Greetings Community Gardeners

 Thanks so much to all of you and your organizations that have had a tremendous impact on beautifying our capitol city this past summer.  Des Moines would look much different if it wasn’t for your volunteer efforts.  The Park and Recreation Department is proud to support your grassroots greening to enhance our community.  Your labor was joined by over 70 other community-based organizations including neighborhood associations, schools, community centers that planted nearly 100,000 annuals on public property!

 Big changes this year in ordering your flowers!  Some of you have just begun to remove last summer’s flowers and now we are requesting that you submit your requests for the 2009 season.  It is our hope that through more advanced planning that we can order and plant to your exact needs rather than predicted needs.  Having your orders months in advance will help us purchase and plant to your specifications rather than base the orders on last year’s ratios.  This year’s order is due back on December 10^th and of course earlier would be better.

Volunteer Recognition

An additional change in our process this year is to improve our recognition and appreciation of your volunteer time.   We have recently hired a new Volunteer Coordinator for the Parks Department.  Callie Le'au Courtright will be working with you to better account for your time and efforts as volunteers serving our community.  She will be following up with you in the spring to develop a method to track your time as well as facilitate the completion of the City’s Volunteer Liability Waiver.  We will be asking each one of your gardeners to sign it.  If you want to get a head start, you can download copies from our website:  Print our Waiver

Flower-beds on City of Des Moines Property

All new and existing flower beds on city property such as medians, park land, libraries, vacant lots and street corners must be approved by the zone supervisor in your area of town.  Please contact the field supervisor for your area of town (numbers listed below) to regain authorization for your flower bed.  Our Parks staff is there to assist you in designing your garden beds and may be able to assist with bed preparation for larger plots.  Any flower bed planted on land not owned or maintained by the City of Des Moines such as schools or community centers need not contact park staff.

Assistance with Site Preparation:  Compost, manure and woodchip delivery

Park staff can haul compost, “aged” manure and woodchips by the truck load to be dumped in larger community garden spaces.  Staff will only haul these resources this fall so anticipate your needs for the spring..  The time to build your soil up, make new beds, mulch perennials, or make paths is during the fall.  Then all you have to do next spring is plant!   Order woodchips if  you plan on mulching around some trees or in a perennial bed or if you are establishing new paths through your garden.  Order compost if you want to make your soil more workable. Don't order it if you have applied compost for the last 2-3 years.  Horse manure can be used to add some nutrients back to soil.  Park staff deliver in 1 ton dump trucks.  Make sure the site you choose is accessible for a large truck.  Click here to email me your requests:  REQUEST .  Orders are due by October 31^st and deliveries will be made sometime in November.   

Flower Order Form

Attached is the order form for the flowering annuals. Please submit only one form for all flower needs in your neighborhood by consolidating all individual and organizational requests. The forms are due back to Teva Dawson at the Parks Department by December 10th and pick up for the flowers is Friday, May 15^th and Saturday, May 16^th from 8:00 – 1:00 at the City’s greenhouses located 2501 Maury.  Mailing address and fax information below.

Other Non-profit Groups in your Neighborhood

Your neighborhood association may also be receiving phone calls from organizations in your area such as schools, shelters or other community centers requesting flowers.  Please help to coordinate all flower needs in your area. Any nonprofit group serving the greater community is eligible to receive the annuals.  

Your Responsibility

Please remember our supply of flowers is limited so please calculate the exact number of flowers needed.  The association is responsible for making sure flower beds are maintained all summer which includes watering and fall clean up.  Parks staff will monitor the beds and any weedy beds will jeopardize the association’s eligibility to receive flowers the following year. 

Volunteer in the Greenhouse

Come January we will be again soliciting help from your neighborhood association to assist in growing those beautiful annuals.  In order for them to be ready in May, we need lots of hands to help transplant in the greenhouses starting late February and ending in early May.  The amount of flowers the Parks Department can grow is very dependent on the number of volunteers in the greenhouse. 

Please contact me with any questions.  Thank you for your flexibility in moving up your flower order deadline. 

Julie Stundins

Des Moines Park and Recreation

2501 SE Maury

Des Moines, IA  50317

515/248-6384 office

515/208-9531 cell

515/263-8746 fax

West Zone

West city limit to 25th

North city limit to Park Avenue

Scott Wallace,  248-6324

North Zone

24^th  to East 14^th. 

North city limit to the river

Mike Gaul, 265-2277

East Zone

East 14^th to east city limit

North city limit to the river

Russ Darr, 265-4464

South Zone

West of Fleur, south of Park Ave.

East of Fleur, south of the river

Larry Burt, 285-4301