Our Mission
To be the place where families and friends come together to find joy in fun activities, inspiring displays and really cool plants.
Where We Are &
Where We've Been!
1950s
Small Beginnings
Wallace’s Garden Center was started in the 1950s by a local farmer named Warren Wallace. Warren, an ALCOA employee at the time, opened a small truck farm and greenhouse on Devils Glen Road, growing tomatoes, pepper plants, and other fruits and veggies that he sold from a humble produce stand.
1981
The Nelson Family
In 1981 the Nelson family, led by Doug Nelson himself, purchased Warren’s business with a much bigger vision for its future, adding a state-of-the-art year-round greenhouse for the community and an accompanying gift shop to expand its horizons.
Eventually, the Nelson family expanded the business to own and operate three locations around the Mississippi River and two in Iowa. Each location focuses on serving the surrounding communities with the best produce and plant selection and providing expert advice.
2024
Where We Are Now
Fast forward to 2024, and we are still in business here in Iowa, with the second generation of the family getting their hands in the soil. Although we have had several locations in past years, we have brought the vision of Wallace’s closer to home with one garden center in Bettendorf, Iowa. We love that the original structure of Warren’s greenhouse still stands today, and we will gladly show you where it all started decades ago!
Some Things Never Change
Despite renovations, changing times, and expanding into online retail, growing great plants has always been and continues to be the root of Wallace’s business.
Call us old-fashioned, but we’ll keep true to our past and honor our path ahead as the seasons change. Our dedicated staff of growers, merchandisers, designers, and horticulturalists make us what we are today. For that reason, we can offer not just plants but home and garden decor, bird supplies, and even some of our favorite Nelson family recipes!
Grown at Wallace’s
If you want to know how many flowers we have these days, we’re proud to say that we grow 30,000 geraniums, 14,000 hanging baskets, 10,000 mums, 15,000 poinsettias, and countless other crops like flowering annuals, shrubs, and houseplants.
We thank our customers for their loyal support and promise to proudly serve the generation of Bettendorf community gardeners.
Work With Us
Love playing in the dirt and want a cool job where you
can enjoy it too? Come join the fun crew at
Wallace's Garden Center!
What’s In-Store
NURSERY
The Nursery is your place for trees, shrubs, homegrown perennials, roses, and more.
GREENHOUSE
Nothing beats the blues like a stroll through our greenhouse filled with lush green plants.
HOME DECOR
Your Space, Your Style. A hand-picked, designer collection filled with unique furniture, one-of-a-kind accents and unique gifts.
PATIO FURNITURE
Our large selection of patio furniture has been carefully curated to inspire your dream outdoor room.
BIRD CENTER
We love outdoor pets & know the excitement it brings to look out the window to see colorful birds at the feeder.
