A monarch butterfly alights on a lantana flower in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The Monarch Research Station in Marion is among sites to be featured during the 2024 Linn County Master Gardeners Garden Walk. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — The Linn County Master Gardeners Garden Walk, which allows visitors this year to explore private gardens and a monarch butterfly site, is set for 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, July 20, 2024.

Tickets must be purchased online and are $10 each, with ages 17 and under admitted for free.

Related: See photos from the Winter Gardening Fair

Read more from the Linn County Master Gardeners:

Prepare to be inspired! The Linn County Master Gardener Garden Walk is a unique opportunity to tour private and non-profit gardens. Explore diverse landscapes, from vibrant pollinator gardens and monarch releases, to styled storm-water rain gardens, to bountiful homestead vegetable and fruit garden plantings, to cottage-style gardening in a small space. All gardens featured are in southeast Cedar Rapids, all within 10 minutes of each other and are usually not open to the public.

This public event is family friendly, featuring many educational opportunities and activities throughout the gardens. Linn County Master Gardeners and homeowners are there to welcome you into the garden, answer your questions, offer insights into creating the garden of your dreams, and guide you through the gardens. This year the garden hosts have educational materials, giveaways and door prizes are offered while supplies last. Vendors and food/coffee trucks are featured at the Monarch Research Station gardens (this local non-profit is not usually open to the public!) Don’t miss the butterfly releases at 10:30am and 1:30pm!

Take this opportunity to slow down, enjoy nature, take garden strolls, and meet the garden hosts and Master Gardener volunteers who are ready to inspire all who visit their gardens.

We look forward to seeing you on July 20th, 2024, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm, Check in at any of the gardens to get your wristband. You can visit the gardens in any order! Learn more about the gardens here.

— Pruden residence, 4396 Pioneer Trail SE, Cedar Rapids

— Littler residence, 2020 Washington Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids

— Pohl residence, 1536 Forest Grove Rd, Cedar Rapids

— Monarch Research Station, 4970 Lakeside Rd, Marion

Monarch Research Station is a non-profit organization headquartered in Marion, Iowa. The Monarch Research site bodes vibrant, thriving native pollinator habitat to support reestablishment of the Monarch butterfly population. In addition, the program has invested in the establishment of native trees and shrubs now shared throughout Cedar Rapids to assist in recovering from the Derecho. The site features a Native Pollinator Arboretum, numerous pollinator gardens, monarch growing tents, native tree area, and a monarch research lab. The Monarch Research Stations partners with private and public entities and landowners to create living landscapes to stop the downward decline of insect populations: bees, butterflies, pollinators! Be sure to stop by and learn about native pollinator plants and prairie and native trees and shrubs. Don’t miss the planned Monarch releases at 10:30 am and 1:30 pm.

This site also features vendors, coffee & smoothie truck and food truck!

Vendors include:

Country Vibe Designs
BioMarkers
Atlas
Station 7
ReadwithRuth

Tickets are $10 each for ages 18 and older. Children 17 and under are free admission. Tickets must be purchased online. If the event is cancelled due to inclement weather, the fee is non-refundable, and will be considered a donation to support the Master Gardener education and outreach programs.

The Linn County Master Gardener program is an educational and volunteer service organization of the Iowa State University (ISU) College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and ISU Extension and Outreach. The Linn County Master Gardeners support a diverse variety of education and community outreach programs. Funds received through Linn County Masters Gardeners public events support a wide variety of community outreach programs including library talks, seed exchange centers, community outreach gardens, annual plant sale, provides volunteer support to Noelridge Gardens, Lowe Greenhouse and Gardens, and many community garden areas.

See photos of more Great Iowa Gardens here!