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Missouri Botanical Garden 4344 Shaw Blvd. 314-577-9400  "When you think Saint Louis, think Saint Louis Front Page," a weekly publication covering the news and events in the greater St. Louis area.  |
by Betty Moore, SLFP.com ST. LOUIS, (SLFP.com), November 29, 2009 - The Missouri Botanical Garden is culminating a year of special exhibits that celebrate its long history of spectacular floral displays and renowned diversity of plants with the "Gardenland Express", which runs through January 3, 2010. Upon entering the Orthwein display hall, visitors can view the institution's 150 year history through a timeliene of archival images that line the walls. A very prominent display showcases past Holiday exhibits and the staff who worked hundreds of hours to create the scenes and design the floral displays. "This year's show is a departure from the traditional notion of our holiday flower show," said Pat Scace, floral display designer. "For our sesquicentennial, we really wanted to 'wow' visitors with something they've never seen." Long time members and new visitors agreed that this year's exhibit was really special. "We'll probably come and see the train show ten times before it's over, said Sarah Durham, as she took pictures of her son, Will (age 4), pointing at the G-scale train filled with presents circling large granite columns in the center of the hall. "It's been a lot of fun. It's great to see all the little elements like the Shaw House and the Climatron®. It's a neat exhibit this year," said Durham. On the day after Thanksgiving, horticulturalist Dave Schmidt, was on hand trimming foilage and answering questions about the exhbit. "I think that people will be particularly interested in finding that the display depicts different parts of the Garden and its historic structures are represented in the models," said Schmidt, who was part of a large crew that built the elaborate display. "We have a wide variety of plant materials that celebrate plant life and diversity," stated Schmidt. He noted that a few trial varieties of Poinsettia like the "Polar Bear" and "Orange Spice" are some of the most eye-catching varieties in the center of the show. Other varieties date back to the Victorian era. Avid gardners will be delightd to see the hall filled with lush unusual tropical foilage and large palms. Plants include: blue-grey triangle palms, Oxalis CHARMED WINETM and deep CHARMED VELVETTM, Chrysanthemum 'Green Valley' and 'Ivory Eugene,' Begonia 'Black Coffee,' Hibiscus acetosella 'Maple Sugar,' Syngonium 'Golden Illusion,' and lime green coleus. The floor plan is very different this year," stated Schmidt. Families with young children can enjoy up close views at four display areas separated by a wide brick path. Each section features foilage that might be seen when walking through the Garden and its landmarks: the historic Linnean House conservatory, Museum Building, Chinese Garden pagoda, Piper Observatory, Tower Grove House (founder Henry Shaw's original country estate). Great detail is attention is also paid to the scale of miniature people throughout the exhibit including: a Victorian figure on the balcony of the Tower Grove House; visitors walking through the Linnean House; a brontosaurus standing on a hill in the middle of in the Climatron; and Santa at the helm of a G-scale locomotive. Eight G-scale model garden trains travel along 800 feet of railway track in the hall. Tom Folkl and his grandson Ian Kabrukas (age 3) spent nearly 3 hours exploring the display. "He loves trains," said Folkl, a bit breathless, as he watched Ian jump around exuberantly as the Union Pacific train wound around a water feature accented by regal stone columns in the center of the show. Wooden benches placed in front of vertical plant walls were a popular backdrop for picture taken as hundreds of visitors admired the floral displays arranged in bright holiday colors of oranges, purples, reds, white and lime greens. Admission to "Gardenland Express" is $5 for ages three and over, in addition to general Garden admission ($8 adults; $4 St. Louis City and County residents; free for children age 12 and under). Garden members and their children are free. For more information, call the GardenLine at 314-577-9400 or 800-642-8842.
The Missouri Botanical Garden, fondly known as Shaw's Garden to St. Louisans, contains a formal English garden, traditional Japanese garden, Margaret Blanke Grigg Chinese garden, the Flower Trial Garden, greenhouses and extensive landscaping. The garden also features the Climatron Complex, water lily reflection ponds and the William T. Kemper Center for Home Gardening. The Climatron® geodesic dome and rainforest conservatory was dedicated 40 years ago in October 1960, replacing an old house built in 1913. The structure incorporates principles established by innovative architect R. Buckminster Fuller and was the first application of geodesic engineering for a greenhouse. The St. Louis architecture firm of Murphy & Mackey developed plans for the facility with Garden director Frits W. Went, who coined the term, Climatron. The dome is 70 feet high and 175 feet in diameter, permitting tall palm trees to tower majestically above the tropical vista of streams, waterfalls and 1,200 different species of exotic trees and plants. Temperature ranges from 64 to 74 degrees and average humidity is 85 percent. Visitors can enjoy a sense of being in a jungle while making their way by orchids, passion flowers, hibiscus flowers, cycads and a number of endangered species. In 1976, the dome was named one of the 100 most significant architectural achievements in United States history. The Garden, covering 79 acres, is located at 4344 Shaw Blvd, just south of Hwy 44 between Vandeventer and Grand. Extended summer hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesdays only from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Free parking on premises, as well as an extensive gift shop and restaurant with patio dining. For more information, call the GardenLine at 314-577-9400 or 800-642-8842. Archived Stories:  Gardenland Express Brings Wintery Wonderland in the Mountains of Vermont to Missouri Botanical GardenMissouri Botanical Garden Celebrates Six Millionth Herbarium Specimen 
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