Our botanical garden was founded in 1859 by a native Englishman, Henry Shaw, a very successful businessman and amateur horticulturalist who made St. Louis his home. Locals still often refer to the place as Shaw's Garden. His home and adjacent private garden have been preserved and restored. I do not know why he chose to place a statue on Juno in the middle of it, but she can do the Windsor Wave with the best of the royals.
Back to my walkabout in the botanical garden. My knowledge of trees when I was a kid was that the logo of the New York City Parks Department is a maple leaf, so I didn't know if the pink trees on the right were the last of the cherry blossoms, dogwoods or what. The Japanese section of the garden is exquisite.
Half an Arch is better than nothing. After a score of years photographing this wicket it's hard to come up with something new.
Mrs. C has an annual conference she enjoys about the work she does. This year it was at STL's largest hotel right in front of the Arch, which has as many windows as possible facing the monument. She stayed there for the meeting rather than commute in every day. I spent Sunday night there with her, if for no other reason than to see what there was to shoot. The circular plaza at the bottom is the new underground entrance to the museum and funiculars that can take you to the top. Barges slide through the Mississippi and the sky looks like weather blowing in.
We have had some wonderful spring weather lately. (But this is St. Louis. It won't last.) I needed a little me time so my camera and I went for a long walk in our exceptional botanical garden. This is a semi-shaded walkway through the home gardening section.
I'm a city kid who grew up amidst the blaring noise of New York. I like the urban action but, as I get older, it is delightful to find the peace of this little corner of Forest Park. Savor it now - it may not be as tranquil on a weekend in the summer.
