Reiman Gardens Annual Report 2017

2017

annual report

from the director

Time has gone by so quickly in my three years as director of Reiman Gardens, and I believe it is because of the efforts we are making to develop this community asset into a world-class garden. We have accomplished a great deal in 2017, as you’ll find detailed in this annual report.

When I started in 2015, I oversaw the completion of a new 20-year master site plan, and there has been progress on its implementation! New gardens include the now completed Hillside Water-wise Garden and the in-progress Sycamore Falls. We also received an endowment for the Bob & Dorothy Rust Events Plaza including a gorgeous sculpture, funding for a new Shade Garden, and plan to construct an event pavilion in 2019 to meet increasing demand for event space.

We even benefited from a neighboring project. The University is completing the Jack Trice Stadium South End Zone Expansion Project by adding a “green space” in the parking lot. Part of that endeavor included a 400-foot-long Reiman Gardens’ entrance sign. You can’t miss us now thanks to the Athletic Department’s generosity by including us in their project.

While there have been physical changes to the grounds, I am just as proud of the behind-the-scenes wins.

Four of the staff presented six talks at three national conferences, and one was asked to be a keynote speaker at an international conference. This means the Reiman Gardens staff have a level of expertise our peers consider valuable! Our relatively small and lesser-known public garden is now getting national and international recognition!

The Gardens continue to wow visitors by continually outdoing ourselves from year to year. Spring bulb display numbers increased to 45,000 tulips, another 15,000 perennial bulbs for the Hillside Water-wise Garden and the start of a lily collection. We also carved 650 Jack-O-Lanterns for Spirits in the Gardens where attendance skyrocketed making it our largest event.

I hope you got to see this year’s exhibit, Washed Ashore™. We were the first site in the Midwest and the first public garden in the world to host it! We will continue this trend when we become the first garden in the Midwest to feature George Sherwood’s kinetic sculpture display in 2018 and then develop another brand new traveling exhibit in 2019.

The 2017 RG Express holiday train opened for its 3rd year with a brand new structure, ISU’s Marston Water Tower. Visitation grows annually, confirming our suspicions that the community would love this train display.

Membership is increasing, educational opportunities are burgeoning, events are expanding, butterflies continue to enthrall – we reach more people and provide more opportunities every year. We do this as one of the best teams I have had the opportunity to work with and with strong support from our volunteers, members, donors and Iowa State University. We thank everyone involved for their support and want you to know there are many exciting things ahead in 2018!

Ed Lyon, Director of Reiman Gardens

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contents 1 from the director 3-4 by the numbers 5-7 new projects 8 gardens’ staff 9 admissions 10 membership & rentals 11 memorials 12 director’s circle 13 funds development & donors 14 water theme & rg express holiday train 15 events 16 jack-o-lantern walk 17-18 education 19-20 horticulture 21-22 entomology 23 internship program 24 volunteers 25 looking ahead & gift shop

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Won “Best of Story County” Wedding Venue for 2nd year in a row

Had

4,391

program attendees for our educational programs

1st

public garden in the U.S. to host Washed Ashore™ sculpture exhibit

12,648

service hours contributed by Reiman Gardens’

volunteers

81,289

people visited Reiman Gardens during 2017

Planted

45,000

tulip bulbs for our spring display

Hoste

16,74

rental gue in FY2017

by the numbers 2,844

four staff members presented six talks

Had member households Opened our first new garden space since

ed

2008

42

at three national conferences

contributed

1,754 lbs

ests

of produce to Added a new Plant a Row interactive for the app for the Hungry Christina Reiman Butterfly Wing,

www.reimanbutterfly.com Welcomed

3,718

visitors for

Spirits in the Gardens

650

Carved pumpkins for our annual

Jack-O-Lantern Walk

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entre nous... an era of construction

by Ed Lyon

As mentioned in my welcome letter, prior to 2017 the last major garden spaces constructed at Reiman Gardens were in 2008. The new master plan which will direct future improvements for the next 20 years has already heralded several significant new projects this year.

Jack Trice South End Zone Stadium Expansion “Green Space” Project (not yet formally named) I mention this even though it is not a Reiman Gardens project because it has caused some confusion. Construction on this ISU project started about the same time we presented our new master plan. This led to reports referencing “Reiman Gardens’ expansion.” To clarify, Reiman Gardens is not expanding. We have 17 acres to maximize before we entertain any thoughts of expanding outside our fence. I sit on the design team for the “Green Space” project because the University wisely felt the Gardens should play a role in making sure the space becomes a visually pleasing transition between Jack Trice Stadium and the Gardens.

The project budget provided a generous allowance for an improved entrance drive and signage for Reiman Gardens, including an impressive 400foot-long wall with four-foot high letters. The Gardens will be managing the beds around that wall but not the larger “Green Space” area.

bulbs from home - the alumni bulb meadow Bulbs from Home was a joint venture with the Iowa State University Foundation and was an idea borrowed from Roy Reiman. Alumni were encouraged to dig bulbs from their home gardens or purchase bulb packages for the site. The resulting Alumni Bulb Meadow is a specific site where alumni can feel a special connection to the Gardens because of their contributions. Alumni are encouraged to continue to support the expansion of the site and can check with staff for specifics if interested.

An interpretive panel placed near the meadow details the stories of some of the alumni who donated.

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hillside water-wise garden The Hillside Water-wise Garden commemorates a gift of money given by the Class of 1955. The design presented in the new Master Plan focused on a terraced, winding path created by limestone walls, featuring cascading plants and a grand staircase.

Because Reiman Gardens has a strong sustainability initiative, we changed the focus to a water-wise, low-impact garden style that has been used very successfully in Germany for 15-20 years. This method is so new to the United States it appears in only a very few locations, which fits our desire to be leaders.

