A seasonal trend for some, a lifestyle for many, the growing popularity of urban and rooftop gardens in the last decade has been significant. The development of the nouveau foodie persona, and the rise of the farm-to-table movement, have played a huge role in encouraging otherwise cement-treading, air-conditioned dwelling individuals to pick up a spade and bend from the waist for hours upon hours to tend a plot.

If you lack a green thumb but pine for a lush landscape, try one of these easy-going plants. SLHL asked local landscapers to share plants that are resilient.

What better way to cure cabin fever than to design next season’s garden and landscape plan? The Kemper Center for Home Gardening is a tremendous inspiration to both the budding gardener and seasoned pro. This eight-acre portion of the Missouri Botanical Garden features an 8,000-square-foot enclosed pavilion, which contains displays, a reference library, the Plant Doctor clinic, a classroom, indoor gardening displays, a monthly gardening-calendar display and much more.

There should be no mystery as to what inspires the stunning garden that surrounds Carol and Steve Higgins's Ladue home. The clues are everywhere.

In the colder, winter months indoor cacti bring a fresh breath of air to your home. The spiny plants require little care making them ideal for a sunny window space. We asked local landscapers to share their favorite cacti.

Easter Lily Cactus

“For months of colorful blossoms try the Easter Lily cactus. Large pink flowers burst out from the white spine-jeweled ribs of this cylinder-shaped cactus. It brings year-round beauty for containers indoors and out.” Ann Lapides, Sugar Creek Gardens.

A walk through the Shoenberg Temperate House is a lovely respite from the blustery St. Louis weather.  Dedicated in March 1990, the building replaced the 1913 Mediterranean House on a site just north of the Climatron® geodesic dome conservatory.  Boasting 8,900 square feet of space, it displays warm temperate-zone species requiring special protection from our St. Louis winters. The largest portion of the house features species from five widely separated regions of the world known for their “Mediterranean” climate, chiefly characterized by warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters.