The view of the pond when you walk in the MLK Drive gate.
Recently, we stopped by the San Francisco Botanical Garden in Golden Gate Park. While the garden is in close proximity to the Richmond District, we bet there are a lot of residents who have never stepped through the gates to explore this vast garden full of plant life from around the globe.
The garden is on the southern side of Golden Gate Park, and spans 55 acres with entrances near 9th Avenue and Lincoln in the Sunset, and on MLK Drive inside the park near the Music Concourse. Admission is free for SF residents (just bring your ID with your SF address on it), and $2 – $9 for visitors depending on age.
The grounds boast over 8,500 different kinds of plants from around the world, and the garden showcases them in themed sections with names like “Temperate Asia”, “New Zealand”, “Australia”, “Garden of Fragrance” and “Native California”.
Paths meander everywhere, and it’s easy to forget you’re in the middle of San Francisco as the car and urban noises fade away. Benches are tucked throughout the garden alongside mulch and paved paths, offering ideal places to sit and read, or eat a picnic. And inside the main entrance is a huge lawn that’s perfect for stretching out on a warm day.
Spring is the most colorful time of the year, but you’ll always find something in bloom as you wander through.
Brendan Lange, the Director of Visitor Experience and Marketing, says the goal of the Garden is for it to be an immersive experience for visitors. We took a walk through the gardens with Brendan and the Garden’s newish Curator, Ryan Guillou, who started last July. Ryan came from a role at the Royal Botanical Garden of Jordan, so he’s adjusting to the rather foggy climate of the Richmond District.
Flower Piano was about to take place when we visited, and Brendan and Ryan said the unique event has been a great boon for the Garden. For a week, pianos are placed throughout the grounds, inviting pros and amateurs to tickle the ivories among the horticulture. The event is especially effective in attracting local residents – Ryan told us that 70% of the visitors during Flower Piano are San Franciscans, many of whom attend the special NightGarden Piano events.
The Moon Viewing Pond inside the Garden, a popular destination during Flower Piano.
The Botanical Garden is a hotspot for local wildlife too. When you enter, you’ll notice signs warning of coyotes on the grounds (we didn’t see any but keep your eyes out at dusk!). A Great Blue Heron was quietly watching over the pond when we walked in, and squirrels are a frequent presence (beware picknickers!). Wild turkeys have also made appearances in the garden, and you’ll often find birders keeping an eye out for different species in the treetops.
Admission to the Botanical Garden was free up until summer 2010, when they decided to charge admission (but keep it free for SF residents). Fans of the Garden grumbled about the change but it has been a positive one for the Garden, increasing visitors by 117% and bringing in just over $1 million in revenue every year, contributing 17% of the operating budget.
A Great Blue Heron in the Botanical Garden
The Botanical Garden also raises funds through private donations, memberships, and their monthly plant sales where you can walk in and purchase California native species as well as others from around the world that are seldom found at local nurseries (the next one is coming up on September 8: California Natives & Succulents). Each May the Garden also holds their Annual Plant Sale, which offers over 2,500 different kinds of plants.
The Garden has a team of eleven, full-time landscapers which sounds like a lot, but when you have 55 acres to care for, you still need help. Which is where volunteers come in. In 2017, 1,883 of them lent a hand individually or as participants in corporate, school, and service organization projects. It’s volunteers that primarily maintain the plants that are curated and grown for the Garden’s plant sales.
So the next time you’re looking for something to do, or need a timeout from our urban environment, head over the Botanical Garden for a nice escape. Pull up a bench and drift away for awhile…
Sarah B.
A quiet bench among the greenery
Visitors relax on the many lawns inside the grounds
Botanical Garden staffers Brendan Lange (L), Director of Visitor Experience and Ryan Guillou, Curator in front of an impressive bloom in the Australia section of the Garden
Sutro Tower looms in the distance
A lovely write-up! My wife and I walk through quite often, especially if we’re in the area (such as heading down tio 9th and Irving, or the museums). One of our favorite places to go in the park.
Winter when the magnolias and camellias bloom is also a very colorful time to visit, not just spring.
The Botanical Gardens are a treasure of the City. Every season has something to catch the eye. The results of hard work and dedication by the small but superb staff are remarkable.