The Gardens is fortunate that our Nature Connects®: Art with LEGO® Bricks traveling exhibit generates revenue.

We committed some of these funds to build the Hillside Water-wise Garden and to show our own initiative and dedication to a new master plan. We added an additional 85% of funding to turn the initial gift from the Class of ’55 into an extraordinary garden.

The new garden philosophy involves using quartzite gravel as the top fourto-six inches of growing medium. This gravel is not locally sourced, so we shipped 210 tons from South Dakota. It became apparent that it was going to be a colossal task getting that much gravel hauled from the parking lot to the site and layered across an acre of beds. Horticulturist Sharon Rink researched concrete boom trucks and discovered that not only would they work with gravel, but could reach every area of the site. What could have taken weeks of backbreaking labor was completed in five hours!

The planting plan required thousands of plants and a solid week of planting effort by volunteers, students and staff. Our goal was to open the Hillside Garden in early June. On a Friday afternoon in late May I lifted a pot and exclaimed, “The last plant to go in the ground!” The very next day, I got a text message informing me a wall had collapsed in the garden.

210

tons of quartzite gravel were used on the terraces of the garden

What followed was months of determining what caused the collapse and building a stronger interior wall as a solution. We believe that this hillside has far more water moving through it than expected, and the excess undermined the wall. We now measure the walls regularly for signs of movement.

By October we had the wall repaired, beds replanted and custom railings installed.

Five and a half months after our planned opening, we hosted a ribbon cutting. When the plants have filled in, you will stand at the top gazing at the best view in the Gardens and know you are looking at a garden that will rival any other in the country on a square foot basis.

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November 11, 2015

SYCAMORE FALLS

sycamore falls

One of the goals of the new master plan was an iconic feature garden that would help distinguish Reiman Gardens and become part of its unique identity. That garden space was named Sycamore Falls due to seven historic, 80-year old sycamore trees on the site. Above left is the conceptual image of the new garden we presented when we revealed the master plan to the public in 2015.

New projects in a master plan are dependent on funding, and it surprised us to build two major sites so soon after the plan was finished. Shortly after the decision to construct the Hillside Water-wise Garden, Roy and Bobbi Reiman stepped forward and generously offered to fund half of the $3.4 million cost of Sycamore Falls.

Sycamore Falls’ plan has gone through many revisions and the iconic tower has seen a number of changes.

Pictured here are some simplified, conceptual images of what the final design looks like. I think we achieved the goal of making this site an iconic part of the Gardens. The tower is a focal point unique to any other public garden and will become the first impression to visitors as their first view of campus. It will provide a deep connection to campus because the wood will come from the ISU Treecycle program.

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more improvements to come

There are plans for other smaller projects which we will feature in next year’s report once completed. These include a beautiful sculpture as part of the Robert & Dorothy Rust Events Plaza endowment, a new DeeAnn Drew Memorial Shade Garden, the purchase of a Skip Willits’ sculpture from a past exhibit and planning for an event pavilion to be built in 2019.

staff

Reiman Gardens’ staff at the ribbon cutting for the new Hillside Garden

Ed Lyon Director

Nathan Brockman Curator, Christina Reiman Butterfly Wing

Katie Getting Membership & Grants Coordinator

Amy Huff Communications Assistant

Kris Johnston

Renee Rule

Joy Stroud

Administrative Assistant

Private Event & Tour Coordinator

Administrative Specialist

Jessie Liebenguth

Sarah Rummery

Maria Teply

Glasshouse Horticulturist & Grower

Manager of Horticulture

Communications Coordinator

Jerry Lovig

Marilyn Schnormeier

Jacqueline Venner-Senske

Custodial Manager

Gift Shop Manager

Education Specialist

Sara Merritt

Lindsey Smith

Beth Wessel-Kroeschell

Education Manager

Collections Curator

Events Coordinator

Ed Moran

Aaron Steil

Anita Westphal

Senior Horticulturist

Assistant Director

Butterfly Wing Assistant

Sharon Rink

Lisa Stephany

Taylor Woodcock

Landscape Horticulturist

Funds Development Manager

Volunteer Coordinator

new faces Katie Getting, the new Membership & Grants Coordinator, comes to us with a museum background and formerly worked at Living History Farms as their Guest Services & Membership Coordinator. Katie has a passion for traveling and most recently visited London, Amsterdam & Prague. In her free time, she enjoys volunteering, baking and planning her next adventure!

Amy Huff, Reiman Gardens’ new Communications Assistant, moved to Ames in 1994 after growing up in Cedar Falls. A graduate of the University of Northern Iowa, Amy has a background in communications and graphic design. She and her husband Geoff have two daughters, a junior at ISU and a sophomore at Ames High. They enjoy traveling, spending time with friends, and cheering on the Cyclones and Little Cyclones.

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new faces (continued)

Kris Johnston, a new Administrative Assistant, comes to us with varied Iowa State University experience as a result of her working temporary positions with Advanced Services in many different departments on campus for the past two years. Kris is a mother of three and enjoys spending time with her family. She is passionate about fitness and loves to spend her free time walking, running, and reading anything she can get her hands on.

Marilyn Schnormeier joins the staff as the Gift Shop Manager. She is an Ames girl, graduating from Ames High and Iowa State. Upon graduation, she pursued a career in retail management that placed her with various department stores. Most recently, she took early retirement after 23 years with Neiman Marcus in Dallas, Texas. While in Dallas, Marilyn cheered on the Cyclones and served the Dallas/Fort Worth Alumni Group as Philanthropy Coordinator. Marilyn is excited to be back in Ames. She enjoys knitting, traveling and collecting antiques, particularly vintage perfume bottles.

