LADYBUG SAYS... MO. BOTANICAL GARDEN HARBORS ACRES OF BEAUTY

A recent visit to Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis proved it to be prettier than it has been in many visits. The entrance has both red and white geraniums, dusty miller, and outstanding tree trained white verbena, all of which have reached maturity at this time of year.

Time would not permit a complete visit of this 79-acre garden, but the perennial garden and the rose garden were outstanding. Since we are frequent visitors there in the summertime, the other areas of the Garden Scented Garden, Japanese Garden, Iris and Daylily Garden, Demonstration Vegetable Garden, English Woodland Garden, and the many greenhouses, had to be skipped this time because of the time element. All of these places are outstanding and well worth a visit (but not a hurried one.)

Outstanding is the perennial garden, which is towered over by red tree hibiscus with variagated foliage. None of the growth of their perennials showed the effect of this summer's drought. Of course, my first attention went to the beautiful blue veronica and the luscious shell pink lisianthus, which was staked and the blossoms were the size of teacups. Needless to say I was green with envy. Those here have either "pooped" out or have pitiful blossoms.

Lisanthus has soared in popularity over the past few years, and is greatly appreciated for its exceptional cut flower qualities. Strong stems, luscious colors, good texture and graceful elegance make them long-lasting for other growers. Sometimes the blooms will last for two full weeks after cutting.

This half-hardy perennial blooms right on through midsummer's heat and drought and is disease resistant. They originated in Japan with Sakata Seed Company and came here where florists were the first to recognize their excellent cutting properties. Last summer we saw them at Ball Seed Company in West Chicago, Illinois, where they were used in masses in borders and were outstanding. But we still have had poor luck with them.

There are new ones on the market called Lisianthus Hallelujah Hybrids. Gardeners admire the exquisite form of these profuse clusters of bloom which resemble roses at first, open to tulip shape and at maturity resemble poppies. Hallelujah, you can't get much better than that, considering their colors are so delicate, sparkling white, pink or purple and some are bicolors.

Enough about lisianthus!

Back to Missouri Botanical Garden.

This garden, the oldest botanical garden in the United States, has recently opened its doors for the nation's largest facility for home gardeners. The Wm. T. Kemper Center for Home Gardening has been in the planning for almost 20 years. Inside its doors, gardeners learn about landscaping, vegetable gardening, flower growing both inside and outside. There is also a demonstration kitchen, a "Plant Doctor" service and a greenhouse complete the home gardening center.

Although time did not allow the complete coverage of the Garden on our last trip, we did take time to visit the orchid display in Orthwein Floral Hall in Ridgway Center.

The Missouri Botanical Garden offers a large number of a wide variety of events during the year. Featured are the display of orchids, spring flowers, fall flowers, holiday plants, the Japanese Festival and many other educational and horticultural features and events.

In leaving the Garden, we noticed signs in most every yard along Shaw Boulevard: "House not for sale by owner." This, we learned, is in protest to the dilemma the proposed expansion program for the Garden has created. The Garden trustees have voted to acquire 43 houses, flats and apartments north of the garden for a five-acre parking lot expansion which will affect about 250 people. The move has outraged residents of the area, and they have put out many signs and were displaying banners of their disapproval. It seems that many visitors to the Garden seem to sympathize with the plight of the people of the neighborhood.

Peter Raven said in an interview with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch recently, that not only would this acquisition give additional parking but would give a clear view from Interstate 44 of the visitors center, the Climatron and other features of the northern edge of the Garden.

Dr. Raven is the seventh director in the 132-year history of the Missouri Botanical Garden, and under his direction there have been many additions, including the Japanese Garden, the complete renovation of the Climatron, the English Woodland Garden, the Ridgeway Center, The Shoenberg Temperate House, and now the new Kemper Center for Home Gardening.

There are 20 educational and demonstration gardens to be viewed. The Garden staff consists of 300 persons, with 50 of them having Ph.Ds doing research. This year the Garden will have nearly a million visitors.

At Labor Day, the visiting hours changed from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. to 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Wednesday and Saturday mornings admission is free to senior citizens.