Belle Plaine

In Belle Plaine, we visited the amazing Bartlett Arboretum. If you ever have a chance to visit this lovely place, do it! It's an extraordinary property, covered with gorgeous trees and flowers. We loved the lilacs, daffodils, redbuds, and pear trees.

While we were there, we saw a jazz band rehearsing for a concert on a stage near the lake. We also enjoyed looking at the huge trees, lovely bridges, and beehives.

The whole place was thoughtfully designed, and there were bits of whimsical art crafted from found materials, like a wind-catching sculpture made of rusty metal farm tools and aged pieces of wood.

The rest of Belle Plaine was nice and neat. There were a number of dirt roads, a large grain elevator, and a gymnasium, but the Arboretu was definitely our favorite part of visiting this town. You can learn more about this place and its founder by watching this video.