Lisa Stephany, the new Funds Development Manager, comes to us with several years of fundraising and development experience. Most recently she worked as a consultant and grant writer for the YMCA of Greater Des Moines and The Directors Council in Des Moines. She has also held development positions with the Alzheimer’s Association of Greater Iowa and the Iowa State University Foundation. Lisa lives in Ankeny and is an avid traveler, writer and jewelry maker. In her spare time, she loves spoiling her granddaughter.

admissions This year is showing once again that engaging, high quality exhibits along with amazing horticultural displays, fun events and informative programs all bring people to Reiman Gardens. 2017 became one of the best attended years at Reiman Gardens. Only 2012 and 2016, both years featuring the Nature ConnectsÂŽ exhibit, had more attendees and admission revenue. Next year, a dynamic exhibit that features large-scale kinetic art by George Sherwood in Massachusetts should help us continue to attract even more visitors to the Gardens.

92,064

people visited Reiman Gardens in 2017

$243,051

65,301

$221,693

46,550 $165,034

2014

2015

2016

attendance 9

$285,586

81,289

81,289

2017

2014

2015

2016

2017

admissions income

membership Membership saw many changes throughout 2017. Not only is there a new Membership Coordinator, but a new member event was added in June. The Member Volunteer Picnic (M.V.P.) represents a time when members and volunteers are encouraged to visit the Gardens after hours to relax and enjoy a picnic dinner. Our first year was a success, and we hope you will consider joining us again this year!

member only event attendance 203

292 Washed Ashore Preview Party

Orchid Fest Preview Party

304

76 Member & Volunteer Picnic Event

RG Express Preview Party

The Supporter level membership, which includes two adults living in the same household and all children/grandchildren 17 and under, continues to be our most popular membership level with almost 60% of our membership base!

$224,617

2,844

Revenue (FY17)

Member Households (FY17)

The figures above are based on fiscal year 2017 numbers. As we look forward to the year ahead, the Membership department braces themselves for another year of growth and change. We hope you are ready for what we have planned!

rentals Rentals at Reiman Gardens continued to be an exciting area of growth in 2017. In addition to a sharp increase in overall rentals as compared to 2016, Reiman Gardens continued to be a popular choice for weddings, winning Best Story County Wedding Venue for the second year in a row. In order to keep up with the increasing demand for both private and corporate rentals, plans are in the works for the addition of an event pavilion in 2019. To schedule a private event at the Gardens, contact Renee Rule at 515-294-8994. Numbers cited below are for fiscal year 2017.

587 rentals (up 288 from FY16)

16,742

$121,753

(increase of 5,455 from FY2016)

(up by $21,052 from FY16)

rental guests

rental income

35

weddings

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memorials & honorariums The following memorials and honorariums were given by the donors listed below: In memory of Donna Fuller Krista Fuller Janice Bohnsack In memory of Brad Binder Sarah Binder Steve Black Nancy Blyler Kelli Carlberg Merlin Pfannkuch In memory of Arthur John (Jack) Boyt Richard and Cynthia Arnold Sandra DeFrancisco Danita Fitch Gloria C. Boyt Revocable Trust B. Hawbaker Candace McCarthy Noelcrest Condominium Mark Schmidt Nile and Joyce Scott Kent and Shelly Thieman Various Unknown Gifts In memory of Robert Leroy Brown William and Denise Ryan Virginia Van Zandt In memory of Ruby Buck Rosalie Amos Viola Bahls Charles and Nancy Calahan Chamblee’s Roses and Gifts Melanie Dierickx Dobson Insurance Agency Steve and Peggy Drennan James and Darla Ewalt E. Robert and Mary Fritz Janet Flick Steven and Brenda George Iowa Rose Society Jane Jacobson Grant and Jill Johnson Roger and Mary Kolb Marlys Ladd Ray and Carolyn Leger Larry and Kathryn Littlefield Lois Loveless Ron and Jane Morlok Randy and Linda Naeve Marsha Osting James and Cynthia Pease Patricia Post Connie Ramthun Mark and Charlene Ramthun Karen Richards Betty Rozeboom Kathleen Shaver Diana Shonrock Vaughn Speer

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State Farm Companies Foundation Helen Sumner John and Anita Varme Carl and Georgia Vondra Sara Webb Wichita Rose Society Gail Wierson Wilma Lesan Trust Maureen Wilt Garey and Melanie Wylie Iola Zimbeck Various Unknown Gifts In honor of Don and Dee Draper Kirsten Linney In memory of DeeAnn Drew Briggs Healthcare In memory of Linda Gilmore John and Erica Genise In memory of Jerry Greving Nancy Adams Karen Behrens Carole Bunde Dianne C. Draper Living Trust Dennis and Sheila Dietz James and Barbara Eisenmenger Stephanie Fox Mark and Rita Gilbertson Beverly Grabau Donald and Mary Greving Joyce Greving Robert and Ann Hein Maynard and Anne Hogberg Dana and Mary Holland Steven and Diane Jones Jean Kelley JoAnn Kinart Fred and Ann Malvern Don and Nancy McLean Ann McMullin Greg Miller John and Pamela Miller Stephen and Marilyn Moehlmann Gregory and Diane Nelson Carlton and Sally Peterson Thomas and Linda Sharpnack Diana Shonrock Story County Agricultural Extension Thomas and Constance Sweeney Daniel and Sherrie Vos Lowell and Louise Yager Kenneth and Jean Ziegler In memory of Lois Gruber Claire Kasamis In honor of Fay and John Hill’s 50th Annivarsary Robert and Susan Knight

