Citygarden

Those of you who know me well understand that my idea of fun usually doesn’t involve hanging out in a large urban setting in a major city.  The narrow one-way streets, the noise, the traffic, and the over-abundance of people elevate my level of stress and discomfort. So when I was given the assignment to go do some plant health care maintenance on some trees in downtown St. Louis at Citygarden, I was a bit disappointed.  In the end, I have to admit, I found this little oasis in the sea of concrete to be good for the soul.

The park is located at 801 Market Street, just blocks from Busch Stadium, Thomas Eagleton Building, Spire Energy, the Wainwright building, the Old Courthouse, and the Gateway Arch.  It is only about 3 acres in size, but it packs a big punch for its small size.  The park features countless statues and other artwork, a piano, several fountains, and over 200 trees and thousands of small shrubs and perennials.  And people of all shapes and sizes as they say – families, tourists, business people on a lunch time walk, local residents walking their dogs, wedding parties, and others just laying on a blanket or under a tree listening to music or reading books.  It seems that we are constantly hearing about all the bad things in society and about our differences, but this eclectic mix of people moved in and about their day along side one another seamlessly and interacted with kindness and respect.  I credit that sense of unity on the powerful presence of nature.

Citygarden is full of beatiful trees, many native to Missouri.  There is a large berm full of river birch, a few lines of serviceberry, redbuds, dogwoods, scarlet oaks, blackgum, yellowwood, sugar maples, red maples, and locusts.  A row of ginkgoes lines the walk near Market, and there are flowering shrubs, perennials, and grasses for all seasons.  The birds found a home here, and I saw quite a few varieties in the few hours I was here on 2 separate afternoons.  Eastern towhee, yellow-bellied sapsucker, white-throated sparrow, white-crowned sparrow, house sparrow, chipping sparrow, robin, bluejay, rock dove, grackles, cardinals, and house finch are some that I remember.

If you work or visit downtown St. Louis, make an effort to visit Citygarden.  If you don’t live in St. Louis but feel like you are stuck in an urban setting for home or work, seek out that nearby park or green space and see what opportunities it may present for you.  I have no doubt that spending even a few minutes every day immersed in nature is a gift from God and an opportunity to find a sense of peace.  Thanks for reading.