Trial Program Field Day
YOU ARE INVITED! Join the Iowa Arboretum & Gardens Trial Program for their third annual Field Day! Including a special program by David McKinney, Adapting Gardens for a Changing Climate (starting at 12:45 pm). PLEASE RSVP HERE by July 20, 2026.
Participate in evaluating perennials and shrubs in the trial garden. Walk the garden to check out soon to be available varieties and let us know your favorites! Evaluation
Details: By participating in the Public Evaluation Day, you and up to one adult guest and two children get free admission to the West Side of the Iowa Arboretum & Gardens. Entry into Treehouse Village and the East Side of the grounds will require admission or membership to the Iowa Arboretum & Gardens. *Golf cart service is available for persons needing assistance.
Adapting Gardens for a Changing Climate: Building Biodiversity Through Plant Diversity – David McKinney, Curator of Collections and Grounds, Iowa Arboretum & Gardens
Over the past century, our cities and suburbs and rural areas have been transformed, leaving few landscapes that resemble their original habitats. True ecological restoration is often out of reach—and climate change is making it even harder. As native plants bloom earlier or for shorter periods, critical gaps in nectar and habitat threaten the pollinators and wildlife that depend on them.
Yet there is hope. Join us for an engaging lecture on how diverse plant selections can build stronger, more resilient urban ecosystems. Drawing on 30 years of phenological data and more, we’ll explore how climate change affects native plants’ ability to support pollinators and identify additional criteria—beyond native vs non-native—for evaluating a plant’s ecological value. We’ll review climate-adaptive midwestern native species and explore how expanding native ranges, along with thoughtfully adding select non-natives, can fill ecological gaps and enhance biodiversity in urban environments.
The talk will also address emerging pest threats, highlighting why plant diversity is essential to the health of our urban and suburban landscapes. You’ll gain practical strategies on adapting to shifting plant ranges, choosing species with real ecological benefits, and creating gardens that sustain pollinators and wildlife in a changing climate.
Background: Due to the unique climate in Central Iowa, the Iowa Arboretum & Gardens established an ornamental trial garden for the categories of herbaceous perennials and shrubs in the Spring of 2023. This public-facing trial garden provides beauty, education, and outreach to the people of Iowa in a form viewable to the public, allowing for year-round visibility and observation of these plants. The Public Evaluation Day helps us in several ways. First, we get to hear from you, the consumer, about what plants you want in your garden. Second, we expose the Central Iowa public to the breadth of plants that are available to you while testing their long-term performance. Help us help you garden better!
Learn more about the program: https://iowaarboretum.org/