Nestled in the heart of Clear Lake, Iowa, Central Gardens of North Iowa is North Iowa’s largest public garden. Central Gardens of North Iowa sits on 2.75 acres of land that was the former site of Central Intermediate School. Central Gardens of North Iowa (Central Gardens) is a 501(c)(3) non–profit corporation created in response to the need for green space in the region.  Since opening its gates in 2005, Central Gardens has become a premiere outdoor educational, recreational, cultural, and social space not only for north Iowans, but for many other visitors as well, dedicated to making this public garden truly public.

There is no charge, although we always welcome donations!  (There are donation boxes at both the south visitor entrance and in the Bee Happy Discovery Garden.).  We are proud to be the only free, public garden space of its kind within a 90-mile radius.

We are located close to downtown Clear Lake, kitty corner from the Clear Lake Fire Department, on the corner of N. 8^th Street and 2^nd Ave. North.

We are open from May 1 through November 1, sunrise to sunset.

Yes. There is no password needed.

Yes, public restrooms are located in the northeast corner of the Mother Earth’s Workshop building. View our Garden Map.

You can find a list of upcoming events on our calendar. Events are also listed in our newsletter (subscribe here), on Facebook, and in major media outlets serving north Iowa residents.

Gardening engages kids by supplying a dynamic environment to observe, discover, experiment, nurture and learn. We aspire to help grow healthy kids from the ground up; growing fully not quickly. Gardens are really living laboratories where learning occurs from real life experiences and is fueled by a child’s natural curiosity and enthusiasm, resulting in an environment that encourages participation and responsibility. Our Growing Green Gardeners program is divided into Garden Explorers, aimed at kids from 0-12 and Team Harvest-Unite-Grow-Share(HUGS) for Middle school/High school  youth.  All youth programs are offered free of charge. We hope you will come grow with us!

Check out our upcoming events and calendar for details of special events.

Yes, we do!  Our dedicated volunteers will welcome groups and give them a personalized tour.

Fresh on Fridays is one of our most popular programming events.  Every Friday from 9 am-11 am, beginning in June, volunteers will pick fresh flowers for you and arrange them into a bouquet which is available for purchase. Informative lectures and fun programming for children also occur, and there are coffee, tea, and goodies available.   Come catch up with your friends and enjoy the beauty of the Gardens!

Absolutely!  There are so many beautiful vantage points for staging, most stunning of which is our Moon Gate Arch. If you’re a professional photographer and are bringing clients to the grounds,  we ask that you become a member of the Gardens. View our Garden Policies.

By all means!  We love having people meet at the Gardens for coffee, picnics, and other informal gatherings.  We do not offer food for purchase, although at Fresh on Friday events we do have coffee, tea, and iced beverages available for which we welcome donations.  We have receptacles throughout the garden in which to dispose of picnic waste materials.

Yes, there are sloped walkways throughout the Gardens and pavers leading to the public restrooms.  Both floors of the Nature Education Pavilion are also accessible to people with limited mobility issues.

Not right now, but we’re hoping to have that in the future.  Maps are available at the Gazebo at our main south entrance.  Most visitors enjoy just strolling through the grounds, letting their interests and instincts guide them.