In memory of Eileen Hohenstein Sharon Andrews E. Robert and Mary Fitz Cherrie Macal Steven and Randi Peters In memory of Brice Charles Janvrin Bruce and Diane Janvrin In memory of Elaine Jondall Robert and Barbara Thompson In memory of Beverly Koehlmoos Stacy Cullison In memory of Loren D. Lang Rosemary Lang Loren and Pat Steffen In memory of Curt Lindholm Rose Miller In memory of Marianne Malinowski Gary Eller In memory of Phyllis Rickets Charles Rickets In memory of Gerald Rosenquist Jane Jacobson In memory of Beatrice Trott Hilsinger Family Charitable Fund In memory of Marilyn Varley Curtis Varley In memory of Justin L. Weaver Deborah Wheeler In memory of Mary West Anne Burmeister In memory of Darlene Whitaker Katy Clapham In memory of Charlie Yoerger Darrell and Janice Coy Larry and Leanne Findlay Randal and Catherine Fitzgerald John and Shirley Gilmore Linda Johnson Helen McRoberts Gary and Judi Meyer John and Jean Nevius Patricia Roth Dennis and Betty Sailsbury Christian and Ann Schwartz Karin Sevde Vaughn Speer Ruth Stone Scott and Theresa Stone Claire Uldrich Dorothy Yoerger

director’s circle

In the summer of 2016, the Gardens implemented a new giving society, the Director’s Circle, which recognizes donors who give $1,000 or more annually. A gift at this level automatically qualifies donors to receive membership benefits at the Patron level, insider emails from Director Ed Lyon, and invitations to exclusive events including an annual donor recognition dinner. Gifts are added to the Gardens’ Fund for Excellence, unless otherwise designated, and count toward annual and lifetime recognition through Iowa State University’s Order of the Knoll. Since July 1, 2016, Director’s Circle members have contributed $395,955 to Reiman Gardens for plants, flowers and butterflies; educational programming; student internships; and capital improvements.

Founding members of Reiman Gardens’ Director’s Circle include: Rick Bartosh Sarah Binder Steve and Audrey Black Elizabeth Dahm Don and Dee Draper Randal and Catherine Fitzgerald Joyce Greving Ruth Harris Jeff and Susie Hemphill

David and Judith Hoffman Al and Ann Jennings Bruce and Dorothy Johnson Jane Lohnes Warren and Bev Madden Carroll and Fidella Marty Barbara and William Mengeling Stephen and Marty Penkhus Max and Monica Porter

Bobbi and Roy Reiman Charles Ricketts Ruth Ann Robson Bob and Dorothy Rust Tom and Linda Sharpnack Russell Snyder Vaughn Speer Toni and David Wheelock Elizabeth and Robert Wych

Please keep Reiman Gardens in mind when planning your estate and making your charitable contributions.

To make a tax-deductible gift to Reiman Gardens, please visit www.reimangardens.com or send a check to: Reiman Gardens, 1407 University Blvd., Ames, IA 50011. For more information about including Reiman Gardens in your will/estate plans, contact Lisa Stephany, lstephan@iastate.edu or 515-294-6356.

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funds development

Thank you to all who made a donation above and beyond membership this past fiscal year! Because of generous people like you, the Gardens was able to fund: • Year-round beautification of the Gardens.

• Butterfly chrysalides (approximately 800 species are featured with new ones purchased every week).

• K-12 educational programming and various learning opportunities for adults.

• Research and instruction of sustainability while providing a living laboratory for Iowa State University students.

• Community events such as the Spring Egg Hunt and Spirits in the Gardens.

$302,776

was raised in private support during 2017

• Top-notch annual exhibits such as Washed Ashore™ and the RG Express holiday train exhibit.

• Day-to-day operations.

Since Reiman Gardens is a unit of Iowa State University, all private gifts are processed through the Iowa State University Foundation and are tax-deductible as allowable by law. The Gardens is grateful for every dollar received. Gifts of any amount help the Gardens remain a top attraction in Iowa. Total private support raised in 2017 was $302,776.

donor spotlight Bob and Dorothy Rust Through a generous donation, Dorothy and Robert Rust have provided an endowment at Reiman Gardens. Earnings from this gift will be used for maintenance and repairs, plantings and other amenities for the newly named and endowed Dorothy and Robert Rust Events Plaza at Reiman Gardens. A portion of this gift will also be used to purchase a sculpture for the Events Plaza. The chosen sculpture stands nine feet tall and reflects elements of the natural world, sustainability, and natural systems conservation. The sculpture will be installed in spring 2018.

David and Judith Hoffman For four years, David and Judith Hoffman have provided support to the Reiman Gardens summer internship program. The Hoffman’s gift provides assistance to one undergraduate student intern in horticulture or entomology for the entire summer including their salary, field trips, projects and supplies. The Hoffman’s meet the intern they sponsor at the end of the spring semester and follow his or her progress throughout the summer. David says that they enjoy supporting the students and strengthening the link between the Gardens and ISU’s academics. For more on the internship program, please see page 23.

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water theme

Water is life! In 2017 Reiman Gardens celebrated water as its theme and the plant, insect and human lives it sustains. The Gardens were alive with colorful displays inspired by all things water related – from umbrellas and fountains to sea monsters and surfing.

From April 29th through October 31st, the importance of water was on display with the Washed Ashore™ exhibit, whose trash to art sculptures highlighted the importance of clean water. The Gardens featured 10 larger-than-life sea creature sculptures made from trash collected from beaches to graphically illustrate the tragedy of the pollution in our oceans and waterways. The awe-inspiring sculptures were up to 12 feet tall and 15 feet long, and emphasized how important clean water is to all life.

