Condo living in Clayton had been thoroughly enjoyable for newlyweds Angela and Jonathan Ritchie, but it was time for these young professionals to start planning ahead. They envisioned a home in the woods – preferably mid-century modern – where youngsters could play and explore. And they loved the Town and Country area, which also offered an easy commute for Jonathan, marketing director with a major St. Louis-based event marketing firm.    

When the Bank of Springfield (IL) doubled the size of its flagship facility 12 years ago, the expansion came with a flowery flourish. Covering a three-acre site, it included 22,000 square feet of gardens meant to boldly accent the streetscape. To design those gardens, the bank selected Adam Woodruff, a young landscape designer with local, central Illinois roots.

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.

Do you know where your ancestors were 126 years ago? You may know what country they were in; you may know what their profession was or, like many of us, you may have little information at all about them.

“I decorate our home for every major holiday,” says homeowner Renee Stout. Christmas, though, is special — and you’ll know it the moment you pass the rustic, restored working sleigh in Stout’s front yard. This particular piece resided in the Crestwood Commons Schnucks lobby for years, until Stout convinced the owner to sell it! Now, it’s the first indication that, for the Stouts, Christmas is more than a mere day. “It’s a feeling,” Stout says. “A scurry extending from Thanksgiving weekend into the New Year.”