Blog Index

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Missouri Botanical Gardens


The Missouri Botanical Garden was established by Henry Shaw in 1859 on the site of his country estate.  The present garden covers 79 acres and contains myriad species of plants.  More than just a public park, the garden is a center for science, conservation and education.

Restrooms are available at multiple locations throughout the site.  One café is operated year-round and another is only open seasonally.  We chose to eat at the Terrace Café in the Center for Home Gardening during our July 2014 visit.  The Garden Gate Shop sells home furnishings, plants, books and garden accessories.

Robert Louis Latzer Memorial Fountain

Interior of the Linnean House, the oldest continuously operated
public greenhouse west of the Mississippi River

Wollemi pine, a living fossil

Potted cacti

Pool outside the Linnean House

Canna

Hardy water lily

Linnean House

Coneflower

Black-eyed Susan

Snapdragon

Gladney Rose Garden

Fountain in the Gladney Rose Garden

Shrub rose - Yellow Brick Road

Grandiflora rose - Garden Art Kiss Me

Looking back at the Linnean House

Turk's cap lily

Three angels with musical instruments - 1950, Carl Milles

Pigeon berry, Red banana, and Taro

Climatron

Daylily - Becky Lynn

Daylily - Ruffled Apricot

Daylily - Mary Todd

Daylily - Multnomah

Daylily - Wilson Spider

Daylily - Barbara Barnes

Daylily - Scarlet Marie

Cleveland Avenue Gatehouse

Pincushion garden

Tower Grove House and Victorian Garden

Observatory

Museum Building from the Observatory

Maze from the Observatory

This former city residence of Henry Shaw was taken down, moved and rebuilt on this location in 1891

Dawn Redwood

Container Garden at the rear of Tower Grove House

Rear of Tower Grove House

Front of Tower Grove House (1849-1851)

Parlor of Tower Grove House

Piano in Tower Grove House

Small eating area in Tower Grove Hosue

Kitchen in Tower Grove House

One of the bedrooms in Tower Grove House

Gazebo and fountain

Shrub rose - Lady Emma Hamilton

The A. Wessel Shapleigh Fountain

William T. Kemper Center for Home Gardening

The entrance fee is $8 for ages 13 and up.  Parking is free.

The garden website is http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/.

Monday, December 8, 2014

Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site


The Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site is located just off of Gravois Road in southwest St. Louis, Missouri.  Established in 1990, it preserves a small part of the over 800 acre White Haven farm.  Grant first visited the childhood home of his West Point roommate in 1843 while stationed at Jefferson Barracks.  He later lived on the farm from 1854 to 1859 after marrying his roommate's sister, Julia Dent.  Only the main house and a few outbuildings are preserved on the remaining 10 acre tract.   The visitor center houses a bookstore, theater, information desk and theater.  We visited in July 2014.  Guided tours of White Haven are conducted every half-hour during operating hours.  Our ranger guide was very knowledgeable, informative and humorous.  She noted that Grant was a very complex man.  He was opposed to slavery, but married into a slave-holding family.  He despaired of the carnage of war, yet was called a butcher.  He failed at many business ventures, but never despaired.

Visitor Center

The main house at White Haven is painted an historic shade of green

Front of the house

Because Grant's furnishings were destroyed in a fire at another house
on the farm, only a few representative items are on display

As can be seen in the mirror, the rooms flow from one to another without a hallway

Portions of the house were built by 1810

Grant's office

The winter kitchen in the basement houses exhibits relating how the slaves worked and lived

The summer kitchen is located just behind White Haven

The summer kitchen is located near the house

The laundry room is located at the other end of the building

The chicken house was moved from another location on the farm

The spring house is in its original location

White Haven from the spring house

Two rangers chat near the back porch

Back side of the visitor center

The stable has been converted into a museum

A carriage similar to on the Grants may have owned

A variety of saddles is on display

Numerous exhibits portray the Grant family through their letters and artifacts

There is no fee to visit the Ulysses S. Grant national Historic Site.

The park website is http://www.nps.gov/ulsg/index.htm.