Where Des Moines secrets bloom

Behind the calm that surrounds Greenwood-Ashworth Park are decades of history, anecdotes and little details that have made it one of the most special - and least known - places in Iowa.

From a former farmland to a dream garden

In the 1920s, the city of Des Moines acquired this land as part of a plan to expand its green space. What we know today as Greenwood Park was once a wild forest that served as a passageway for traders and Native Americans. It was in 1930 when, with the help of the Works Progress Administration (WPA), the Rose Garden was created as part of a national program to beautify cities and generate jobs during the Great Depression.

The idea was simple but poetic: to create a space where any citizen, rich or poor, could walk among beautiful flowers, even if the world around them was in crisis.

A garden that blooms without asking for anything in return

Since then, the garden has been cared for almost like a temple. No entrances, no ticket offices, no big tourist signs. Just flowers, stone paths, wrought iron benches and pergolas covered with climbing plants. The most curious thing is that there is no artificial irrigation: the roses live only with rainwater. That makes it one of the few public rose gardens in the country with this philosophy.

Today it is home to more than 1,500 rose bushes, of more than 100 different varieties, including hybrid tea roses, floribundas, grandifloras and old species that are rarely seen in other parks. Their perfume is a symphony floating in the air during spring and summer.

A living ecosystem in the heart of Des Moines

But Greenwood-Ashworth is not just flowers. The park acts as a natural refuge within the city. Ancient oaks, maples, wild cherry and poplar trees shade trails that cross gently rolling hills. In the wooded area, it's common to see squirrels, rabbits, raccoons and even deer if you visit early in the morning.

The pond attracts blue herons, ducks, geese and turtles that sunbathe on the banks. In spring, the gardens vibrate with the buzzing of bees and monarch butterflies, which use the park as a stopover on their migration. It is a perfect place to practice birdwatching without leaving the city.

Secrets among the trails

Some say that if you walk along the trails at sunset, you can hear music: not because there are concerts, but because the trees, the water, and the rustling of the leaves create a kind of natural harmony. The locals call it "the symphony of silence".

Near the pond, there is a sculpture hidden among the bushes, with no visible name or author. According to urban legend, it was placed there by an anonymous sculptor in the 1970s who swore eternal love to his partner. Some believe that the figure changes slightly over time, as if it ages with those who visit it.

Inspiration for artists and secret weddings

Many local writers, poets and painters have used this park as a creative retreat. The novel "The Summer Letters" (1974) by Iowan author Clara H. Darnell is said to be inspired by actual walks in Greenwood Park, where the protagonists fall in love among the roses. Today it remains a sought-after venue for intimate weddings with no frills, but real magic.