Historic Waterlily Ponds

The historic waterlily ponds at Tower Grove Park were the vision of Henry Shaw, founder of the park and of the nearby Missouri Botanical Garden. Established in 1872, the 285-acre park was situated on land south of the city and designed in the formal Gardenesque style. In 2008, the park underwent a major restoration, after which the waterlily ponds more closely resembled their original nineteenth-century appearance. A collection of photographs at the Missouri Historical Society depicts visitors to the park (circa 1900 - 1905) standing atop the large waterlilies.

Following Henry Shaw's vision for the creation of a new park on land that was located just outside the city of St. Louis, Tower Grove Park opened to the public in 1872. It remains an accessible counterpart to the adjacent Missouri Botanical Garden. To date, Tower Grove Park is still considered the best-preserved example of a late nineteenth-century Gardenesque style landscape in the U.S.

Gardenesque is a formal style of landscape architecture that emerged during the Victorian Era in Britain, while also becoming popular in America during the late 1800s. Characterized by its use of orderly, symmetrical design and large swaths of bright foliage, it was distinct from picturesque landscaping, which had a more naturalistic look. The Gardenesque style favored dense groupings of ornamental plants and colorful annual flowers. In addition, ornate architectural elements such as gates, pavilions, and gazebos were often incorporated into Gardenesque landscapes.

A collection of archival photographs from the Missouri Historical Society offers a glimpse of an outing at the park, circa 1900 - 1905. These photographs show women holding parasols and men wearing top hats while standing on the waterlilies in the middle of the pond. Because the plants were exceptionally large and sturdy, the visitors were easily able to balance on them and remain afloat. In one particular image, a man in a suit was photographed holding a small child, while standing on a waterlily. Another image shows a young woman in a full-length dress playing a violin, while balancing perfectly atop a waterlily in the pond.

Prost, Charlene. Tower Grove Park lily pads bloom again, St. Louis Public Radio. September 18th, 2008. Accessed October 27th, 2022. https://news.stlpublicradio.org/arts/2008-09-18/tower-grove-park-lily-pads-bloom-again.

Tower Grove Park - National Historic Landmark, St. Louis MO.gov. Accessed October 27th, 2022. https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/planning/cultural-resources/Tower-Grove-Park-National-Historic-Landmark.cfm.

Tower Grove Park: About, Tower Grove Park. Accessed October 27th, 2022. https://www.towergrovepark.org/natural1.