‘Do you have a true passion for nature? If so, you might appreciate the new app. called “Leafsnap”. Leafsnap allows you to photograph a plant and within no time the application provides you with the name of what species that plant is most likely to be. One situation I can think of where this would be handy would be if you were hiking or in the woods for some reason and you were trying to look out for Poison Ivy or other plants of that nature. All you would have to do is take out your smartphone, take a quick picture, and Leafsnap “instantly searches a growing library of leaf images amassed by the Smithsonian Institution.” The same developers are discussing an application similar to this one that identifies bugs and certain animals. What a neat idea! And did I mention it’s free? What do you think about this new app?

For more information, please visit:

http://www.npr.org/2011/06/08/137064663/whats-that-tree-try-smithsonians-new-app-to-see?sc=ipad&f=1019

Written by: Jen Ebenrick

One of the places I find myself going to more and more is the Missouri Botanical Garden. A luscious treasure encapsulated near downtown Saint Louis and the Hill, the Missouri Botanical Garden is a beautiful place to be any day of the year. In my opinion, admission is cheap as well. I personally like to walk around the Japanese area and feed the Koi fish myself, but there are many exciting exhibits for the entire family. My favorite event is the free concert series during the summer, which offers free admission and live music after 5 on some Wednesdays during the summer months. What is your favorite part of the Missouri Botanical Garden?

Written by: Dan Goeke