Clarence Barbre

Clarence Barbre. . An ardent horticulturist once made his home and operated a small nursery on this property. Clarence Barbre derived great pleasure from his hobby of plant propagation. He specialized in growing azaleas, rhododenrons and hollies, growing thousands of these plants from seed and he introduced other thousands as plants for testing in the St. Louis area. , This achievement came about in a way that was characteristic of Clarence. Before he would agree to sell azaleas to anyone, first they would have to agree to follow his explicit instructions for their culture. His system worked and failures were few. People soon learned that azaleas, rhododenrons and hollies could be successfully grown in the rigorous climate of St. Louis, an achievement, which gave him much personal gratification. , Mr. Barbre was born in Taylorville, Illinois, on May 15, 1880, and died on June 8, 1973. He worked at, and retired from, Monsanto Chemical Company in St. Louis as a chemist. He served on the Advisory Council of the U.S. National Arboretum, in Washington, D.C. and also on the Board of Directors for the Men's Garden Club of America. For many years Mr. Barbre assisted in teaching classes in plant propagation at the Missouri Botanical Garden. Upon his death Mr. Barbre willed this 2.8 acre tract of land to the City of Webster Groves. In 1979 this land was dedicated as Barbre Park.