I was a young botanist in 1985 when I embarked upon my first-ever tropical expedition to the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius. I encountered on that trip some of the rarest plants in the world, which shaped my career path as both botanist and plant conservationist.

One of the most fascinating plants I encountered was the Round Island Bottle Palm (Hyophorbe lagenicaulis), which has been saved from extinction by being cultivated in tropical gardens worldwide. In the wild, however, fewer than 10 mature plants survive. Whenever I encounter these old friends, I greet them with a hug. 

Learn more 

Dr. Peter Wyse Jackson, President

Meet the Authors

Did you know that Missouri is second only to Texas in the number of small farms it boasts? Garden staff member Liz Fathman has co-authored a book with Maddie Earnest, co-owner of Local Harvest and Café, which features the people behind the local and regional food scene, and the possibilities they present at our dinner tables.

Presentation and Book Signing  
Missouri Harvest: A Guide to Growers and Producers in the Show-Me State
10 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 19
St. Charles County Library, Middendorf-Kredell Branch

Create a Rain Garden in your Home Landscape
Bring your questions and your plant specimens for this course at Shaw Nature Reserve! Sign up for Tuesday or Saturday.

1 to 4 p.m. Thursday, June 14
1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 16
Reservations required!