This tree is in the Lobby of the Metropolitan Square building in downtown St Louis (Located at 1 Metropolitan Square).  This year the tree has been transformed to tell the story of the history of St Louis. Included in the ornaments are 32 large, custom luminaries that were hand crafted by Walter Knoll Florist.  These luminaries show a pictorial history of St Louis.  The luminaries are made from Lexan, a clear polycarbonate that has been cast into tubes that then have historical images from St Louis’ past displayed with back-lit illumination.  Images featured include Louisiana Purchase, Thomas Jefferson,  Lewis and Clark, The 1904 Worlds Fair, Charles Lindbergh & the Spirit of St Louis,  the construction of the St Louis Arch and many other Saint Louis historic moments.

Standing at over 45 feet tall, this is the largest Indoor holiday tree in the St Louis area.

The Christmas tree in the lobby of the Metropolitan Square Building

This year we added a podium and a book with copies of the images and a description of each photo.

The Podium and Picture Book feature LED lighting

Some Close Ups of the Luminaries

Many of the images came from the Missouri History Museum and  several from the personal collection of Mark Allen from Anmar Photography.

If you are out looking at holiday decorations this season, it is worth your time to go by and see the biggest and best tree in St Louis. The Metropolitan Square Building tree is a great backdrop for a holiday photo.

This tree was assembled and decorated by Walter Knoll Florist and we manufactured many of the decorations as well.

If you would like to ask Walter Sr a question about the decorations click here.

We at Walter Knoll Florist we were honored to be able to create the flowers for the memorial service of Stan Kann the organist of the Fabulous Fox on the Mighty Wurlitzer Organ.  As well as being the organist for the Fox, Stan was known for world class vacuum cleaner collection, his many gadgets and more that 70 appearances on the Tonight Show. Below is a photo from his memorial service on Sunday October 5th, below that are some you-tube videos of Stan.

The Mighty Wurlitzer Organ at the Fox at the memorial service

Stan Playing the Intro to Phantom of the Opera

KETC Channel 9 Interview with Stan

A tour at the Fox with Stan Kann

My plant at about 2 years old

Back in the early 70s, I went to a birthday party for my boyfriend’s grandmother.  She had a huge cereus plant with at least a dozen buds on it, within a few hours of her party starting they all opened up.  It was the first time her plant bloomed for her, there was a full moon, it was her 75th birthday and she thought it was all very magical.  So did I.  She happened to have a little cutting of one leaf in a pot of dirt which she gave to me and 30 some odd years later I am once a year in awe of this night blooming wonder.  Too bad the boyfriend didn’t last this long!

This year's bloom, August 22

Over the years I have learned there are many night bloomers and many variations of the night blooming cereus.

Barb's Cereus Blooms (with Finca the Cat!)

Barb's flower this year

Richard's Cereus bloomed on Sept 5 this year

Richard's

I had to do some re-potting this year, my plant has gotten quite large although every time I re-pot I give cuttings away.

Ready for some fresh new soil

Happy in a new pot of fresh soil

Over the years and every late summer I watch closely for bud development – I’ve had parties centered around the annual event of this blooming plant.  Many of my friends have been the recipients of cuttings and I love those excited phone calls announcing their plant is about to bloom.

Night blooming cereus are cacti/succulents.  They are easy to care for houseplants here in the midwest where we have real live winter seasons!  They love to spend their summers out doors under a tree or in the shade somerwhere, direct sun will burn the leaves.  Regular potting soil will do, sometimes I add a bit of sand – in the summer when they are growing they require lots of water, but be careful not to overwater during the winter.  They benefit from plant food and seem to produce more blooms when fed regularly during growing season.  Blooms are usually end of August or early September.  The funnel-shaped flowers are mostly white, and extremely fragrant. This scent is one way they attract pollinators, such as bats. The individual blooms can be as large at 10 inches across in the variety I have. The buds are produced along the edge of the leaves.  Cuttings easily root – just push them into some soil.

We have a large selection of succulents, many of them bloomers, as well as a huge houseplant selection, at our LaSalle Street (Florists Row) Garden Center.  Stop in for a visit!

My friend Barb Eastman, up in LaPort, IN made this beautiful wedding cake at home! It called for 72 eggs and 9 lbs of butter and it is filled with lemon curd and raspberries. You rock, Babs!

It is spring and this is some of what is new at the florist row greenhouse at Walter Knoll Florist.

A small electronic picture frame that can be given as a gift that will hold about 100 pictures. This makes a wonderful gift for Mom. Easy to use just use the included usb cable and plug it into your PC and load your pictures into it.

We got a wonderful compliment lately from Pete in Hazelwood, MO: “I recently sent someone special to me the Delightful Sunset Bouquet based solely on the picture I saw on your site. She said the flowers were just gorgeous. I try getting her flowers as often as possible and only once before have I used an online delivery service – I was very disappointed in them. The flowers looked like &*^%$)^%, nothing like the picture. I just wanted to say that as long as you guys keep delivering the same quality of flowers as I see online, I will only use wkf.com. Thanks for making her day that much better!”

Thank you, Pete! What a wonderful compliment!

Here’s a link to the arrangement he purchased. Walter Knoll Florist Delightful Sunset Bouquet

New Look for the Saint Louis Flower Market (Florist Row)