Not only were visitors impacted by the sheer size, color and detail of the pieces, but also by the underlying message to be a good steward of the planet. Educational signage and K-12/adult programming was used in tandem with the sculptures to encourage reducing, refusing, reusing, re-purposing and recycling. Reiman Gardens was the first public garden in the entire country to host this colorful exhibit, joining the ranks of the Smithsonian National Zoo, Denver Zoo, SeaWorld Parks, and the San Francisco Zoo.

rg express holiday train

Miniature trains were once again featured at the Gardens from November 18th through January 6th! Visitors young and old were enchanted by the custom-built RG Express train. This unbelievably detailed “g-scale” (often called “garden scale”) display was created by Applied Imagination, an internationally recognized company whose train displays meld botanical design and architecture.

Visitors could walk past, around and under miniature buildings and bridges historically significant to Iowa State University and local history, rendered with clever use of natural materials and accented with a spectacular waterfall. A new structure, ISU’s Marston Water Tower, was added to the display in 2017.

This year the RG Express train chugged through a landscape of snow and ice!

Shimmering icicles, beautiful snowflakes snow-flocked trees, and red and white poinsettias created a frozen landscape for the whimsical train display.

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events In 2017 Reiman Gardens hosted more than 30 public events. They ranged from family-focused activities such as the Spring Egg Hunt and Breakfast with Santa, to adult-only Reiman Gardens After Hours events.

They also included a variety of popular special interest events such as Day of Insects, Orchid Fest, the Garden Art Fair and Rose Fest.

Family Fun More than

1,000

children took part in our Spring Egg Hunt

2017 events began with Family Movies in the Gardens, which featured popular children’s movies on Saturdays in January. In March, the Spring Egg Hunt, co-sponsored by Reiman Gardens and the Ames Jaycees, welcomed more than 1,000 children who hunted for eggs, listened to stories and played lawn games.

Reiman Gardens has become a popular place to watch Ames’ Independence Day Fireworks display. This year, admission was free due to a grant from the Ames Convention and Visitors Bureau. Guests were invited to picnic, play and enjoy the beauty of the Gardens while listening to music from the High Society Band.

Our annual Spirits in the Gardens fall festival continues to break records for attendance (see story on opposite page). Children, families and visitors of all ages enjoyed crafts, owls and raptors from the ISU Wildlife Clinic, trick or treating, storytelling by Jerri Heid, lawn games and the impressive Jack-O-Lantern Walk.

In December, Breakfast with Santa provided a hearty buffet breakfast and visit from Santa to a nearly sold out crowd. Children also enjoyed storytelling and creating a bird feeding tree ornament. Also in December, Butterfly Blizzard offered guests the opportunity to release their very own butterfly, prepared by entomology staff, into the Christina Reiman Butterfly Wing.

Special Interest Shows & Events The Gardens hosted numerous shows for special interest plant enthusiasts including the 7th annual Orchid Fest, 9th annual Rose Fest, 3rd annual Lily Show and 10th annual Bonsai Show. The displays of orchids, award winning roses and lilies, and bonsai were awe inspiring.

In July, the Gardens hosted the 12th annual Garden Art Fair. More than 1,100 visitors browsed 60 eclectic booths and purchased garden-inspired art pieces including jewelry, watercolor, pottery, woodwork, glass, photography, sculpture and fabric arts.

At Reiman Gardens’ 7th annual Quilt Show we displayed more than 90 garden-inspired quilts. During the three-day event, guests marveled at the intricate and beautiful quilts on display, voted for their favorites and browsed the goods created by fabric art vendors.

Reiman Gardens After Hours is an adult-only event hosted four times each year. It is an opportunity to enjoy the Gardens with good food and live music in the early evening. The After Hours events continue to grow as more visitors realize how beautiful the Gardens are in the evening.

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jack-o-lantern walk

A part of Reiman Gardens’ Spirits in the Gardens event, our 2nd annual JackO-Lantern Walk was once again a huge success. Last year we carved an impressive 500 pumpkins. This year, thanks to an incredible effort by volunteers and staff alike, we upped our massive display to 650 carved jack-o-lanterns. Building on last year’s success, attendance at Spirits in the Gardens went from 2,538 in 2016, to 3,718 in 2017.

The week-long preparation and carving work leading up to the Jack-O-Lantern Walk was a popular activity with volunteers. Iowa State students came on dates, to fulfill a volunteer requirement or as a group project for their dorm floor, sorority/fraternity or learning community. During working hours we had a dedicated group of volunteers who returned multiple times, working as many as 20 hours to help make this event the success it was. Volunteer groups asked us to take pictures of them with their pumpkins and shared those photos on social media. The enthusiasm of the volunteers, made up in large part by Iowa State University students, was contagious.

3,718

visitors enjoyed Spirits in the Gardens this year

On the weekend of the event, guests were dazzled by jack-o-lanterns carved with a wide variety of intricate and popular patterns including Harry Potter, Star Wars, Ghostbusters, Disney princesses, Game of Thrones, movie monsters, super heroes, and traditional Halloween themes of witches, bats and ghouls. The jack-olanterns were displayed on hay bales around Lake Helen, in the South Field, on the benches in the Bald Cyprus Allee and on the walls in the newly opened Hillside Garden. People driving along University Blvd could see them from the road, drawing an even bigger crowd to the event. Families, ISU students and community members alike joined us for this “must see” display.

As a special treat, talented carvers Suzy and Michael Rickels used their vast experience to create several advanced level jack-o-lanterns which we displayed in the Hughes Conservatory during the event.

Guests of all ages enjoyed this signature event from designing patterns to carving pumpkins to creating displays to experiencing the magic of 650 lit jack-o-lanterns.

