At 12:59, as we were about to enter the garden, we passed a docent at the door who was holding a placard advertising a free tour of the garden. The next scheduled one was at one. He asked us if we wanted a tour. We said yes and off the three of us went, a personal tour. These tours are held daily, but we have never taken one before. Our guide Bill had worked for the garden, retired and has come back as a docent. His theme for our tour was the garden’s early history. Its founder Henry Shaw figured prominently. Shaw had a love of the ginkgo tree. At one point he imported 5,000 saplings. He was such a booster for the tree that not only the garden has quite a few, but all of Saint Louis is blessed with an abundance of them. The pictured ginkgo, located next to the groundskeeper’s house is one that he planted.