ST. LOUIS, MO --- A CITY OF GARDENS AND BEAUTY!

[Mmathis]

Hubby & I just came back from a brief, 3 day/4 night trip to St. Louis [he was in classes all day, so I explored the city, solo]. Had done my homework and picked out about 1/2 dozen places that looked interesting and that I felt I could realistically access via city transportation. Realistically, this ended up only being about one per day, so where I was hoping to hop around and visit many more, some were left off the list.

I think the thing that impressed me the MOST was that there is some sort of garden or park almost anywhere you go, and especially in the downtown area. If there is a nook, cranny, or unused spot, it's going to have greenery, plantings, trees, and/or a water feature of some sort. And everywhere I went, there were folks wearing "volunteer" T-shirts going around picking up trash, erasing grafitti, and tending to the plants!

I don't know, maybe it's like that in other places, but where I live there is this pervasive apathy and lack of "ownership" and pride in all things beautiful [with a few exceptions]. So what I was perceiving in St. Louis was that sense that everyone was saying, "This is MY city!"

I really wanted to visit the Botanical Gardens, but didn't make it there. The City Garden, however, was just a few blocks from our hotel. It's a several blocks long garden primarily dedicated to showcasing plants native to Missouri. In one section they have a "rain garden." Curious about that.... It's sort of like a "bog," but is an area where they have run-off water channeled into that area. It starts out with fist-sized rocks, then the water would flow into the plant area. Couldn't tell what the substrate was, but there were lots of grasses and reedy plants. The idea being that the water, well, you all know what a bog does.

And yes, they actually have a TURTLE PLAYGROUND! Can you believe it? On the border of Forest Park [where their zoo is located], is a place with HUGE [concrete?] turtles for the kids to play on and explore! You know I had to go there, LOL!

Pics to follow!

 

[sissy]

I went years ago there and will never forget it .Freak snow storm hit like you would not believe and saw nothing but white for 5 days .Well it was close to winter there so not surprising .My luck always .

 

[j.w]

Cool TM and waiting to see the pix!

 

[Mmathis]

OK, here are some of the things from St. Louis. These were all via iPhone, so exposures aren't the best.

First group is various shots of THE ARCH. That last one [that's on its side -- no idea how to rotate it...] is from our hotel room.

And the fountain with red water.... I was finally able to find out that it's really supposed to be PINK water, and was colored in honor of BREAST CANCER AWARENESS.

 

[Mmathis]

The "Rain Garden" in the City Garden. Run-off water is channeled toward this area.

 

[Mmathis]

More later. iPad is moving toooo slow!

 

[j.w]

Nice pix and WOW that Arch is really quite tall!

 

[Frankp]

The red fountain is Kiener Plaza and they always add the red for the St. Louis Cardinals. It's fun to go to the rallies there during the playoffs.

 

[Mmathis]

The red fountain is Kiener Plaza and they always add the red for the St. Louis Cardinals. It's fun to go to the rallies there during the playoffs.

Thanks, Frankp! It was during the first games of the playoffs! Kind of exciting to be there then, 'cause we were staying close to the stadium! On my walk back from the City Garden, was amused by all the folks who were frantically trying to park and make it to the game. One family caught my attention and asked if I was "from the city." They were "trying to figure out the parking meters." I felt bad for them, but suggested they look for information ON the meter, and said, " our meters back home list the hours, etc."

 

[Mmathis]

OK, gonna try for a few more pics....

There were about 25 sculptures of different kinds throughout the City Garden. I took pics of all of them, but apparently only loaded a few over from the iPhone.

In one of the previous pics I posted, you can see Pinocchio in the background.




I liked this one for its resemblance to a seed that was opening to signify new growth.


I thought "Sumo," but it's Thai Chi. Go figure.


OK, there's a REALLY GOOD STORY here with the bunny! First day that I visited City Garden, I paid little attention to the sculptures and was more interested in the plants. Was checking them all out, looking for the ID tags -- not all had one. Anyway, busy time of day, middle of downtown St. Louis, I look down at these grasses and there is this little bunny hunkered down. I stayed quiet and still and eventually the bunny relaxed and started moving around and nibbling at the grasses. I talked to it, just amazed that it was THERE AT ALL! Anyway, on with life. So 2 days later I look through the brochure for the garden and decide to kill my last few hours (hubby still in classes) in St. Louis by finding and photographing all of the sculptures. Well, there was one that I never found, but did find the spot it was supposed to be -- but there was some "gardening" and brick-laying in progress in that approx. area, so guessing that sculpture was temp. relocated. Guess what it was a sculpture of? Two white rabbits!!!! NO WAY! And that was very close to where I'd seen my little bunny!