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Category Archives: plants
managing the urban forest in golden gate park
Standing near the intersection of Transverse Drive and Middle Drive West in Golden Gate Park, looking downhill towards Elk Glen Lake, I am surrounded by urban forest, no hint of the city in sight. The air is warm and … Continue reading
a labor of love: mapping central park’s trees
This article from today’s New York Times tells of two friends who have spent two years putting together a map of the trees in Central Park, New York. Of the approximately 23,000 trees in the park, only about 150 … Continue reading
horses and the founding of golden gate park
A horse actually played a key role in the founding of Golden Gate Park. The story goes like this: In the early 1870s, faced with the daunting task of establishing a vegetative cover on the sand dunes that had been … Continue reading
the vigor of weeds: got to admire them!
Working at the San Francisco Botanical Garden nursery, repotting native plants for the past few weeks in preparation for the annual plant sale, I’ve noticed a miniature battle going on in the pots. It’s actually the same battle that goes on … Continue reading
Posted in plants, san francisco botanical garden, urban ecology
Tagged golden gate park, invasive plants, native plants, urban parks
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botanical garden: california section prime time
The next couple of weeks are going to be prime time for California wildflowers in the Botanical Garden in Golden Gate Park. You can wander through drifts of irises and poppies, with backdrops of ceanothus and currant . . . … Continue reading
california lilacs: brilliant shades of blue!
Ceanothus plants are brilliantly blooming throughout Golden Gate Park right now. The Ceanothus genus, of which there are 50-60 species ranging from low-growing shrubs to small trees, belongs to the buckthorn family (Rhamnaceae). These iridescent blue-flowering plants stand out from … Continue reading
Posted in blooming, plants, san francisco botanical garden
Tagged golden gate park, native plants
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exquisite black and white photos capture moody park
Walking around Stow Lake these days you might encounter a dapper, white-haired gentleman with a gorgeous 4 x 5 camera on a tripod, lens focused on a group of stones at the water’s edge or a distant, misty view of … Continue reading
Posted in arts, people, trees/urban forest
Tagged golden gate park, nature photography, urban parks
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japanese tea garden in full bloom!
This week is prime time for viewing the Japanese Tea Garden in bloom. Everything is in bloom at once! And cherry blossoms, of course!
academy roof garden hosts diverse species
At a symposium last weekend at the Academy of Sciences, Alana Hysert, Academy Naturalist, reported some interesting preliminary data on the living roof. Recognizing the research and education potential of the new green roof, Hysert has been overseeing a citizen science … Continue reading
magnolia walk: precocious blossoms harbingers of spring
Take a magnolia walk in the San Francisco Botanical Garden in Golden Gate Park this month! Yesterday afternoon, on a docent-led tour we learned many interesting facts about the magnolias in this world-renowned collection, recently listed as the 4th best … Continue reading
golden gate park: views from the thicket 