Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden

Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden, a twelve-acre riverfront garden near downtown Des Moines, grew from civic interest that began in 1929 and a city greenhouse acquired in 1939. After that earlier facility declined, a new botanical center was announced in 1973, construction began in 1978, and it opened in 1979. Its defining feature is a geodesic-domed conservatory built from 665 Plexiglas panels, rising eighty feet and spanning one hundred fifty feet. The site includes thirteen gardens, with indoor and outdoor spaces. Over time, management shifted from the city to Des Moines Water Works and then to a nonprofit that renamed, renovated, and expanded the garden.

Des Moines, Iowa · United States