History

Historical construction of Reiman Gardens 2

History

The oasis of Reiman Gardens (pronounced rye-men) had a natural genesis as part of Iowa State University’s mission to educate students in the area of horticulture (the art and science of growing fruits, vegetables, flowers or ornamental plants). Reiman Gardens is the latest edition in Iowa State’s tradition of having a horticulture garden that dates back to 1914.

The original horticultural garden was north of the farm house at the Iowa State Horticultural Research Station. In 1964, the garden was moved to a three-quarter-acre site on the northeast corner of Iowa State University campus, north of the power plant. The site was limited, however, because it offered little room for expansion and was surrounded by Iowa State’s industrial zone.

Roy Reiman’s Inspiration

Spurred by the desire for more space and an impromptu conversation (see "Note from Benefactor" below) between alumnus Roy Reiman and the University president, the horticulture garden was on the move again in the early 1990s. The faculty in the Horticulture Department and University administrators had discussed the possibility of moving the gardens to a larger, more visible location to beautify the entrance to the City of Ames and Iowa State University.

The Proposal and The Gift

In 1993, President Martin Jischke and others presented Roy and his wife Bobbi with plans for today’s Reiman Gardens. The Reimans generously gave $1.3 million to initiate phase one of the new gardens. Construction began in 1994, which included transplanting many collections from the old horticultural gardens to the new Reiman Gardens. Rodney Robinson Landscape Architects, a landscape architecture firm in Wilmington, DE, designed the Gardens. Robinson was selected because of his experience at other public gardens like Longwood Gardens and the Washington Mall. Iowa State University faculty and staff were also active in developing the Gardens’ master and planting plans. Daryl Metzger, of Architects Smith Metzger in Des Moines, designed the buildings within the Gardens. The architecture reflects the Prairie School made famous by Frank Lloyd Wright, a selection inspired by the state’s agricultural traditions.

Dedication of Reiman Gardens 

Reiman Gardens was officially dedicated on September 16, 1995. At its opening, Reiman Gardens covered just five acres, which included the entry court, the Herb Garden, Rose Garden, the Campanile Garden, Mahlstede Horticulture Learning Center, and a Maintenance Building.

Expansion of the Gardens

In 1998, ground was broken for the Children’s Garden, followed by the Town and Country Garden and Lake Helen. The Gardens have continued to grow and evolve over the years to cover 17 acres with the following significant additions: 

  • 1999: Children's Garden dedicated
  • 2000: Lake Helen, Town and Country Gardens, Stafford Arboretum Garden dedicated
  • 2001: Home Demonstration Gardens dedicated
  • 2002: Hughes Conservatory dedicated
  • 2002: Christina Reiman Butterfly Wing dedicated
  • 2008: Hazel's Kitchen (on-site cafe) closed; Garden Room opens
  • 2008: Gift shop opens inside main entrance
  • 2008: Offices relocated from Mahlstede Building to the current location
  • 2010: Elwood, the World's Largest Concrete Gnome
  • 2017: Hillside Water-wise Garden dedicated
  • 2021: Sycamore Falls dedicated

“Let these gardens be a special place for students to come to quiet their minds, collect their thoughts, and find their futures. Let this place also serve as a tribute to the teachers who nurture new seedlings each year and bring students’ budding talents to full bloom, proving again that education bears living seeds that beautify the world.”

Conservatory Construction
Butterfly Wing Construction
Sycamore Falls Construction

Best of all, we like the colorful 'introduction' these gardens give students and parents each time they visit the campus. What better way could there be to say, 'Welcome!'?

Roy and Bobbi Reiman, Benefactors

A Note from our Benefactor

"TRUTHFULLY, when the idea first came to mind of having an attractive garden at the entrance to the Iowa State University campus, the concept wasn’t anything as grand and sizeable as it eventually became," said Roy.

"The idea came to me during a break in a meeting at the Scheman Building. I was standing on the balcony there with then President Martin Jischke, and complained to him that the view out to the south in that open expanse was rather 'bland,' and that it surely could be helped if some flower beds and ornamental plants could be added to the landscape.

Lesson learned: Never complain to a president! A short time later he requested a meeting to show me a “garden design plan” the landscape staff had put together. And that was the start of Reiman Gardens.

Both my wife Bobbi and I were pleased and fascinated by these Gardens’ potential from the very beginning, but we had no idea they’d eventually become a 17-acre site that’s become an Iowa “must-see” tourist attraction and an exceptional resource for all ISU students.

Best of all, we like the colorful 'introduction' these gardens give students and parents each time they visit the campus. What better way could there be to say, 'Welcome!'”