DOWN THE GARDEN PATH

 

Another direction from the parapet of the Observatory at the botanical garden. I should go back and see what’s now in bloom.              

PUBLIC OPINION, PART 2

 

Anti-imperialism lives on in Webster Groves. This is same house in my neighborhood seen here about a week ago flying the Ukraine and Canadian flags. There was a  change yesterday. Now the nearer one is the flag of Greenland. Recognize it? I wonder where the homeowner found one.                    

HOME & GARDEN

 

From the walkway on the second level of the Observatory. The white building is the home of Henry Shaw, mentioned yesterday, who founded the Missouri Botanical Garden. The wedges of green on the right will be full of flowers in a few days.                        

OBSERVATORY

 

The land that became the Missouri Botanical Garden was originally the estate of Henry Shaw. He was the son of a steel manufacturer in the British Midlands and was sent here in the 19th Century as an agent. He settled in St. Louis and made a fortune, using some of his money on his hobby as a keen amateur botanist. He built an octagonal tower, an observatory, to view his domain. This building is a reproduction but faithful to the original design.                    

KOI

 

A Japanese garden would not be complete without a koi pond. Siewa-en has a pretty good size artificial lake but the koi population stays in one corner. That’s probably because there is a bridge where visitors throw them something to eat. (Given local business connections, maybe it’s Purina koi chow.)