Noelridge Greenhouse Mural Expansion “Honoring Three Ecosystems”

Jordyn Brennan from Minneapolis who installed Phase 1 of the Mural titled: "Natives - Beautiful and Beneficial" in 2022, returned to Noelridge Greenhouse to install Phase 2 of the mural titled: "Honoring Three Ecosystems." The artwork was approved by the Public Arts Commission in January of this year and fundraising was kicked off by a donation from a life-long resident of Cedar Rapids followed by many other donations from our community. This is the culmination of three years of hard work by the Friends of Noelridge to pay for the mural. "We hope visitors to the Greenhouse will embrace the I Spy theme of all the native plants and animals either with a self-guided tour or a scheduled guided tour. The three children depicted in the mural are from the Noelridge Neighborhood. It was an honor to create this beautiful and inspiring mural with such a talented and wonderful artist," said Mary Moore, Friends of Noelridge President.

The Noelridge mural was conceptualized with the intent to both honor our past and to inspire future generations. The mural showcases some of the beauty and diversity that once covered the entire state of Iowa. Prairies are considered the third most rich biodiverse ecosystems in the world, closely behind Tropical Rainforests and Coral Reefs. Typically, you can find upwards of 300 species in any remnant prairie. Historically speaking, Iowa was once covered by more than 30 million acres of diverse prairie ecosystems. Today only 0.02% remnant prairie remains, fragmented into tiny pieces, and scattered across the state. The Mural as the name suggests illustrates three unique Iowa native ecosystems including Oak Savannah, Tallgrass Prairie, and Prairie Garden. With a total of over 40 species, each ecosystem consists of its own unique native plants, pollinators and birds that call Iowa home.

Noelridge Gardens, 4900 Council Street NE, is free to the public and open from dawn until dusk.