Purdue Extension - Marion County Demonstration Garden

Purdue Extension - Marion County Demonstration Garden This garden displays award-winning All-America Selections (AAS) plants & demonstrates how to garden.

This page is about what happens in the Purdue Extension-Marion County Demonstration Garden in Indianapolis, IN. The garden demonstrates how to grow food and ornamental plants. Gardeners can see and learn about plants adapted to Indiana and how to care for them. Gardeners can see award-winning All-America Selections flowers and vegetables as well as vegetable gardening techniques such as raised bed

s. Many garden visitors have commented that the garden gives them a lot of great ideas. A new demonstration garden was created on the Indiana State Fairgrounds in 2012 by Purdue Extension-Marion County staff and Master Gardener volunteers. The demonstration garden primarily features annual flowers and vegetables. In 2013 the Purdue Extension-Marion County Demonstration Garden became an official All-America Selections (AAS) Flower and Vegetable Display Garden. It is the only AAS Display Garden in Indianapolis and one of only a half-dozen in Indiana. An AAS Display Garden provides the public an opportunity to view the newest AAS winners in an attractive well-maintained setting. The demonstration garden is located 350 feet east of Discovery Hall where the Purdue Extension-Marion County office is located. This is in the northwest corner of the Indiana State Fairgrounds, 1202 E. 38th St., Indianapolis, IN 46205. There is no charge to view the garden or for parking for garden entrance (except during the State Fair when normal fees apply). For directions or more information on the garden, call Steve Mayer at 317-275-9290, or e-mail: [email protected].

The total harvest from the Demonstration Garden for the food pantry is now 1,581 pounds, as of September 8. Here is one ...
09/10/2026

The total harvest from the Demonstration Garden for the food pantry is now 1,581 pounds, as of September 8. Here is one crop we have been harvesting. Can you recognize it? The newly developing pods are from Candle Fire Okra, a 2017 AAS Winner that is both edible and ornamental:
https://all-americaselections.org/product/okra-candle-fire/

Enjoy a Slice of “The Sweet Life” with these All-America Selections (AAS) Winners. Our 15-foot diameter circular bed con...
09/09/2026

Enjoy a Slice of “The Sweet Life” with these All-America Selections (AAS) Winners. Our 15-foot diameter circular bed contained all of the following AAS Winners:
INNER CIRCLE
-Sweet Corn American Dream (2018 AAS Winner)
https://all-americaselections.org/product/corn-sweet-american-dream/
OUTER CIRCLE
-Strawberry Delizz (2016 AAS Winner)
https://all-americaselections.org/product/strawberry-delizz/
MIDDLE CIRCLE
-Watermelon Cal Sweet Bush (2019 AAS Winner)
https://all-americaselections.org/product/watermelon-cal-sweet-bush/
-Tomato Sugary (2005 AAS Winner)
https://all-americaselections.org/product/tomato-sugary/
-Tomato Valentine (2018 AAS Winner)
https://all-americaselections.org/product/tomato-valentine/
-Sweet Peppers: Just Sweet (2019), Sweetie Pie (2017), Pretty N Sweet (2015), Sweet Sunset (2015), and Sweet Banana (1941)
https://all-americaselections.org/aas-winning-sweet-peppers/

Enjoy a Slice of “The Sweet Life” with these AAS Winners. That’s the sign in one of our garden beds for The Goodness of ...
09/09/2026

Enjoy a Slice of “The Sweet Life” with these AAS Winners. That’s the sign in one of our garden beds for The Goodness of Gardening theme this year. Part of living the sweet life is about finding joy in the small moments, like enjoying the taste of homegrown fruits and vegetables. You might also call this the “good” life.

We designed a 15-foot diameter circle using only All-America Selections (AAS) Winners. We selected AAS edibles based on their sweetness of taste and/or whether their name related to “sweetness.” In the center of the bed was a small circle of supersweet-type American Dream sweet corn. At the outer edge of the circle along the circular pathway was Delizz strawberry. In between the two were 8 sections or “slices” of the circle composed of one watermelon, two tomatoes, and five sweet peppers.

