Everyone is welcome to visit the gardens any time from dawn to dusk.

Every Sunday we invite you to Bible Study at 9:15AM in our basement with coffee and snacks. 

Worship is at 10:30AM with coffee after the service.

About the gardens

Patrick Greenwald is a horticulturist from St. Louis Missouri. Having obtained a Masters in Plant Science degree from Missouri State University, he has worked in horticulture for the past 11 years. Inspired by St. Louis City’s horticulture past, he founded the Gardens at Holy Cross in March of 2015 with the creation of two original display gardens. In the years following, an azalea woodland garden was added in 2016, Miami Street Glade in 2019, the Ohio Street Woodland Slope in 2021, and the Ohio Street Savanna in 2022. He specializes in native Missouri rock gardens which provides a habitat Oasis for wildlife. Still actively involved in the maintenance of the Gardens at Holy Cross, he currently is a Senior Horticulturist at Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, PA.

March, 2015: Non-native Fescue turf grass covers 1.9% of the U.S and supports very little wildlife. (1) When the first garden at Holy Cross was established, the greenspaces were dominated by turf grass and juniper covered garden spaces. In a span of 9 years, now over 15% of the potential green spaces have been converted to wildlife supporting landscapes.

May, 2020: Established in 2019, the Woodland Gardens are dominated by Flame azaleas (Rhododendron calendulaceum) and native spring ephemeral wildflowers. Woodland ephemeral flowers take advantage of early spring sunlight shining through the branches of deciduous tree canopy; providing nectar and pollen rewards to early emerging pollinators and migrating hummingbirds.

May, 2020: There are three native lilies to Missouri, Prairie lily (Lilium philadelphicum) being the smallest and is very rarely found in Missouri. (2) When beginning a gardening project, try to remember that “We are Natures Advocates” and creating a habitat in the middle of a concrete jungle can bridge the gap between remnant wildlands, creating a nature corrido that includes your own backyard.

June, 2020: 

Michigan lilies 

(Lilium michiganense) are much more commonly found in Missouri. Native lilies provide stunning beauty to the garden while providing a nectar source for hummingbirds, moths, and butterflies. (3)

June, 2020: Wildlife abounds on the Miami Street Glade 1 year after conversion from turfgrass. This pair of mourning doves feed on the abundance of seeds from native plants such as annual Plains Coreopsis (Coreopsis tinctoria). Native grasslands are the most endangered landscape in the world (4), 

and as a result, bird species dependent on grasslands as their home are the most threatened (5)

June, 2020: Prairie Blazing Star (Liatris pycnostachya), Missouri Coneflowers (Rudbeckia missouriensis), and Plains Coreopsis (Coreopsis tinctoria) provide valuable food and cover to wildlife in midsummer on the Miami Street Glade.

August, 2020: Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) is a coveted nectar source of active hummingbirds preparing for migration in late summer.

August, 2020: Monarch on Eastern Blazing Star (Liatris scariosa) and Monarch on Butterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosa). One of the greatest migratory creatures in the world, Monarch populations are at their lowest numbers in recorded history. Monarchs depend exclusively on Milkweed (Asclepias species) for their caterpillar food source. The rise in use of herbicide resistant crops and associated increase in herbicide use is directly linked to the decline of milkweed throughout agricultural fields in Monarch summer breeding grounds and has led to crashing Monarch population numbers. Planting more native milkweed species in home gardens can help to preserve this gorgeous migratory butterfly for future generations. (6)

April, 2021: Jacobs Ladder (Polemonium reptans) another early spring wildflower supporting early spring awakening pollinators in the woodland garden.

April, 2021: Prairie Blue-eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium campestre) a stunning, yet overlooked plants on the Miami Street Glade. Monocultures do not allow wildlife to thrive, organized chaos is natures way.

April, 2021: Shooting Star (Dodecatheon meadii) in the woodland garden. A wildlife habitat garden can also be a stunning work of art utilizing native plants.

May, 2021: Wild Hyacinths (Camassia scilloides) blooming on the Miami Street Glade. On the Miami St. Glade, there is hardly a time during the growing season that flowers are not blooming, providing for foraging pollinators. It is important to plant a diversity of flowering plants in a native garden to provide food and habitat to pollinators throughout the seasons.

May, 2021: Prairie Blue-eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium campestre) and Eastern Beebalm (Monarda bradburiana). Native plants are adapted to the St. Louis climate and not hard to grow. What ever soil type you have, there is a native plant to fill the niches.

June, 2021: The Miami Street Glade really came alive the 3rd summer after initially planting. Native plantings take a few years to establish before taking off. Plant a garden for wildlife habitat and beauty.

June, 2021: Some plants such as this Trelease’s Larkspur (Delphinium treleasei) you would have to travel deep into the Ozarks to find in nature or like the 5-20 Photo 19 Flame Azalea (Rhododendron

calendulaceaum), you would have to climb on top of an Appalachian mountain to see in nature. At the Gardens at Holy Cross, these plants are on view for all to see. You too can create a habitat oasis.

June, 2021: Habitat gardens exhibited at the Gardens at Holy Cross include: Glade and prairie habitat (Miami St. Glade), woodland garden (Ohio St. Woodland and Azalea Border gardens) and woodland savannah (Ohio St. Savannah), bog, and crevice garden. Towering over the gardens, century old oaks and hickories can be found at the gardens at Holy Cross and over 25 shrubs and trees ready to take steps to become future arboretum.

June, 2021: Did you know plants and wildlife love rocks? Not only can rocks outline and formalize an informal/wild landscape, but rocks provide homes for wildlife, keep plant roots cool and moist creating niche habitats.

You are invited to visit The Gardens at Holy Cross any time from dawn to dusk. You are welcome to go up the steps and enjoy all the gardens around the church. There you will find a small fountain, some small walking paths, benches and picnic tables, amongst the gardens. Spend your time there however you like. Maybe you can pack a picnic. Or perhaps you’d just like a peaceful spot in nature, to read a book. It’s a wonderful space to enjoy a drink with a friend. However you enjoy the gardens, we’ll be glad that you came.