I talked Doug into the Missouri Botanical Garden because it’s also a birding hotspot. Alas, it was a hot day and there were tons and tons of people there, so he didn’t enjoy it quite as much as I did.
The gardens, located on 79 acres in St. Louis, Missouri, have 6.6 million specimens, making it the second largest in North America (after the New York Botanical Garden). They were founded in 1859, making them one of the oldest botanical gardens in the United States.
On the grounds one can find both Japanese and Chinese gardens, a conservatory, the original estate home of Henry Shaw (closed during our visit), many themed gardens, water features, statuary, and much more.
But let’s be honest, I’m here for flower pictures, so let’s go!