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education Education was busy as ever in 2017. In youth and family education, two significant themes emerged: innovative programming and community partnerships. New outdoor events played starring roles this summer. Monthly Water Days made a huge splash, featuring art projects, science experiments, a giant water slide and more. In August, the Gardens celebrated the total solar eclipse with a Solar Eclipse Viewing Party. We loaned solar viewing glasses to every guest, and hundreds of people gathered on our plaza and patio to experience this incredible phenomenon.

Many familiar programs continued as in the past, while those targeting our littlest guests expanded to occur weekly. This reflects our consistent and growing interest in engaging families through nature exploration.

STEAM Partnerships Exciting partnerships formed the basis for a series of STEAM (Science Technology Engineering Art Math) workshops for mid- to upper-elementary students. Both individual and institutional support from Parametric Studios, Story County Conservation, Water Rocks! and ISU departments, including Physics & Astronomy and Geologic & Atmospheric Science, made these popular hands-on educational experiences possible.

Washed Ashore™ Through interpretation, a scavenger hunt passport, guided tours and additional programming, the exhibition of Washed Ashore™ provided a rich jumping-off point for learning about the threat of plastic pollution and choices available to address it. The community response was tremendous, with near-record attendance

education snapshot 2017 by the numbers:

• Unique programs offered: 241 (142 adult, 99 youth) • Program attendees served: 4,391 (2,075 adult, 2,316 youth) • Program revenue: $13,767 • Tours provided: 180 (26 adult-guided, 63 youth-guided, 67 adult & youth self-guided, 24 free) • Tour participants served: 6,524 (424 adult-guided, 2,791 youth-guided, 2,302 adult & youth self-guided, 1,152 free) • Tour revenue: $32,521 • Total revenue: $46,288

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throughout the exhibit. Each month from July through October, nearly 200 guests attended free showings of the newly released documentary film, Washed Ashore: Art to Save the Sea. This provided a platform for collaborating with Ames High School art students, who created sculptures and other projects using repurposed plastic trash collected by Gardens’ staff and volunteers.

Portal to the Public The popularity of the Washed Ashore™ exhibit also further demonstrated that the use of unexpected materials to communicate science makes conservation efforts and science education more effective through the language of the arts and creating personal connections. This year marked our 4th Portal to the Public Science Communication Fellowship, during which we trained 12 more local scientists, ISU researchers and faculty to share their research with public audiences by creating hands-on activities and interacting face to face.

Our Meet-A-Scientist events throughout the year provided active science education to hundreds of visitors of all ages and backgrounds, covering topics ranging from entomology, agronomy and ecology to mechanical engineering, immunobiology and the biomedical and neurosciences.

Adult Education In adult education, we welcomed returning and new instructors to teach everything from gardening programs and nature-based lectures to garden-centered art, photography and classes and workshops focused on all things water. This proved to be another year reflecting the popularity of staff-taught programs. The most highly attended adult programs of 2017 included: • Our B.Y.O.B. repurposed Crafty Cocktail Nights led by various staff.

• Behind the Scenes: Production Greenhouses with Ed Moran.

• Director Ed Lyon’s Front Lawn Challenge presentation & Made in the Shade series.

• Floral Design: Succulent Dish Gardens taught by volunteer instructor Sandy Gossman.

• Mindfulness, Meditation & Relaxation from Board-Certified Movement Therapist Camilla Kottman.

• ALL of Mark Stoltenberg’s numerous Photography classes.

• Artist Yvonne Brune’s Watercolor class.

• Brown Bag: Nature at Noon – Topics: The Reiman Gardens’ Intern Experience; The Science of Climate Change with ISU professor Cinzia Cervato; & Holiday Decorating with Sandy Gossman & Horticulturists Ed Moran and Sharon Rink.

• Assistant Director Aaron Steil’s Great Plants for Iowa series & Wreath-Making Workshops.

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horticulture 49,000 spring bulbs, mostly in shades of blue, purple, and white surged through the Gardens, kicking off our “Water” theme this past spring. Our very own “Muscari river” meandered at the South Patio, a tribute to Keukenhof, the Dutch bulb garden. The theme of water continued, literally and artistically. Despite a damp May, the horticulture staff and volunteers planted over 18,000 annuals, representing 498 unique cultivars or species, in the outside gardens. From some of those plants, Reiman Gardens contributed 1,754 pounds of fresh produce to the local chapter of Plant a Row for the Hungry (PAR). Based out of our Maintenance Building, PAR volunteers collected and distributed 11,405 pounds of fresh vegetables, fruits and herbs to agencies working to end food insecurity in Story County.

Plant Sale Extravaganza More than

5,000

plants were sold during the Plant Sale Extravaganza

The Plant Sale Extravaganza succeeded again! Reiman Gardens, Story County Master Gardeners, ISU Horticulture Club, ISU Graduate Society of Horticulture Students and ISU Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology Graduate Students partnered again to offer high-quality, diverse and desired plant material. Over 5,000 plants found new homes during the 2.5-day event. Total sales (for all plant sale partners) were just under 2016 but still growth over 2015. The second Bag-o-Bulbs tulip bulb sale landed on the same weekend as the plant sale this year. While the process for purchasing bags-o-bulbs was improved over 2016, sales were considerably slower, likely due to competition from the plant sale. Because four out of five years these two plant sale events would compete, Bag-o-Bulbs as a unique event is canceled. Rather, Reiman Gardens will sell bags of tulip bulbs at the plant sale.

Hughes Conservatory The Hughes Conservatory touted our year of Water with four spectacular displays. “Petals and Parasols” showered visitors with colorful umbrellas suspended in the ceiling and hundreds of orchids in rustic cedar columns. Three topiary turtles “carved waves” in “Totally Tubular” while the Washed Ashore™ Smith’s Jelly floated by. Moon gates created a “Cardinal Tide” that swelled with red and gold mums, and the RG Express garden railroad slipped into town with “Snow and Ice,” complete with 10 flocked (yes, finally, flocked!) Christmas trees. The railroad display was recreated with the help and support of the Central Iowa Garden Railroad Society.

