As the host of Garden Smart, I have the privilege of traveling to some of the most beautiful gardens in the country. This past week, my crew and I spent the week in St. Louis, MO. Two of those days were spent in the spectacular Missouri Botanical Gardens. It was a trip I had really been looking forward to as I had written about the many great things the garden was doing, without ever having the chance to see it first hand, until now.
As we arrived for a day of taping on a brisk, bright morning, the unassuming entrance to the gardens surprised me. It wasn’t the grand, elaborate entrance I was expecting to see for one of the finest botanical gardens in the world. But once we passed through the main lobby and emerged into the actual gardens, it was breathtaking! The dramatic contrast from the front into the gardens was dramatically enhanced because of the stark contrast between the entrance and the amazing gardens within.
Because of our intense shooting schedule, sunrise is usually when we arrive at every garden we feature. And that’s just fine with me; no crowds, no distractions and nothing but amazing light to showcase the freshness of the new day in a beautiful environment. It’s my favorite time in any garden. Imagine being in a horticultural showplace that plays host to nearly a million people each year, and we have it all to ourselves, if even for a few hours. The only sounds in the garden at this time of morning are the chips and songs of many birds and the snips of pruners as the talented horticultural staff puts the finishing touches on the many plants and flowers that will greet so many people this day.
When the gates open at 9:00, the garden is buzzing with activity. Children arrive by the busloads, artist set up easels and canvas as they stake their claim to picture perfect vistas for a day of painting and photographers race through grounds with expensive cameras and sturdy tripods. Ironically, one of them was my friend and internationally acclaimed garden and nature photographer, Ian Adams. He was there on behalf of the Missouri Botanical Garden to photograph it for a soon to be released coffee table book. Ian sees some of the most beautiful vistas in the world and yet he was simply giddy over the spectacular condition of this garden.
We spent two perfectly amazing spring days here. With so much to see and talk about, trying to decide what not to feature was the biggest challenge. Although the hours are long when taping a complete show in a single day, the rewards are worth it. Just as the day began for us, starting long before the rest of the world comes to visit, our day ends the same way. Hours after the last visitors leave for the day, we’re still there, in the quite hours of the setting sun. It’s my other favorite time to be in a garden. The garden comes alive again and I am there with camera in hand, ready to capture those special moments and memories that I will carry for a lifetime.