Shoe-Bee-Dew! A Whimsical Garden Walk in Noelridge Park

The Cedar Rapids Parks and Recreation Department and the Friends of Noelridge invite the public to take a whimsical garden walk, “Shoe-Bee-Dew!” in Noelridge Park on August 8, 2023, from 5 to 8 p.m. All-America Selections (AAS) plants will be creatively displayed in shoes, along with fun bee motifs and advice. Several pairs of shoes from local celebrities will also be featured in the garden, but only those who attend will find out whose they are! Volunteers will be on-hand to answer question about the new, award-winning varieties of plants. There is no charge for admission to this event for all ages sponsored by GreatAmerica Financial Services Corp., Blooms Garden Center, Theisens Cedar Rapids, Fleet Farm, Bass Farms, and Natural Whimsey.

Visitors will also be able to view the Herb Garden, Hosta Garden, and Monarch Tent, and learn which plants attract the most native pollinators. Children are invited to bring a pair of shoes to plant and leave with the ‘caterpillar’ at the Children’s Garden. The gardens will be displayed continuously through late September. Park hours are 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

Noelridge Greenhouse staff and volunteers have entered the All-America Selections’ (AAS) 2023 Landscape Design Challenge and the garden walk is the community involvement judging component. All-America Selections is an independent non-profit organization that tests new, never-before-sold varieties for the home gardener. After a full season of anonymous trialing by volunteer horticulture professionals, only the top garden performers are given the AAS Winner award designation for their superior performance.