Natural Treasures

Tower Grove Park's 289 acres contain thousands of species of flora and fauna, including the popular lily pond and various types of birds.

Flowers

From the large entrance beds that act as Tower Grove’s welcoming front door to the single urns tucked away in hidden spots throughout the park, our flower displays are an integral part of the park’s landscape. The park has 56 display beds and 20 urns that are all planted with seasonal flower displays.

The park staff cultivates over 20,000 individual plants each year in our 2,400 square foot greenhouse to fill these beds with color. If you would like to help grow or maintain our flower displays, please visit our volunteer page. 

Trees

Tower Grove Park is home to over 7,000 trees made up of 325 different species, including a white mulberry planted by Henry Shaw, a 55-foot catalpa with unique form, and several other species that are rare in the area. The rich diversity of the park’s trees is greater than any other urban park in the country.

This urban forest is valued at $10,194,424 and provides over $390,000 in tangible and environmental benefits annually. Protecting and caring for this urban forest requires significant, consistent resources—you can help! 

Wildlife

An abundance of wildlife populates our beautiful park year round, including many species of birds. The park’s natural areas, like the Gaddy Wild Bird Garden and adjacent Savannah Complex, provide a haven for many of our wildlife species. The East and West creeks offer additional wildlife viewing areas, as riparian corridors are currently being established to attract animals. 

Waterlily Ponds

Our Waterlily Pond Complex is in the same area as the Fountain Pond and Ruins. Park staff propagate a number of waterlily varieties, including the giant waterlilies that are large enough for people to stand on, as seen in historical photos of the park. During the summer months, tropical varieties of flowering waterlilies provide color to the ponds. 

Fountain Pond & Ruins

The Fountain Pond and Ruins is the premier landscape in Tower Grove Park and is a popular attraction for visitors. Remains were selected from the Old Lindell House to form the fountain stone and rockery, an artistic arrangement of stone blocks, which are the main focus of this landscape. The area also contains a number of our annual flower displays.