All work by Nelson Byrd Woltz

Inspired by the meandering Mississippi and Missouri rivers with their adjacent farm fields and steep limestone bluffs, Citygarden is a 3 acre, two block urban sculpture garden in downtown St. Louis, opened to the public on July 1, 2009.  The park features 22 sculptures by well-known and emerging artists. It is free, unbound by fences, and completely accessible – a gift toward revitalization of downtown St. Louis from the Gateway Foundation. Mary Wolf and Paul Josey, while working at NBW, were responsible for planting design and layout, onsite bioretention, including internal and street-side raingardens, and suspended slab construction. The planting draws heavily from the ecological and cultural context as well as the historical patterns of structures that existed earlier on the site.   The boundaries of earlier row house sites became the framework for an extensive perennial garden along the south edge of the site.  Two large rain gardens central to the site create a dramatic seasonal display as well as receive all the stormwater within the site.  Raingardens along street planted with juncus and lobelia cardinalis (cardinal flower) delight the baseball fans as they make their way to Cardinal stadium.  Trees were a priority in this project and custom suspended slab paving systems were developed for trees, allowing for rainwater infiltration into the uncompacted soil volumes. Large native trees as well as groves and allees were planted throughout the park to give immediate shade and backdrop for the sculpture.