For those looking for a little outdoor inspiration as the weather warms, four local residents, as well as the Dubuque Arboretum & Botanical Gardens, will open their spaces to the public.
Dubuque County Master Gardeners will once again present its Tour of Gardens. Marking its 25th year, the event will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with special hours at the arboretum from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Saturday, June 20.
The five gardens highlighted will include the arboretum rock garden, Stonefall Vale, a country garden hideaway, a garden featuring a little of everything and ReEvolution Farms, where a mini educational workshop also will take place.
Tickets are $10, with $8 early bird admission until Sunday, June 14. Tickets are available at the Iowa State University Extension office; or from 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday, May 31, and 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday, June 14, at the arboretum.
Each ticket will include a free entry drawing for a private,
three-hour, you-pick flower experience and floral design workshop for up to six guests at Wild Bull Flower Farm. It will feature a stroll through the flower fields to select blooms, a guided design class, complimentary beverages and light refreshments. All vases and tools will be provided.
For more information, call 563-583-6496 or visit DBQTourOfGardens.com.
Here are the five gardens that will be featured on this year’s tour:
Dubuque Arboretum & Botanical Gardens, 3800 Arboretum Drive
Arboretum Rock Garden
A rock garden is a landscaped area with rocks, stones, gravel and plants that thrive in this hardy environment. Rock gardens can be low-maintenance and are a good alternative to lawns, especially in climates where water is limited.
Europeans were the first to develop rock gardening to mimic the Alps and other European mountains. The Burbach & Grundmeier Rock Garden was dedicated in the fall of 2025.
Robert Bader, 1887 Carter Road
Stonefall Vale
This walkable garden blends craftsmanship and nature, with meandering paths passing through ornamentals, native habitats and edible plantings. It includes hand-built stone and wood features, anchored by iron-rich boulders from historic mines that create a sense of permanence and story. A cascading stream and waterfalls bring movement and sound, while pollinators and birds thrive among diverse plantings supported by thoughtful microclimates. Both beautiful and productive, the garden provides food for the household and supports the land through composting and regenerative care.
The homeowner, Bader, will have a question-and-answer workshop about gardens and landscaping.
Country Garden Hideaway
The garden sits on a 1.33-acre lot in the middle of the city. The front yard features a pergola and flower gardens, while the south side is bordered by a limestone water channel, with large cut limestone blocks. Following the sidewalk around the house, visitors will see a hosta garden shaded by a magnolia tree and a ground-level deck with a terraced garden. Wooden steps lead to a rain garden filled with shrubs and perennials.
During the past two years, we have planted new trees to replace those lost to Dutch elm disease and emerald ash borer. For the “sure-footed” and adventurous, a marked path leads to a Hidden Cabin in a rock quarry, surrounded by walnut trees.
To get there, head toward St. Anne Drive and turn right on Hillcrest Road, then turn right on Asbury Road, then left onto Clarke Drive. Turn right onto North Grandview Avenue and take a slight left to stay on Grandview, then turn left on Rosedale Avenue and right onto Glen Oak Street.
Mike & Sue Toedt, 9534 Military Road
A Bit of Everything Gardens
As visitors arrive at the home, they are greeted by colorful annual baskets lining the drive, along with flower boxes and flowering shrubs on the front of the house. Following the sidewalk to the backyard, Roman statuary and annual planters decorate the patio, with colorful deck rail planters mounted above. From the patio, there is a beautiful view of the pond and vineyard below. Stone steps lead down to gardens on each side planted with many perennial varieties, ending at a pathway of ornamental grasses that slopes down to the pond and vineyard.
The annuals, perennials, grasses and many of the shrubs have been grown in the owners’ greenhouse from cuttings throughout the years.
Garden Tool Sharpening
The Bevel Co. will be on-site and available to sharpen your small, hand-held garden tools while you stroll this garden from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The cost is $5 per tool, with a limit of two per person.
Sean & Korrin Shriver, 2944 Davenport St.
ReEvolution Farms
ReEvolution Farms is an educational farm that aims to bring locally produced food to the community, while serving as a model for sustainable, urban agriculture. It grows traditional soil crops, as well as, hydroponic greens and microgreens year-round at its indoor facility on Central Avenue. Produce is provided to local restaurants, Farmers Market and CSA members.
ReEvolution Farm is chemical- and
pesticide-free and incorporates on-site composting from its chicken and duck flocks, as well as goats to generate fertilizer.
The organization has committed to not only caring for its soil, but also its community and farm ecosystem through its native prairie additions, along with its educational opportunities.
Workshop: Companion Planting, with Korrin Shriver
11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
