Quilt Gardens Fun Facts

- The Quilt Gardens started in 2007 with two test gardens. One site, Das Dutchman Essenhaus, has been a participant every year.

- Named Best Festival or Event in 2017 by the Indiana Tourism Association. Named Best of the Best event by the American Bus Association, a leading group representing group tour operators, for the last four years

- 200-plus volunteers needed to plant, water, weed and maintain the gardens

- 2,000 estimated hours put in by the 200-plus volunteers

- Estimated 1 million-plus blooms in every Quilt Garden

- Six cities and towns of Elkhart County have at least one Quilt Garden

- Four Quilt Gardens are located at sites with historical significance - Ruthmere in Elkhart, Krider World's Fair Gardens in Middlebury, and Elkhart County Courthouse and Elkhart County 4-H Fairgrounds, both in Goshen

- Two Quilt Gardens (Das Dutchman Essenhaus in Middlebury and Dutch Country Market east of Middlebury) are each more than 2,000 square feet. Essenhaus' is the largest at 3,142 square feet.

- All hand painted by one local artist, Jeff Stillson from Nappanee, the quilt murals total 1,925 s.f. of wood and paint.

- All Quilt Murals go up when the Quilt Gardens get planted and come down when the last flower is pulled out of a garden. They are stored over winter

- Quilt Murals were first started in 2008 with 14 murals at eight sites. Two original Quilt Mural sites are still part of the exhibition -- the Elkhart County Visitors Center in Elkhart and the Town of Wakarusa.

- A quilt mural has a 10 year shelf life before needing replaced

The Quilt Gardens are viewable May 30 - September 15 each year during all daylight hours. Elkhart County is on Eastern Standard Time which means in summer time, daylight can mean perfect garden enjoyment as late as 8 or 9 p.m. each evening. Many people like to go back to their favorite site to see them at different light and times of the day.

Learn more about the quilt gardens.

The Quilt Gardens are viewable annually from May 30 through September 15.

After the 15th, the gardens are removed from the ground to ensure the best viewing experience. With cooler fall weather setting in, the flowers don’t last as well…peak bloom is typically mid-July. The hand-painted murals are taken down to keep them safe from inclement weather.

Some locations may keep their gardens in a bit longer if they’re still looking nice, but that’s up to each site. We keep an updated list of which gardens remain; you can call the Elkhart County Visitor Center (Mon–Fri, 8am–5pm ET) for the latest details. 800.262.8161.

No, they are not all at one location. The Quilt Gardens and hand-painted Quilt Murals are spread throughout the cities and towns of Bristol, Elkhart, Goshen, Middlebury, Nappanee, Shipshewana, and Wakarusa along the Heritage Trail in Elkhart County.

The Quilt Gardens are planted on May 30 and are then what we lovingly call “baby gardens”. As the summer season heats up, and the inevitable rain & heat hit, the gardens fill in, grow and become just gorgeous and filled with surprises.

Our volunteers work hard with each of Mother Nature's challenges to provide you the best experience and are committed to pattern appreciation and view ability. What’s neat about this event, is one garden is having some challenges, keep going to the next one on the Heritage Trail.

They are all at different stages due to soil content, weather, and local environments. For real time info give the Visitors Center a call at 800-262-8161 for today’s garden update. The Quilt Murals always look fabulous! We hope you enjoy them all!

Quilt Gardens are best experienced from the walkways and lawns surrounding each site's location. Some Quilt Gardens can be viewed from your vehicle, but that does not provide the optimal experience. A few Quilt Gardens locations provide viewing platforms accessible by a handful of steps. Most Quilt Murals are visible from the car or sidewalk.

Just enter the address in your favorite map app on your mobile device for easy directions to each location. You can also download the map for the Quilt Gardens and Quilt Murals

Quilt Gardens location addresses.

All Quilt Gardens and Quilt Murals are viewable free of charge so plan to stop, get out, walk, and enjoy at each stop. Read the signs, take a picture and share using #quiltgardens. Breath in the fresh air and enjoy nature and art for free.

If you have an urgent questions about the Quilt Gardens or need help, please call us at 800-262-8161