by The Better Homes and Gardens Test Garden in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, are open for a whopping two hours a week during summer months only, but that didn’t stop me!
The gardens are indeed “test” gardens maintained by the magazine. Per their website, “Whether it’s evaluating a new plant variety or trying a gardening technique, we do the ground work (literally) to help you grow a better garden. We keep all types of home gardeners—from first-timers to masters—in mind as we glean tips and techniques to share, along with plant recommendations that won’t disappoint.”
Though relatively small, it has 22 distinct areas, including a mini-meadow, conifer collection, raised vegetable and herb beds, and a pond with waterfall. It didn’t take very long for me to get through (though by the time I was done, Doug was long seated in a chair reading a book).
Many of the plants grown here are in a test phase themselves, so plants not yet available to the public can be seen here. The gardens are also used for photo shoots for their publications and websites, in additional for hosting events.
Prior to the establishment of the test gardens in 1998, editors did their test growing at their own homes!
