Site 3: Missouri Botanical Garden
on the
St. Louis Sundial Trail
The
Missouri Botanical Garden, located at 4344 Shaw Blvd. is a St. Louis landmark for the
display of many types of plants and trees. It is a 76 acre educational
center both for scholars wanting to learn about diverse aspects
of plants and for homeowners wanting to learn about home
gardening. Henry Shaw, a singularly private man, set the
standard for philanthropy in the St. Louis region. He founded
not only the Garden but contributed to and influenced hundreds
of other St. Louis institutions. He was born in Sheffield,
England, in 1800, came to St. Louis in 1819, became a United
States citizen in 1843, and died at Tower Grove House in 1889,
thirty years after he created the Garden, where he now lies at
rest. The 150 year anniversary of the Garden will be
celebrated in 2009.
There are
four sundials to be seen in the Garden, and two more
will be installed in July 2008. Located in the Herb Garden section of the
Botanical Garden is
the beautiful little Child Sundial
shown at the left. It was installed in 1965 as a gift from
Mrs. Herman Husch, made by an anonymous English artist.
Quoting from information provided by the
Garden, "The daydreaming child figure with sundial
is at ground level in a bed of creeping thyme, perhaps
a gentle Herb Garden pun. The sundial is adjusted
to show standard time in St. Louis." The height of
the gnomon is about 5.5 inches, and its inclination to
the horizontal, measured using an inclinometer, is
about 38o. The base of the sundial is a circle
about 21.5 inches in diameter; the area of the base with hour
marks is about 10 inches square; and, the height of the child
above the base is 12 inches. The gnomon is slightly bent, and the dial
surface is slightly cupped. The photograph was taken at
about 2:45 p.m. CDT on June 4, 2000.
A second
sundial, pictured at the right, is located in the Home Gardening section
of the Botanical Garden. The diameter of the plate of the
horizontal sundial is about 10.5 inches. It is sculpted as a
sunflower and inscribed with the motto: How could such sweet and
wholesome hours be reckoned but with herbs and flowers.
The
height of dial is about 30 inches.
Unfortunately, the third sundial in the Botanical Garden, located on the
West side of the Linnean House, is flawed and not much more than an
interesting decoration. As seen in the picture in the lower right, the hour
numbers on the equatorial ring (both sides) increase in the opposite
direction from the way they should.* This sundial will be replaced
in July 2008.
* This was noted by Fred Sawyer, President of the
North American Sundial Society
The
sundial pictured at the left is located in the 
to insure that the dial was properly aligned to indicate sun time
accurately, and it did so quite well. However,
shortly thereafter, the dial was moved out of alignment.
Sadly, it is now only an elaborate decoration providing neither
an indication of sun time nor a correct educational experience for
Garden visitors.
More can be learned about the Missouri Botanical Garden by navigating
to the Garden's website at
http://www.mobot.org/.
To go to the next site on the St. Louis Sundial Trail, which is about 3 miles from the Missouri Botanical Garden, click on Site 4, St. Louis Children's Hospital, or to go to other sites on the trail, return to the trail map.