The Missouri Botanical Garden has a long and lush history. It is officially the nation’s oldest botanical garden in continuous operation since it was founded in 1859. It currently is listed as a National Historic Landmark. Not only is the Missouri Botanical Garden a delightful tourist stop, it’s also a wonderful way for locals to find a little peace in a busy St. Louis day.
History
The Botanical Garden in Missouri may have been founded in 1859 but its history actually reaches further back to the birth of Henry Shaw in 1801. Shaw landed in St. Louis and immediately fell in love with the area. He vowed to give something back to the city and 40 years later he was able to turn his private land, which he had personally had a hand in cultivating, into a botanical garden that was opened to the public.
Mission
The Missouri Botanical Garden has a very modest mission statement and one that they’ve lived by since before the founding of the gardens. Their mission is, “To discover and share knowledge about plants and their environment in order to preserve and enrich life.” This is clearly a mission that Shaw would have believed in and supported.
Missouri Botanical Garden Overview
There are 79 acres of gardens that hold rare collections of botanical, horticultural and historical materials including buildings, fountains and statues that have great significance. There are a number of different segments to the gardens to help identify the plants and related architecture by region.
- Climatron – a geodesic dome featuring tropical plants and animals in a rainforest environment.
- Children’s Garden – This area is available for rental for parties and children are invited to jump, climb and slide their way to fun in a beautiful, exciting setting.
- Japanese Garden – Given the name Seiwa-en, or garden of pure, clear harmony and peace, this garden imbues all of these qualities while being the largest Japanese strolling garden in the western hemisphere.
- Kemper Center for Home Gardening – This is the place to go for adult classes in gardening, art, photography and more.
- Linnean House – This section is actually the oldest continuously operating greenhouse conservatory in the United States and features the beautiful camellias collection.
- Ottoman Garden – This newer edition opened in the summer of 2006 and is a wonderful example of Turkish flora and architecture. It is the first of its kind in the nation.
- Tower Grove House – This home was once inhabited by Henry Shaw and contains not only artifacts from his time in the home but also from the many decades it has stood in the gardens since.
- Victorian District – Featuring the Kresko Family Victorian Garden, the Kaeser Maze, and the Piper Observatory this 19th century inspired garden a favorite of museum guests.
Visitors
Visitors to the Missouri Botanical Gardens should take note that St. Louis is a climate that experiences all four seasons and the botanical gardens reflect this. A number of events are scheduled throughout the year to take advantage of the growing seasons and free tours are offered daily, no matter what the time of year is. It's a fabulous day excursion for Missouri tourists and St. Louis locals alike.
