Creating Spring Splendor in Forest Park’s Landscaped Areas

Spring has sprung, and Forest Park is popping with seasonal color! Forest Park Forever’s horticulturists are experts in the science of their craft, but they also enjoy sharing the art of landscape management through colorful, inviting displays. They work year-round, planning a year in advance and often planting two seasons ahead.

Last fall, the team planted an astounding 151,670 bulbs throughout the Park, ensuring many areas will have beautiful transitions throughout the season with early-, mid-, and late-spring bloomers. Bulb is an umbrella term for plants that have self-contained energy storage. They come in all shapes and sizes with variable root structures and include true bulbs (e.g., tulip, lily, daffodil), corms (e.g., crocus, gladiolus), tubers (e.g., dahlia, begonia, anemone, potato), and rhizomes (e.g., bearded iris, canna lily, calla lily).

Before existing perennials emerge and shrubs and trees begin to bloom, flowers that began as bulbs fill the gaps and brighten what would otherwise be bare soil. Planting bulbs allows us to add beauty in existing beds while causing minimal disturbance to surrounding plants. Flowering bulbs also promote biodiversity as an early source of nectar for pollinators. Those earliest to flower, including snowdrops and crocuses, provide energy for hungry bees and butterflies emerging after winter.

Below are some prime spots for petal peeping in the days and weeks to come!

Jewish Tercentenary Monument

Aerial views of the Jewish Tercentenary Monument landscape bed show different stages designed by our horticulture team. They planted 13,500 bulbs in this bed alone, including “Flower Record,” “Peter Pan” and “Golden Yellow” crocuses along with “Purple Prince,” “White Prince” and “Sunny Prince” tulips in a meticulously planned grid pattern. The crocuses put on their geometric display, and now the tulips have begun to flower.

Garden Rooms on Government Hill and the World’s Fair Pavilion

The Garden Rooms on Government Hill might make you want to party like it’s 1999 when they come into their full purple and pink glory. Come visit and sing among the “Purple Prince,” “Purple Rain,” “Purple Dream,” “Icoon,” “Lady Van Eijk” and “Orange Dynasty” tulips, “Jan Bos” hyacinth, “Flower Record” crocus and “Rotterdam Mix” daffodils. At the World’s Fair Pavilion, a rainbow of hyacinths, tulips and daffodils are putting on a show.

Emerson Grand Basin and Wise Falls Planters

We’ve added a pinch of culinary whimsy to the planters at Emerson Grand Basin and Wise Falls—the new overlook of Jefferson Lake from Clayton Avenue—with colorful lettuces, beets, bok choy and kale interspersed with purple, burgundy and yellow pansies—which also are edible. Look but don’t taste!

Anne O’C. Albrecht Nature Playscape

Our horticulture team has planted thousands of daffodils of many varieties in the Anne O’C. Abrecht Nature Playscape since it opened in 2021. These hardy perennials add sunny seasonal interest in early spring before warmer temperatures bring out dozens of native flowering species also planted in the Playscape.

Picnic and Wildlife Islands

Yellow daffodils pop on Wildlife Island, with a view of Post-Dispatch Lake and the on-going Boathouse renovations in the background.

We sowed thousands of daffodils on Picnic and Wildlife Islands last fall, and they turned the areas bright gold and green early this spring. Check out the other exciting transformation in progress at the Boathouse while you’re in the area.

Art Hill Flowerbeds

Come see art, inside and out! The plantings across the street from the Saint Louis Art Museum are filling out with vivid blooms. The late-blooming daffodils in this area, currently at their peak, are interspersed with pink and red tulips, purple pansies and lamb’s ear. And the flowerbeds at either end of the maple-lined pathways along the top of Art Hill are glowing with bright fuchsia and orange-red tulips and yellow crown imperials.

Murphy Lake

Snowdrops and crocuses are giving way to hellebore, Glory of the Snow, hyacinth and spring beauty around Murphy Lake, particularly on the northwest side.

You Can Support Our Work in Every Season!

As the nonprofit conservancy that maintains Forest Park in partnership with the City of St. Louis, Forest Park Forever employs experts in land management, ecology, conservation, park operations, community engagement, education and visitor services. We’re now using our expertise to integrate long-term tornado recovery into our annual plans and the master plan for Forest Park.

There’s still so much work to be done and many ways you can help!

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube and LinkedIn and share your love for Forest Park and #ForestParkForever on social media!

Land Management, NatureTiffany Webb