May 11, 1869…Lars Peter Jensen born

Lars Peter Jensen, manager of the Missouri Botanical Garden Arboretum at Gray Summit, Missouri for fourteen years, was born May 11, 1869 at Vindige, Denmark. Trained in horticulture in Copenhagen, he came to the United States in 1891. Soon he found employment as landscape gardener for Adolphus Busch. Jensen helped lay out the grounds at Grant farm and at Grandview farm and also did landscaping at Anheuser-Busch properties in different parts of the country.

Jensen joined the Missouri Botanical Garden Staff in 1920 as arboriculturist to the city garden. From 1924 to 1926 he engaged in the floral business with a son, Arthur. From October 1926 until his death at St. Louis April 23, 1941, Jensen was in charge of the Gray Summit Extension of the Missouri Botanical Garden; since 1932 known as the Missouri Botanical Garden Arboretum.

As president of the Henry Shaw Gardenway Association, he directed the beautification of United States Highway 66 from the St. Louis City limits to the arboretum. The project was begun in 1934 and each year afterward until his death Jensen served as president of the association. The stone overlook constructed on the summit of sandstone cliffs east of Pacific, Missouri, was named Jensen Point, in recognition of Jensen's work at its dedication as a permanent feature of the Henry Shaw Gardenway May 30, 1939.

A nationally known horticulturist, Jensen was one of twelve members of the St. Louis Naturalists’ Club, an organization of men chosen for their interest in natural history. He organized garden clubs at Gray Summit, Union, Washington, and other Missouri towns. He also wrote many articles on gardening, birds and other forms of wildlife.

Jensen supervised most of the planting at Gray Summit although during his last two years he was ill and not actively in charge. His philosophy he embodied in two original poems, "Lend a Hand" and "Why I am Happy," copies of which he often gave to arboretum visitors.

President of the National Association of Gardeners in 1920, Jensen owned a large library on landscaping. He was chairman of roadside development for the Federated Garden Club of Missouri.

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