If you want to know anything about growing herbs in the Midwest, talk with Mary Hammer. She’s a member of the St. Louis Herb Society and chairman of the group’s upcoming Herb Sale at the Missouri Botanical Garden April 27-29. The effervescent Mary can fill a book just off the top of her head when she taps into her knowledge of how to grow, use and harvest these stars of the garden, kitchen and even the medicine cabinet.

With the holiday season in full swing, don’t show up to a festive gathering empty handed. A sweet surprise for the hostess is always appreciated. Sure, wine and chocolates are tasty, but why not bring your family member or friend a beautiful plant as a gift. SLHL asked local landscapers to share their favorite plants to give as hostess gifts. 

The Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House, a division of the Missouri Botanical Garden located in St. Louis County, opened to the public in 1998. It features an 8,000-square-foot glass conservatory where visitors mingle with more than 60 species of the world’s most beautiful butterflies in free flight. The conservatory is lushly planted with nearly 100 species of exotic flowering tropical plants and is sheathed in 646 pieces of glass, each measuring 4 by 6 feet and weighing approximately 200 pounds.

Sculpt and shape your favorite evergreen into an interesting art form. Topiaries are a classic look that thrive in cold weather seasons.

“Topiary is not something I use often, but I like the concept they represent: using a unique evergreen as a focal point in the garden. A weeping atlas cedar is about as unique as it gets. These are one of my favorite evergreens to use amongst a garden of perennials or other evergreens because they will stand out no matter what.“ Katy Molaskey, Green Guys.

Local landscapers share their favorite naturalizing bulbs. You can count on these bulbs to come up year after year. 

You’ve seen his talents at The Muny and at Straub’s grocery stores, and he’s all over the Warson Woods Antique Mall. But Rand Rosenthal’s talents have nothing to do with song and dance or promoting a tasty morsel or two.