Open Gardens Weekend 2025 will be held on June 28 & 29. The annual garden showcase will be held a few weeks earlier to feature plants that bloom at that time, according to Project GREEN Co-Presidents Cindy Parsons and Diane Allen.

The annual tour, the sixth OGW for Project GREEN, features more than 20 residential gardens. The event is free of charge because local business sponsors support the event and provide garden maps to the public.

This year, this prized and anticipated garden event will feature 20-plus residential gardens in Iowa City and Coralville.

The public can pick up maps with the addresses of open gardens at sponsors’ business locations starting the week before the event, and also during event hours at the Project GREEN Gardens at Ashton House, 820 Park Rd in Iowa City. Check the Project GREEN website for a complete listing of local sponsor businesses.

Last year, visitors picked up nearly 1,500 copies of the garden maps, indicating a growing interest and demonstrating the activity’s advertising reach. Visitors’ enthusiastic comments about gardens and the ability to visit for free were frequently expressed to garden owners.

Master Gardener emeritus Diane Allen said, “Area gardeners have such interesting gardens because they put a lot of thought into creating their spaces. We love the generous gardeners who are willing to share their gardens more than once and refer to them as ‘Encore Gardens’ on garden maps.”

Enhancing neighborhoods and boosting property values are positive outcomes of the event. Named a UNESCO City of Literature, Iowa City is well-known for arts, education, and sports. Gardening certainly qualifies as beauty and art, and the OGW fits in with the area’s other exceptional cultural events.  

Visiting gardens on the tour encourages and inspires gardeners, and motivates non-gardeners to try gardening — a healthy exercise for people of all ages. Viewing gardens and spending time in nature has been shown to lower blood pressure and speed healing. Gardeners are health-conscious, and they appreciate businesses that support community health in such an enjoyable way.

Out-of-town visitors see the best our area has to offer: lush, private garden spaces, attractive, well-groomed neighborhoods, and friendly gardeners—the best promotion that a tourism board could hope for. Hosting the activity on two days allows visitors to visit more garden spaces. After each day’s tour, visitors relax and sample delicious cuisine found in area restaurants.

OGW 2025 will be held Saturday, June 28, from 4 to 8 p.m., and Sunday, June 29, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and the event is free to the public. The gardens may be viewed when the sign stating “The Garden is Open” is displayed on the property.

Cindy Parsons and Diane Allen, both JCMG 2007 alums, are Project GREEN co-presidents.