JB Design

Many of you might remember the winter visit to the Buehrig Garden on Garden-Lou-proving the two-acre garden is outstanding any time of year! 😍 From majestic, mature conifers down to the smallest of hostas layered throughout the rolling terrain, there's color and structure in any season, but during daylily season...well, check it out yourself;

A Summer Visit to the Garden of Bruce and Chick Buehrig - Bellerive Acres, Mo Long-time readers will remember the Winter visit to the Buehrig Garden after a light snow in 2022. A Winter Visit to the Garden of Bruce and Chick Buehrig – The magical snowy scene proved the two-acre garden in Bellerive Acres near UMSL’s campus is outstanding any time of yea...

Learn why this golden dream tree is a golden nightmare on Garden-Lou.com;
https://garden-lou.com/july-anti-tree-of-the-month-golden-rain-tree/

July Anti-Tree of the Month-Golden Rain Tree - Once upon a time, I came to visit my mother-in-law, and before I could make it to the front door, her neighbor ran out of her house, grabbed me by the hand, saying. “YOU’VE GOT TO SEE THIS TREE!” I was then kidnapped, and driven around the block, where we stopped in front of a mature, slightly...

The well-behaved vine!

July Vine of the Month-Clematis - We have talked about some aggressive, problem vines on Garden-Lou: -Kudzu October Anti-Plant of the Month-Kudzu – -Trumpet creeper September Perennial of the Month-Trumpet Creeper – -Climbing hydrangea May Vine of the Month-Climbing Hydrangea – So how about a friendly, well-behaved vine for a ...

Tired of those over-used yellow daylilies? Learn what daylilies to avoid, and where to get some unique colors and cultivars here;

July Perennial of the Month-Daylily - Probably the most well-known perennial on the planet is the daylily, Hemerocallis spp, and cvs. And not only the most well-known, but one of the most-used and loved perennials. One look at the Daylily garden at MBG in full bloom will tell you why. The rainbow of available colors makes plant geeks ha...

Shout out to Glen Carbon for a great tour this year!

Highlights from the Madison County, IL Garden Tour-2026! The 2026 Madison County, IL Garden Tour showcased five gardens in a...

What do avid gardeners do when it's time to downsize, but you can't bear to leave all the trees and plants you nurtured and grew for years? Charlie and Patricia Hoffman moved out of the house and into the garden!

Garden-Lou Spotlight on Patricia and Charlie Hoffman - Lafayette Square, St. Louis, Mo It’s a dilemma that many people face as kids grow up and move out, leaving empty-nesters with a house that suddenly is too big. For avid gardeners, the thought of leaving trees and plants you’ve nurtured and watched grow for years is heartbreaking. So, when Pat an...

Highlights from the 2026 Pond-O-Rama!

Highlights from the 2026 Pond-O-Rama Tour! - With 23 hosts over the two-day event, Pond-O-Rama is the cheery on top of the St. Louis garden tour season cake! There’s something for everyone on this tour where creativity and personality shine, providing plenty of inspiration and ideas to take home. Gardens and water features of every size are ...

Another "ouchy" plant but at least this one has four-season interest and isn't invasive!

June Tree of the Month-Washington Hawthorn - The name is deceiving; Washington hawthorns, Crataegus phaenopyrum, are not native to the U.S. Pacific Northwest. Their native range runs from Virginia to Missouri, Arkansas, and Alabama. (The common name is attributed to Washington DC) What’s also deceiving are those pretty, spring blooms in June...

One word=OUCH!

June ANTI-Shrub of the Month-Barberry - OUCH! I’m not sure what is more painful, pruning and removing  mature barberries, or the fact that homeowners have been dealing with them for so many years when they didn’t have to. That quote about beauty comes with a price is evident in this case by the thorns…LOTS of them. They are sneaky ...