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 TROPICAL SUN GARDEN Colorful gardens in all
seasons! Our signature garden, the tropical Sun Garden, is one of the world's
most unique conservatories. The 6,444 square foot Sun Garden features islands
of gardens, a beautiful 14-foot waterfall, reflecting pools with Japanese Koi
fish and a 70-foot skylight peak with ferns, palms, bromeliads, orchids,
frangipani, bird of paradise, banana plants and hundreds of other exotic
tropical wonders!
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 CONIFER & PERENNIAL
GARDEN The Scott County Regional Authority
Conifer Garden was established in June 2001. It features over 40 one-of-a-kind conifers from the collection of Justin C. Harper,
an internationally recognized conifer expert. The garden creates year-round visual intrigue and surrounds the Center's Sun
Garden conservatory. Guests are immersed in mature, specimen plantings chosen for their unique shapes and textures. Complementary
planting of bulbs and perennials add seasonal interest and color. Among the donated conifers are rare cultivars like a six
foot Ginkgo biloba 'Todd's Broom', a five foot Taxus cuspidate 'Fastigiate Aurea', and a nine foot Thuja standishii. Visitors are immersed in subtle textures that are unique to this botanical
genre. Weeping spires and columnar forms combine with prostrate and cascading forms to create fanciful images. Virtually all
leaf colors, shapes and textures are represented. The conifer collection is of great importance to this Midwest botanical garden for its year-round beauty and effect in landscape. Mr. Harper believes conifers have no equal when it comes to providing a growing sight and sound barrier. "Their unique forms and colors and textures allows one to form a landscape painting using nature and living plants as your paint brush." said Mr. Harper. His "conifer painting" at the Quad City Botanical Center is an exciting mix of the many different forms and colors of conifers. |
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 PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED
GARDEN The
new and colorful Physically Challenged Garden was established in July 2003. It features specially-designed planting beds at
varying heights so that gardeners with physical limitations can work in the gardens utilizing special tools. The garden is
planted and maintained by community members with physical challenges. It is located at the entrance for easy accecibility
and features colorful annuals, a gazebo and water fountain. Funding for the garden was provided by the Scott County Regional
Authority with contributions by Trinity Medical Center and in-kind donations by Cardinal Ready Mix, Russell Construction,
Quad City Homebuilders Association and Suburban Landscape.
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