Nature Journal #6: Botanical Garden

 Nature Journal #6

Botanical Gardens 

I've grown up going to botanical gardens, particularly, the St. Louis Botanical Garden. I think my love for the gardens and for plant life has been an acquired love. I remember when I was little stomping through the trail to get our family picture for the Christmas card over with. But eventually, with time, I learned to appreciate the beauty in each varying section of the gardens. So much so, that for my 16th birthday, I went with my parents to walk around. Nowadays, nearly every time I visit home, I go for a walk at the garden.

While in many ways, the beauty here is curated, it still feels natural. It is not only nerdily educational, but it also organizational aesthetic as each section of the garden is separated by the origin of the flowers, plants, trees etc. And, in each season, and with every visit, I have come to appreciate something new. 

Botanical gardens are such a unique exploration of human interference with nature and also of the vastness of natural flora. In one place, you can see the preservation of so many species of plant life, but you can also appreciate (if you are like me), the easy accessibility of a botanical garden. Whereas, I do not know how Abbey might feel about such as place. 

Personally, I appreciate how humans have captured nature at its' finest, but they have also incorporated some human art in the mix. For instance, each year I go to festivals, art exhibitions, and holiday lights at the garden. This year, I have already attended the Fort Worth Botanical Garden lights and will go to St. Louis's Garden Glow immediately following finals. It is interesting and inspiring at all these times to witness and reflect on other's involvement of the natural environment in their artistic display. Whether it is the Japanese Festival of Lights or the Christmas lightshow or any other event, human creation is mixed in with and placed strategically in the environment. Recently, St. Louis has acquired more glass work done by Chihuly, a prominent artist, for the garden. I visited while I was home, and I found it shocking how he created such detailed and delicate glass creations to reflect and be utilized in the natural world. His work only serves to enhance the natural beauty of the environment. Ultimately, I find places such as the garden to not only be a wonderful for of self-care and a place of personal reflection, but the garden is also a clear indication of others being inspired by nature. 



 

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