Des Moines Gardening Classes and Education Resources
Whether you have a green thumb or you’re a beginning gardener, there’s a wide variety of gardening classes in the Des Moines Metro for every skill level. Learn about composting, beekeeping, designing and maintaining a garden, or even take courses to become a certified Master Gardener. There are both in-person and virtual options.
Gardening is also a great way to get the whole family outside while teaching responsibility, how to grow your food (bonus: kids are more likely to try a new food if they have grown it themselves!), and patience. Continue reading to discover a range of gardening classes in the metro area.
Looking for local garden centers to purchase plants, flowers, and gardening essentials? Take a look at Des Moines Garden Centers. Many garden centers also offer classes.
Birds & Bees Urban Farm
735 19th Street, Des Moines, IA 50314
(515) 491-8468
Birds & Bees Urban Farm focuses on educating the community about urban farming. They offer individual interest workshops (ranging from composting to gardening to beekeeping) as well as on-site consultations for your yard and patio.
Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden
909 Robert D. Ray Drive, Des Moines, IA
(515) 323-6290
These beautiful gardens, situated in downtown Des Moines, feature an indoor dome housing over 1,000 tropical plants and 12 acres of outdoor gardens. Many people are familiar with the seasonal events, including the concert series, Dome After Dark, and Dome for the Holidays. However, they also offer gardening classes and educational programs. Schedule a private booking for groups to learn about plant care, create a terrarium, or build a fairy garden.
Iowa Family Gardens
Des Moines, IA
(515) 491-8136
Iowa Family Gardens is a garden maintenance business that provides group classes throughout the year, often in collaboration with the Iowa Food Cooperative, to educate about gardening, designing, foodscaping, and related topics. They also offer individual consultations and ongoing assistance for designing and installing gardens, safe garden cleanup, organic pest prevention and treatment, plant sitting, and more.
Master Gardener Program and Education/Events
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach in Ames, Iowa
Master Gardener Program:
The Master Gardener program is a 40-hour training held both in-person and online to educate gardeners on how to grow/maintain plants and teach others about plants and gardening. Volunteers receive initial broad-based horticulture training, ongoing support, resources, and education from their county coordinator and state staff. Master Gardeners share their time and expertise as volunteers in community gardens, city beautification projects, and farmers markets, among other activities. Applications for the program start in July 2025.
Iowa Home Gardener Program:
For those who would like to gain personal knowledge without volunteer hours, participants can take the Iowa Home Gardener track, which consists of a 10-week training course.
Check out their website for more information and to apply.
Education
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach also hosts webinars and events throughout the year related to gardening. Each winter and spring, they provide free webinars that can be viewed live each week. Recordings of each webinar are also posted online, including those from past years.
They have numerous reference articles, including plant care, plant recommendations, growing and harvesting, pest management, and household pest control, written by Iowa State University Extension specialists from the Departments of Horticulture and Plant Pathology, Entomology, and Microbiology.
Events
Check out their event page for current offers. They host a variety of events, including garden tours, plant sales, national symposia, and more.
Polk County Master Gardeners
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach in Polk County
The Polk County Master Gardeners provide current, research-based, home horticulture information and education to Iowans through ISU Extension programs and projects.
Gardens
The Polk County Master Gardeners maintain three educational gardens, including the Demonstration Garden in Urbandale, the Discovery Garden at the Iowa State Fairgrounds, and the Enabling Garden in Altoona. They provide education throughout the year.
Children’s Art in the Garden
The Enabling Garden in Altoona, IA, will host its annual Children’s Art in the Garden event from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM on Tuesday, July 22, 2025. The event offers multiple art activity centers for children, live children’s music, and a StoryWalk featuring the book ” Lola Plants a Garden” by Anna McQuinn.
They are currently hosting a Summer Lecture Series from June to August 2025. Register on their website. The location for each lecture varies, and please check the schedule for updates.
- June 19th: Bringing Gardening Home: Urban Conservation & Gardening
- June 24th: Tips and Tricks to Improve Your Garden
- June 25th and July 24th: The Making of a Garden: Past, Present, and Future
- June 26th: Organic and Low-Impact Gardening for Pollinators
- June 28th: Polk County Master Gardener Bus Trip
- July 9th: Wheatgrass: Growing Health from the Ground Up
- July 10th: Open House at the Demonstration Garden
- July 17th: Circle of Life: From Beginning to End of Life for a Tree
- July 24th: Allenden Seed Company Tour
- July 31st: Shade Gardening
- August 7th: The Care and Feeding of Roses
Plant. Grow. Fly
Blank Park Zoo
Online information and program
Blank Park Zoo started a conservation initiative called Plant.Grow.Fly to provide region-specific garden recipes to help you plant the flowers and grasses that our native butterflies and bees need the most. Discover how to design and maintain your garden while incorporating features that support pollinators. Once you plant your garden, you can register it with Plant.Grow.Fly. Send a picture of your garden and be recognized on the website, showcasing your support for Midwestern pollinators. You can even order a special sign to display in your garden.
Reiman Gardens
1407 University Blvd, Ames, IA
(515) 294-2710
One of my favorite places to visit, Reiman Gardens, consists of seventeen acres of breathtaking botanical gardens. It is known for its popular events, “Spirits in the Garden” at Halloween and “Winter Wonderscape” in December. However, it also hosts many fun events, including gardening classes, plant sales, flower shows, yoga classes, camps, crafts, and more throughout the year.
On the third Tuesday of each month, learn all about flower arrangements and take home a beautiful bouquet. If you enjoy growing fresh herbs, learn which make the best teas and how to process them at the Herb Garden Harvest & Tea Ceremony on July 12th, 2025. Check out their events page for current classes.
