011 – Insects

In 2011 Reiman Gardens hosted the Big Bugs exhibit by David Rogers, to highlight the importance of our invertebrate neighbors in creating a healthy, balanced ecosystem. Over the years, we are also proud to have partnered with many ISU classes and departments for educational projects exploring the ecological role of insects and other pollinators.

From biomimicry installations in 2013 that included a honeycomb archway designed and built by Industrial Design students, and a 2017 pollinator trading card project created by a Biological & Pre-Medical Illustration class, to a history of coordinating with the Insect Zoo for school field trips, and presenting the annual Insect Horror Film Festival run by Entomology students, celebrating insects is central to our mission. We recognize the work of all insects, but pollinators especially, as crucial for food security, economic prosperity, and the overall health of the planet.

a freestanding wall of hexagon-shaped interlocking spaces, some painted yellow — TOP: 2025 #PollinatorHotel; Lower Left: 2013 student-designed honeycomb archway; 2017 BPMI pollinator trading cards

landscape view of a wooden arched structure made from open hexagon-shaped pieces — TOP: 2025 #PollinatorHotel; Lower Left: 2013 student-designed honeycomb archway; 2017 BPMI pollinator trading cards

5 #WeavingInNature

2008 – A Novel Garden

2013 – More than Meets the Iowa

2014 – A Garden Odyssey

2015 – Celebrating the Past & the Future

Art and horticulture are inseparable, and for 30 years Reiman Gardens has worked with various artists all over the country to create works of art reflecting the beauty of the natural world. Ogden artists Pam Dennis and Ryk Weiss have been lasting partners, creating, among numerous other works, a giant willow Moby Dick in 2008, an oak tree mural for the 2013 Iowa Naturally show of Iowa artists, a huge plant-like alien in 2014 for our Alien Invasion exhibit, and an installation of willow bird houses celebrating International Migratory Bird Day for InTREEguing TREEhouses in 2015.

These artists are also educators, teaching art and collaborating with the community on public art projects all over the state. This display features their classic style merging willow, found materials, and earth-fired clay leaves created by participants in a workshop held in the spring at Reiman Gardens. Did you make one? Can you find it?

an installation in a garden space of a wall made with metal, clay, and other found objects creating a nature landscape — TOP: 2025 #WeavingInNature; Lower Left: 2008 willow whale and 2013 Oak Tree Mural; Lower Right: 2014 Plant 9 From Outer Space and 2015 gateway to willow bird houses

two photos; one of a whale made from willow branches, the other of a 2d metal sculpture of an oak tree — TOP: 2025 #WeavingInNature; Lower Left: 2008 willow whale and 2013 Oak Tree Mural; Lower Right: 2014 Plant 9 From Outer Space and 2015 gateway to willow bird houses

6 #DiamondAnniversary

2025 – Celebrating 30 Years of Beauty at Reiman Gardens

The diamond is the modern 30th anniversary present, representing lasting durability and strength. When Reiman Gardens opened in 1995, breaking through the tough ground was a challenge, but plants and people are resilient. We’ve faced our share of difficulties, from financial recessions, construction delays, global pandemics, and shifting political priorities, to changes in staffing and structure, extreme weather events, and the loss of friends and volunteers along the way. But through it all, we strive to create a beautiful experience for our community, and to provide meaningful interactions with nature where folks can step into an environment of serenity and joy.

We invite you to sit, to relax, and take in the sights and sounds of a place which has grown from a space that was once a golf course, from a “diamond in the rough” to the treasure that we celebrate today.

Designed and built by Brent Sinclair.

a diamond-shaped green chair in the foreground in front of a lake; a yellow diamond-shaped chair in the background — TOP: 2025 #DiamondAnniversary; Lower Left: 1995 groundbreaking for Reiman Gardens; Lower Right: Sycamore Falls in 2024

breaking ground for Reiman Gardens in 1995, with the stadium in the background — TOP: 2025 #DiamondAnniversary; Lower Left: 1995 groundbreaking for Reiman Gardens; Lower Right: Sycamore Falls in 2024

7 #PartyPorch

2015 – Celebrating the Past & The Future

2024 – The Living Landscape

People love small structures like treehouses (2015) and playhouses (2024) because they offer a sense of adventure and privacy, allowing folks to feel independent and creative, while their compactness creates a feeling of comfort, making them timeless favorites for both kids and adults.

We have installed temporary playhouses at the Gardens over the years, along with many interactive student projects, such as the 2016 installation of a play structure called TwoXTwo, because we know our visitors enjoy imaginative play in nature. These enclosures have been the site of education programs and events from story times and tours to birthday parties, weddings, and more. This party porch was designed and built by Jorie Kruger of Against the Grain Woodworking & Design in homage to these celebratory structures.

a colorful stacked house front façade set amidst a garden — TOP: 2025 #PartyPorch; Lower Left: 2024 "Moss House" by Jorie Kruger; Lower Right: 2016 "TwoXTwo"

a dark teal tiny house with a moss-covered sloped roof set into a garden space under a redwood tree — TOP: 2025 #PartyPorch; Lower Left: 2024 "Moss House" by Jorie Kruger; Lower Right: 2016 "TwoXTwo"

8 #HarvestTable

2005 – The Global Garden

2006 – The Art of Gardening

Iowa's soil is like nature’s secret treasure chest, packed with nutrients that prairie plants carefully stored away. As these plants lived, died, and decomposed, they gave the soil a nutrient boost, turning it into a dark, rich wonderland. When settlers first plowed the land, they discovered 14-16" of this “black gold,” some of the best topsoil in the world.

