Today begins my fourth year of sharing a monthly photo of a Missouri Botanical Garden landmark! I previously photographed the Climatron in 2015, Tower Grove House in 2016, and the Japanese Garden’s Drum Bridge in 2017. This year, I’m going to be looking at how the scenery around the Linnean House changes through the year.

The Linnean House (which was named for Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus), was built in 1882. Its “sister greenhouse” in nearby Tower Grove Park, the Piper Palm House, is actually older than the Linnean House, having been built in 1878, but the Linnean House is the only remaining original greenhouse at the Botanical Garden that was built in Henry Shaw’s day. It also the oldest continually operating public greenhouse west of the Mississippi River!

The Linnean House is one of our favorite places to visit at the Garden. The inside is home to fruit trees (its original function was as an orangery), cacti, and a beautiful collection of camellias. The outside is always beautiful, with seasonal plantings and reflecting pools that not only contain sculptures but are also frequently a display spot for events like Garden Glow and the Lantern Festival. I’m looking forward to watching how the view changes this year, and I certainly got off to a good start with ice and leftover Christmas decorations in the pools outside!