A Visitor’s Guide to Japanese Festival

After a year off due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we couldn’t be more excited for Japanese Festival to return. Celebrating the history, culture, and people of Japan, the Japanese Festival at the Missouri Botanical Garden is one of the largest and oldest festivals of its kind in the United States. Since 1977, the Garden has…

Plants of Japan

Japan has a rich cultural tradition of gardening, and the country is considered a global biodiversity hotspot. But you do not need to build an entire Japanese garden or start planning a trip to Japan to enjoy its diverse flora. Many thrive in our climate and make excellent additions to a St. Louis backyard. The…

Dr. Peter Raven Recounts the Creation of the Japanese Garden

In his nearly 40 years as Missouri Botanical Garden President, Dr. Peter Raven oversaw a period of unprecedented growth, including the creation of some of the Garden’s most beloved areas — the Margaret Grigg Nanjing Friendship Garden (Chinese Garden), Blanke Boxwood Garden, and English Woodland Garden among them. In his autobiography Driven by Nature: A…

Scroll Through the Garden: September

September is the final month of summer, and its autumnal equinox ushers in the fall season. Take a scroll through the bright blooms of late summer and the first hints of fall color.

Garden of Thrones

Lamenting the end of Game of Thrones? We’re here for you. After all, where else in the 7 kingdoms of St. Louis can you sit on an actual throne? And that’s not the only GoT inspiration you can find at MoBOT. Take the Kingsroad (Kingshighway) to the Missouri Botanical Garden and let your inner dragon…

Discover + Share: The Best of 2017

This year marked the first year for Discover + Share, a new blog from the Missouri Botanical Garden. Our goal was to give visitors a glimpse of the Garden most don’t often get to see or experience–to share our stories and help you learn a little more about the many facets of the Garden’s mission….

The Hidden Treasures of Teahouse Island

Seiwa-en, the Missouri Botanical Garden’s 14-acre Japanese Garden, is designed for discovery. Visitors who peer into secluded nooks will often be rewarded with unique views and other sensory delights. The most secluded area of all sits at the center of the 4-acre Japanese Garden lake. Nakajima, Teahouse Island, is the largest of the four islands in Seiwa-en, and…

The Stone Lanterns of Seiwa-en

Dotted among flowering cherries and peonies, irises and lotuses, is another crucial landscape element of the Seiwa-en Japanese Garden. Stone lanterns serve both an ornamental and spiritual purpose in Japanese culture. There are 17 lanterns in Seiwa-en, and by design some are easier to spot than others. Don’t forget to enter our Japanese Garden 40th…

Seiwa-en Japanese Garden Turns 40

Garden of pure, clear harmony and peace This year, the Missouri Botanical Garden celebrates the 40th anniversary of the iconic Japanese Garden. Always one of our visitors’ favorite spots, the 14-acre garden is stunning in all four seasons, showcasing distinct aspects of its beauty from different vantage points. Proposed by the Japanese American Citizens’ League…