Renovations and Plant Trials Several more hardscape renovations were completed this year, advancing our strategic goal to upgrade aging features. Staff, student gardeners and volunteers renovated and reconstructed the raised beds in Joey and Jesse’s Herb Garden. The path to Hunziker House was improved with the addition of a surface drain and the removal of trip-hazard edging. Reiman Gardens continued to garner a reputation in the plant trial industry. Rose trials expanded, as we proudly continue to be an inaugural trial site of the recently formed American Garden Rose Selections. Jessie Liebenguth was selected to serve on the Executive Board of the All-American Selections (AAS), after only three years of judging for the national organization!

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Plant Collections Our Plant Collections Curator, Lindsey Smith, also had a successful year. With her addition to our permanent staff, Lindsey was able to give our plant collections program the dedicated attention it deserves. Notably, the “Plants of Interest� display table had a much longer exhibit time this year. Historically only exhibited during the summer months (and managed by just an intern), Lindsey, with the help of volunteers and an intern, was able to start the display in April, and it ended in October! Lindsey also accomplished key operational and strategic milestones in the plant collections program. The 20-year back-log of paperwork and reports related to plant records is finally under control and up-to-date in BG-Base, our plant collections database software.

We completed the fourth update of our 2007 plant collections policy (what and why we collect) and nearly completed our new plant collections management and development plan, (the who, when and how we hope to accomplish our plant collection goals).

547 accessions, unique record identifiers assigned to plant specimens or groups, were added to the plant collection in 2017. This is a new record, surpassing 2009 which had 227 accessions added. This influx largely stems from the redesign of the Hillside Water-wise Garden and Naturalist Garden and the start of a lily collection (Lilium). Horticulture staff added 301 accessions to the new Hillside Garden, 36 accessions to the Naturalist Garden and 54 accessions to start the new Lilium collection. The remaining 156 accessions were replacements or additions throughout the rest of the garden areas.

Staff and volunteers planted more than

18,000 annuals for the summer displays

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entomology Reimanbutterfly.com The Christina Reiman Butterfly Wing has a new app. Under the guidance of the entomology staff, a group of students in ISU’s Electrical and Computer Engineering Department’s Senior Design Class built the new interactive app. Access the app by visiting www.Reimanbutterfly.com through your web browsers on any device. It has many fun features such as a photo gallery that changes based on the butterflies in flight, and a stat page which estimates individuals and species in flight, based on historical data.

Lucid Butterfly Identification App Thanks to funding from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, work is underway on the next mobile app by the entomology staff. The latest app will help users identify butterfly species in the wild. While it is being built to help identify the butterflies found in Iowa, work is being done to expand the app’s range to include the butterflies found across the continental United States.

IBSN update

536

monarch butterflies were reared during 2017 in Reiman Gardens’ Monarch Zone

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The Iowa Butterfly Survey Network is a citizen science program, managed by entomology staff, that tracks butterfly populations across Iowa. In the 2017 survey season, 504 surveys were conducted on 50 sites.

Volunteers saw 53 of the 120 species native to the state and 25,140 individuals. We had a huge population explosion of painted ladies this summer. To put these numbers in perspective, IBSN members counted 131 painted ladies during the 2016 survey season and 9,182 individuals in 2017. Volunteers put in more than 600 hours of time over the summer. IBSN is on its 12th year now, and it would not be possible without our volunteers.

Monarch Zone The entomologists have worked with a group in Cedar Rapids called the Monarch Research Project since 2015. The mission is to restore pollinator habitats and help re-establish the monarch population in the Cedar Rapids area. This summer we installed a MRP Monarch Zone, a 12’x12’ screen enclosure planted with milkweeds. Using this can greatly reduce potential threats to butterflies as they go through their life stages. This first year we reared two broods. The first produced 286 individuals and the second 250 individuals. 100 were tagged with tracking stickers as part of the Monarch Watch project.

Day of Insects The Day of Insects symposium added workshops to expand it to a two-day event. The workshops were insect rearing, spider identification, insect photography and a tutorial of the BugGuide website. The workshops were successful and will be continued. Attendance grows annually, and in 2017 registration reached 157 people, who listened to 15 speakers. In 2018, Day of Insects will celebrate its 10th anniversary.

Pollinator Fest Pollinator Fest was held for the third time. The day had 17 stations covering insects and pollination. A new element allowed Boy Scouts to earn their Insect Merit Badge during the event. Over 40 scouts took the opportunity to earn their badge. Admission to the Gardens was free during Pollinator Fest due to a generous donation to ISU Entomology’s pollinator research.

Virtual tours The entomology staff at Reiman Gardens made virtual visits to classrooms. From their classroom, students can see inside the Butterfly Wing and the Entomology Lab, as well as have their questions answered. With the expansion of the Gardens’ Wi-Fi, the quality of these experiences will continue to improve for students.

9,182

Painted Lady butterflies were counted during the 2017 survey period compared to 131 in 2016

Note from an entomology hourly student: Sarah May In April 2015, I was just finishing my freshman year in Animal Science at ISU when I was thrilled to begin as an entomology intern, and I have continued as a student worker. From the tasks I engage in daily like insect rearing, projects and talking with visitors, I have gained skills relevant to my field. These experiences have propelled my career and enabled me to be eligible for other internships. The summer of 2016 I interned at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo working with a variety of exotic insects. This summer, I was one of three interns at the Oregon Zoo, where I joined a conservation program raising and releasing endangered Oregon Silverspot and Taylor’s Checkerspot butterflies. Working at the Gardens has been irreplaceably significant in growing both my confidence and competency as I enter a career field in animal care.

