As this Ladue home was being built in the mid-1960s, the current owner was a young boy. His mother drove him by the site every day on their way to school. “I was really interested in home construction then,” the owner recalls. “My mom and dad were having a home built at the same time by Higginbotham Bros., who was building this house, too.” The parallels extended to the architect, the renowned Ralph Fournier, who had designed both homes.

They only have to step out their own back door to find themselves in a paradise. Adjacent to an upper patio, gold, silver, orange and black koi flash their iridescent colors in a water lily-accented pond with a water-jet fountain. Alongside that same patio is the head of a small stream that twists down the hillside creating a series of tiny waterfalls as it cascades over strategically placed rocks; appears to course under an arched bridge, and eventually find its watery way into a stone-surrounded recreation pond suitable for swimming.

Each fall, the Japanese Garden at the Missouri Botanical Garden lights up with vibrant fall colors. The diverse tree canopy creates a picturesque foliage, but another autumnal highlight is the cascading mums in the Pring Dry Garden. 

About the plant: Chrysanthemum is a genus of plants containing about 40 species. They originate in the Far East, mostly in China. They have been grown in cultivation for over 3,500 years.  

One of the most recognizable fall staples, pumpkins are a versatile way to incorporate autumn into your everyday routine. With over 150 varieties of pumpkins, it’s important to know which of these fall fruits are best suited to your needs.

Setting the Scene

When creating an exquisite fall tablescape, pumpkins are a great way to incorporate natural elements into your decor. Impress your guests by selecting pumpkins of different shapes and sizes!

Baby boo

Tommy and Tara Holstein built a mountain—complete with a waterslide and a waterfall—in the back yard of their Wentzville home. “We wanted to make our back yard as fun as possible,” Tara says. “It keeps us young too.” The family loves to entertain, and wants plenty of awesome spaces to accommodate guests, including their kids, grandkids and everyone’s friends.

    When they bought the home in 2019, the only backyard feature was a small deck on the side of the house toward the driveway. The house’s lower level had no walk-outs, and the yard was bare.   

By Toby Zack Designs. 

The kitchen design was clean and contemporary and the limitations of the ceiling slab gave us very few options for lighting that would enhance the overall design of the space and keep with the clean and contemporary look; as well as adding the much-needed lighting to that space. The track lighting selected is sleek, minimal and provides the bright lights that we were looking for.

Photography by Dan Forer.

By Klima Architecture.