With this soil, we have been able to grow both agricultural products and food products easily. And here at Reiman Gardens, we manage a county-wide food donation program called Grow & Give, which encourages local growers to donate one row of produce to food banks to help combat food insecurity. Gardening is an art, a science, and a global community activity. Join us at our table!

picnic tables in a row along a line of bald cypress trees — TOP: 2025 #HarvestTable in progress; Lower Left: 2005 "The Global Garden" giant earth topiary; Lower Right: 2006 "Cars & Campaniles" garden display with Guest Services staff Elizabeth Nelson

a group of schoolchildren and adults linking hands around a giant topiary globe in a garden — TOP: 2025 #HarvestTable in progress; Lower Left: 2005 "The Global Garden" giant earth topiary; Lower Right: 2006 "Cars & Campaniles" garden display with Guest Services staff Elizabeth Nelson

9 #SeasonsInFrame

2022 – Home

2024 – The Living Landscape

To everything there is a season, and at Reiman Gardens we celebrate them all. Each season plays a crucial role in both plant and human growth, creating a beautiful cycle of renewal and change. Spring brings fresh beginnings, with plants budding and humans feeling recharged, eager to start new projects. Summer provides warmth and energy, helping plants thrive and grow tall while we humans soak in sunlight and stay active.

Fall is a time for reflection and preparation, as plants shed their leaves and we harvest the fruits of our labor, readying ourselves for what comes next. Winter, though quiet and cold, offers a necessary pause, allowing plants to rest and for us to reflect and recharge for the seasons ahead. Watch this display change along with the seasons as they shape the rhythms of life, teaching us patience and resilience.

a house front with a door and two windows featuring painted seasonal scenes, with planting boxes under each window and two wheelbarrows flanking the door — TOP: 2025 #SeasonsInFrame; Lower Left: Spring; Lower Right: Summer

green grass with tulips and other spring bulbs, with the lower trunk of a paper birch tree — TOP: 2025 #SeasonsInFrame; Lower Left: Spring; Lower Right: Summer

10 #Prisma

2018 – Movement

2019 – Toys and Games

One of the largest collaborative projects we undertook involved working with faculty and students in the College of Design to create our 2019 exhibit, Nature of the Game, comprising ten interactive games with an ecological focus. Our history with student collaborations also includes an Architecture Design Build class in 2018, with five sections of second year Architecture students in the College of Design. To align with our 2018 theme of Movement, which showcased Wind, Waves, & Light, an exhibition of kinetic sculptures by George Sherwood, the students were tasked with creating a sculptural pavilion featuring interactive skins with kinetic elements, and “biophillic cellular structures and their organizational logic.”

The students surveyed the site, measured wind patterns and the angles of light at different times of day, and the resulting structure they titled PRISMA became a climbing structure with reflective iridescent acrylic squares. Not only did they sparkle, but they created an unexpected tinkling sound as they shimmied in the breeze. When the structure came down in 2019, we kept the squares and have re-visioned them for this current display.

a panoramic view of an interactive art installation with reflective iridescent squares and marine netting surrounded by people

colorful reflective squares draped over the tops and sides of a pathway in a garden — (text body): 2018 "PRISMA"; TOP: 2025 #Prisma; Lower (1): 2019 Food Web Chess; Lower (2): 2018 from "Wind, Waves, & Light" by George Sherwood

a garden with a life-size chess game with pieces representing animals and plants in the food web — (text body): 2018 "PRISMA"; TOP: 2025 #Prisma; Lower (1): 2019 Food Web Chess; Lower (2): 2018 from "Wind, Waves, & Light" by George Sherwood

11 #Greenhouse

2022 – Home

2023 – Light & Reflection

2024 – The Living Landscape

Though we updated our mission and vision with our 2013 and successive Strategic Plans, sustainability has been central to Reiman Gardens’ purpose since 2007, when our mission was to “educate, enchant and inspire environmental stewardship through displays of living beauty.” At that time our vision was to “be a leader and innovator in sustainability and enhance the reputation of Iowa State University.”

As a partner organization with The Climate Toolkit Initiative, some of our efforts to help address climate change and foster sustainability include careful plant selection, researching technology to improve energy usage, shifting to electric tools, collecting rainwater, composting, and using Integrated Pest Management practices to reduce chemical applications both indoors and outdoors. Whenever possible, we also reuse and repurpose materials from past displays. The wood, windows, and pressed flower frames in this installation have been recycled from exhibits over the last three years.

a modern greenhouse structure in a garden setting, with pressed flower windows and black painted framing — TOP: 2025 #Greenhouse; Lower Left: 2024 "Polycarbonate Cube"; Lower Right: 2023 pressed flower frames in the Campanile Garden

a greenhouse-inspired playhouse in front of a row of trees in a garden, with people in and around it — TOP: 2025 #Greenhouse; Lower Left: 2024 "Polycarbonate Cube"; Lower Right: 2023 pressed flower frames in the Campanile Garden

12 #WingsToFly

2011 – Insects

2023 – Light & Reflection

The Christina Reiman Butterfly Wing opened in 2002, along with the Conservatory, and it remains one of the most popular spaces for visitors to the Gardens. As Iowa’s only year-round indoor butterfly exhibit, this extraordinary space offers an up-close encounter with the delicate beauty and magic of butterflies and moths, inviting wonder, discovery, and a deep appreciation for the natural world.

The Butterfly Wing features a rotating collection of tropical butterflies and moths from around the world, with many regular favorites that visitors can expect to see frequently, such as the Blue Morpho (Morpho peleides), known for its striking iridescent blue wings and dramatic, fluttering flight. In 2023, we hosted Glass in Flight, an exhibit of stained-glass butterflies by artist Alex Heveri, and one of her blue morphos decided to stay – do you know where it is?