A sign at each entryway to the circular bed stated: Enjoy a Slice of “The Sweet Life” with these AAS Winners. The sign also listed the specific names of each Winner.
INNER CIRCLE
-Sweet Corn: American Dream
OUTER CIRCLE
-Strawberry: Delizz
MIDDLE CIRCLE
-Watermelon: Cal Sweet Bush
-Tomatoes: Sugary & Valentine
-Sweet Peppers: Just Sweet, Sweetie Pie, Sweet Sunset, Pretty N Sweet, & Sweet Banana
More information on all of these AAS Winners is at:
https://all-americaselections.org/winners/

At the Purdue Extension Demonstration Garden, we are practicing succession planting. This involves planting one crop aft...
09/07/2026

At the Purdue Extension Demonstration Garden, we are practicing succession planting. This involves planting one crop after another crop is harvested in order to maximize production for that same space. The photos show All-America Selections (AAS) Winner Carrot Purple Haze growing after AAS Winner Radish Sweet Baby was harvested. From just 15 square feet, we harvested over 13 pounds of radishes before we seeded the carrots.
Radish Sweet Baby (2016 AAS Winner)
https://all-americaselections.org/product/radish-sweet-baby/
Carrot Purple Haze (2006 AAS Winner)
https://all-americaselections.org/product/carrot-purple-haze-f1/

We had a big harvest day in the Purdue Extension Demonstration Garden. The total harvest from the Demonstration Garden f...
09/04/2026

We had a big harvest day in the Purdue Extension Demonstration Garden. The total harvest from the Demonstration Garden for the food pantry is now 1,419 pounds, as of September 3. Here is part of the harvest: 2022 All-America Selections (AAS) Winner Eggplant Icicle. It is vigorous and productive.
https://all-americaselections.org/product/eggplant-icicle/

Part of “The Goodness of Gardening” is EDUCATIONAL. Gardening provides hands-on, experiential learning that brings abstr...
09/03/2026

Part of “The Goodness of Gardening” is EDUCATIONAL. Gardening provides hands-on, experiential learning that brings abstract academic concepts to life and builds essential life skills. Purdue Extension Marion County established a Children’s Garden on the Indiana State Fairgrounds in 2025. It is located next to the Purdue Extension Marion County Demonstration Garden.

You can learn more about Garden-Based Learning from the information below:
Benefits of Gardening for Children
https://bpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/blogs.cornell.edu/dist/c/10116/files/Gardening_factsheet_2011-27ffnsw.pdf
Educational benefits of school gardening for students
https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/educational_benefits_of_school_gardening_for_students
Cornell Garden-Based Learning (Learn, garden and reflect)
https://gardening.cals.cornell.edu/
Sowing the Seeds of Success Program Planning Guide
https://bpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/blogs.cornell.edu/dist/c/10116/files/Sowing-the-Seeds-of-Success-Full-PDF-1l4x673.pdf

Part of “The Goodness of Gardening” is EDUCATIONAL. Gardening is a learning experience. Each year it can provide differe...
09/03/2026

Part of “The Goodness of Gardening” is EDUCATIONAL. Gardening is a learning experience. Each year it can provide different challenges from which one can learn. The Purdue Extension Marion County Demonstration Garden is an educational garden that provides ideas for gardeners on what to grow and how to grow it. This includes the latest All-America Selections award-winning flowers and vegetables and various gardening techniques such as raised beds and plant training systems. Plant signs and other educational signs are posted in the Demonstration Garden each year.

Gardening can provide hands-on, experiential learning that brings abstract academic concepts to life and builds essential life skills. Here is a summary of research findings on several key benefit areas of garden-based learning for children, youth, adults, and families:
Cornell Garden-Based Learning: Key Findings
https://gardening.cals.cornell.edu/lessons/program-tools/benefits-and-research/key-findings/

Address

1202 E 38th Street Discovery Hall
Indianapolis, IN
46205

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+13172759305

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