Inside the Better Homes & Gardens Test Garden

Located next to Meredith Corporation headquarters (parent company of Better Homes & Gardens), the Test Garden serves as a display garden, plant testing ground, and photography studio for publications and websites.

Public Hours: Fridays, noon–2 p.m., May through September. Large groups may schedule tours.

Contact: Test Garden Manager, Better Homes and Gardens, 1716 Locust Street, Des Moines, IA 50309. Phone: 515-284-3994.

Seasonal Time-Lapse Videos

Three time-lapse videos captured the garden from April 1 using a PlantCam camera (Wingscapes) taking ~12 shots daily, stitched at ~1 day per second. An affordable "set and forget" unit (check batteries occasionally). Simple software like iMovie converts to video; PlantCam also downloads directly to video format.

Lessons Learned

1. Photo quality is better with sun behind the camera. Early morning light isn't best if camera faces east!
2. Avoid large shadows. All shade > all sun > sharp shadow lines for image quality.

Prairie Garden

Perennial-filled with little hardscaping. Early season sparse with soil showing (typical for perennial-only borders). Plants — Baptisia, goldenrod, large perennials — grow fast, filling in quickly. Peaks late summer with goldenrod bloom; lots of growth, less color initially.

Shade Garden

Strong in spring (typical woodland garden). Before canopy closes, woodland bloomers (bleeding heart, Brunnera) flower then fade as foliage plants (hostas, heucheras) expand to cover ground. Challenges with sun/shade lines — best to shoot only when fully shaded.

Path Garden

Flagstone path loops through a border with perennials for spring-through-fall color. Bulbs emerge first, then perennials. Early clip shows bulbs and purple-leaved Penstemon 'Husker Red'. Later: tall grasses and summer bloomers.