Poster presentations at IECC At the Invertebrates in Education and Conservation Conference in Tucson, Arizona the Gardens’ entomology staff presented five different posters during the poster session. The entomology staff stays busy creating, experimenting and trying a variety of things, and that work often pays off with the development of something new that can aid the butterfly industry, conservation or our general understanding of insects. Sharing our work at conferences and professional meetings is one way that allows the 2,500 sq.ft. Christina Reiman Butterfly Wing to make a worldwide impact.

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internship program

The Gardens has hired more than 130 interns since 1995.

These college students gain relevant experience and knowledge as they work alongside full-time staff over the summer months.

This year we had a diverse group of students from Iowa State University representing majors that ranged from education and horticulture to events management, architecture and apparel merchandising and design. These students got to participate in various projects, field trips to places like Des Moines and Kansas City, and educational sessions with the Gardens’ staff and other professionals to experience and understand what it means to work at a public garden. Additionally, this group that represented various backgrounds and worked in many different areas of the Gardens teamed together on a project that shared their experiences with the public.

Their blog is on the Reiman Gardens website. Check it out at the following address to see the great things these students accomplished! http://www.reimangardens.com/intern-blog/

More than

130

interns have been a part of the Reiman Gardens intern program

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name

internship area

major

Hannah Bengtson

Education

Biology

Ayla Hendrickson

Glasshouse & Greenhouse Production

Architecture

Emma Kachelmeyer

Retail Management

Apparel Merchandising

Claire Kinley Garden & Landscape Management

Landscape Architecture

Clara Kittleson

Education

Biology

Elizabeth Maack

Entomology

Biology

Amy Strandell

Events

Event Management

Breanna Van Meeteren Garden & Landscape Management

Horticulture

Sydney Weldon

Biology

Plant Collections

volunteers Our volunteers generously donate their time, talents and enthusiasm every day at Reiman Gardens.

Volunteering with the Gardens is a creative and effective way for residents and students to learn and give back to their community. It is hard to measure their impact, but it is easy to see and feel the difference our volunteers make.

Value to the community • Volunteer hours for 2017 are valued at $290,272.55 of contributions in kind.

• The number of hours contributed is equivalent to six full-time employees.

By the numbers • 12,648 service hours were contributed.

• 340 individuals volunteered. Many of our volunteers participated in more than one department.

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active volunteers have been with the Gardens more than

10 years

• 49 service groups helped throughout the year, including Ames Jaycees, Ames High School National Honor Society, Nevada High School Day of Caring, Mainstream Living, BioLife Plasma Services, Central Iowa Garden Railroad Society, United Way Day of Caring and numerous Iowa State University fraternities, sororities, clubs and student organizations.

• 21 active volunteers have contributed 500+ hours over their lifetime to the Gardens; nine active volunteers have contributed 1,000+ lifetime hours; four active volunteers have contributed 2,000+ lifetime hours; and one active volunteer has contributed 4,000 lifetime hours.

• 33 active volunteers have been a volunteer with the Gardens for 10+ years; and nine active volunteers have been here for 15+ years.

• Two new appreciation events were added: Member Volunteer Picnic and Donuts and Danishes with the Directors.

• 15 volunteers visited Living History Farms for our annual volunteer field trip.

Who are our volunteers?

• ISU students, individuals and service groups from Ames and outside the community.

• 58 volunteers are Master Gardeners.

• 28% of individual volunteers are ISU students.

• Our youngest volunteer is 12 years old and our oldest volunteer is 91 years young.

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looking ahead 2018 theme - Movement In 2018 Reiman Gardens explores the theme of movement. Be moved by extraordinary planting displays in every nook of the Gardens, from the cascading colors of 50,000 spring tulips and the vibrating textures of summer flowers in outdoor beds, to the sway of ornamental grasses and autumn foliage waving and transforming with the forces of nature through time. Walk through hops in the Herb Garden, smell the roses, and as life continues to flow through the waters of Lake Helen, peek at the progress of new garden spaces. Wander to the Home Production Garden to learn how our produce travels across the city to help feed those in need; then be sure to play, discover and explore in the Children’s Garden, and take a moment to recharge amidst the beauty of the Christina Reiman Butterfly Wing and the splendor of the Hughes Conservatory.

Wind, Waves & Light Exhibit - April 28 to November 3 Celebrate Reiman Gardens’ 2018 theme, movement, with American sculptor George Sherwood’s Wind, Waves and Light. The exhibit will feature 11 kinetic sculptures designed to explore space, time and the dynamic relationship of objects in motion. The sculptures are made of stainless steel, and the reflective qualities integrate each sculpture into its environment. Wind speed and direction, shades of light, time of day, precipitation and seasonal color transform the qualities of light and movement of the sculptures. Visit www.georgesherwood.com/video to view some of the sculptures in motion.

gift shop

Reiman Gardens’ Gift Shop offers a unique shopping experience. We strive to provide an everchanging variety of items that appeal to all ages. Our wide array of merchandise includes toys and books for children, clothing, jewelry and accessories, as well as, home and garden decor. Our customers come from near and far. Local residents know our selection offers unusual items for that special gift. International travelers can take home mementos of their visit to the Gardens, Iowa State University and Iowa. Business for the gift shop in 2017 was swift, ending the year with 14,264 total transactions for $219,304.63 in sales.

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1407 UNIVERSITY BLVD AMES, IA 50011 EMAIL: reimangardens@iastate.edu PHONE: 515.294.2710 WEBSITE: www.reimangardens.com

“Educate, enchant and inspire an appreciation of plants, butterflies and the beauty of the natural world” Reiman Gardens’ mission