Annual Gardens
THIS YEAR'S GARDEN THEME: Pollinator Paradise!
Our 2025 garden theme, Pollinator Paradise, celebrates the vital role of pollinators in our ecosystem.
Dedicated Arboretum volunteers have been working to bring the theme to life throughout the annual beds.
Guests are encouraged to think beyond just bees and butterflies: pollinators also include hummingbirds, moths, bats, wasps, birds, beetles, and more. Many of these important species are endangered and need our support.
The garden beds focus on different pollinators and their habitat needs, like shelter, water, host and nectar plants.
What can you do?
When planning your garden, choose native, pollinator-friendly plants that help create a healthy habitat for all types of pollinators.
- The plants provide pollen and nectar to bees, butterflies, flies, beetles, wasps, and moths.
- Some plants provide additional resources as caterpillar host plants or nesting sites and nesting materials for above-ground nesting bees.
- Many support specialist bees that require pollen from specific plants to survive and supplement beneficial insects.
- Every native plant you grow makes a difference!
- One way to add pollinator-friendly plants is by adding a Pollinator Pocket to your garden.
- Grow a variety of pollinator-friendly flowers to provide nectar and pollen.
- Avoid using pesticides, especially insecticides, because they are harmful to pollinators.
Four principles to bring back the pollinators:
- Grow pollinator-friendly flowers.
- Protect nest sites and host plants.
- Avoid using pesticides.
- Spread the word!
Resources:
2025 Annual Gardens Gallery
Click any image for a full lightbox view.
For a show of pure color, few plants can measure up to the contribution of annuals in a garden. Annual plants:
- grow from seed,
- flower,
- produce new seeds, and
- die during a single growing season.
Greenhouse Activities. Volunteers can be found in January in the greenhouse — packets of seed in hand! — ready to start the germination process. During the early months of each calendar year, annuals gradually fill two greenhouses as volunteers upgrade seedlings into pots ready to be planted in mid-May.
Our AAS Display Garden. Every year the Dubuque Arboretum & Botanical Gardens looks forward to receiving sample flower seeds or plugs that have been named All-America Selections based on their garden performance in tests conducted throughout the United States.
AAS Ornamental and Vegetable Winners on Display at DABG:
2025 Winners:
- Petunia Dekko™ Maxx™ Pink
- Petunia Shake™ Raspberry F1
- Dianthus Interspecific Capitán™ Magnifica
