AMES, Iowa- Christmas is a big season for Reiman Gardens. This year the Gardens installed more outdoor Christmas lighting. Also back this season is the G-gauge garden railroad, which winds through the conservatory.

Continuing this year is a popular tradition, free admission Thursdays, after 4:30 pm.

we’ve had hundreds of people here at night actually this year we start them every year just after Thanksgiving and it’s free after 430 until 8 PM,” said Aaron Steil, Reiman Gardens Assistant Director.

The garden railroad is also popular with young and old.

The train was built by a group of Kentucky called Applied Imagination and they specialize in building garden railroads that are entirely made out of natural materials,” said Steil. “It’s a G scale railroad, so it’s a garden scale railroad so it’s one of the biggest model railroads you can work with.

The plus is that the outdoor part of the gardens have more seasonal lighting than ever this year. The only drawback, is the butterfly wing closes at 4:30, it is not open during the free time.

The free Thursdays runs through January 3rd.

If you would like to know more about Reiman Gardens, click here.