Better Homes and Gardens Test Garden — Attraction in Des Moines

It's not very big like the botanical gardens but they have a huge variety and knowledgeable guides. I enjoyed this more than bigger gardens because of the guides. Meter parking (2 quarters) is right outside the gate on the north. Beautiful sculpture Park is next door. Food and bathrooms, however, were not handy. I think most people would take 45 minutes to an hour to get to the entire garden. They're currently only open from 10:00 to 2:00 on Fridays but it is free. I highly recommend it if you are looking to add some plantings to your yard and need information or ideas. Many of the plants are labeled and it has 22 different dedicated sections such a...

Beautiful garden!! We were on vacation and didn’t know this was nearby—great surprise! The fountain, multiple paths, shaded seating area, and multitude/variety of plants were all great. The people working were very friendly and answered all our questions. They said there were probably 2,500-3,000 plants total inside, and every year the take out some and put in some. All kinds from all over are present. • We just happened to be available during the only open hours (Friday 12p-2p), which made it a special treat. We did peer through the “windows” earlier in the week, but it was definitely worth it to go back and see it from the inside. The kids...

It was a bit difficult to find at first since our GPS took us to the main building across the street. Thankfully, we read a review here that advised this and we found it right away. A lovely oasis in the cities center and so many gorgeous new blooms! Definitely a must stop if you are in the area! Staff was friendly and...