Bickelhaupt Arboretum

The Bickelhaupt Arboretum is a nonprofit organization located in Clinton, Iowa, and is recognized as a significant botanical garden in the region. Founded in 1970 by Robert and Frances Bickelhaupt, it was established in response to the devastating impact of Dutch Elm Disease on local trees. The arboretum was generously donated to Eastern Iowa Community Colleges (EICC) in 2014.

History

Robert and Frances Bickelhaupt, inspired by walks through their hometown of Clinton, decided to create an educational arboretum after witnessing the destruction caused by Dutch Elm Disease. Despite having no formal training in horticulture, they learned from their visits to the Morton Arboretum in Chicago and under the guidance of an arborist. The Bickelhaupts transformed their property into a public garden, dedicating their lives to this project.

Collections

The Bickelhaupt Arboretum is renowned for its diverse and extensive collections of trees and plants. Major tree collections include maple (Acer), birch (Betula), hickory (Carya), beech (Fagus), ash (Fraxinus), honeylocust (Gleditsia), magnolia (Magnolia), ornamental crabapple (Malus), oak (Quercus), linden (Tilia), and elm (Ulmus). Other notable species on the grounds are alders (Alnus), pecan (Carya illinoinensis), hackberry (Celtis occidentalis), dogwoods (Cornus), ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba), thornless honeylocust (Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis), Kentucky coffeetree (Gymnocladus dioicus), black tupelo (Nyssa), swamp white oak (Quercus bicolor), willows (Salix), and baldcypress (Taxodium).

Gardens and Features

The arboretum also features a variety of gardens, including a butterfly garden, a country garden, a daylily (Hemerocallis) collection with 54 Stout Medal winners, the Mercy Hospice Herb Garden with over 60 herb specimens, the National Hosta Display Garden featuring more than 200 cultivars, perennials, prairie grasses, a rock garden, and a wildflower garden. The garden conifer collection is especially notable, containing over 600 cultivars from 14 genera, many of which are hardy in USDA Hardiness Zones 4a to 6a.

Community Involvement and Renovation

In recent years, the CCC Paul B. Sharar Foundation has been involved in transforming the Bickelhaupt family home into an educational and events center. A major renovation project, supported by a $4.5 million fundraising campaign in 2023, aims to create a state-of-the-art venue for classes, conferences, and social events. This project is set to enhance the arboretum's role as a community hub.

Accessibility

The Bickelhaupt Arboretum is open to the public daily from dawn to dusk without an admission fee, making it accessible to nature lovers and botany enthusiasts alike. This accessibility aligns with the organization's mission to serve as a connection between people and plants through a well-documented collection of landscape plants.

Legacy

The story of Robert and Frances Bickelhaupt's dedication to creating the arboretum is documented in Francie Hill's book, "A Private Couple Creates a Public Garden", which chronicles the challenges and successes of their environmental project.