Category Archives: plants

growing, green stuff in the park

from greenhouse to garden in golden gate park nursery

Posted on January 14, 2011 by fromthethicket

Carolyn Adams loves her job!   She works at the plant nursery in Golden Gate Park, overseeing the propagation and nurture of more than 800 species of plants that are used to fill in the blanks in parks throughout the … Continue reading →

Posted in people, plants | 3 Comments

exotic fall foliage

Posted on December 18, 2010 by fromthethicket

Walking in the park yesterday, I noticed brilliant flashes of fall color still decorating the park  .  .  .  in mid December!   Are these trees confused?!  It’s so late!  Then I had a revelation:  these flames of color throughout … Continue reading →

Posted in fall foliage | 1 Comment

free admission?

Posted on November 20, 2010 by fromthethicket

On August 7 this year, the Botanical Garden in Golden Gate Park began to charge admission for the first time since it opened to the public seventy years ago.   Nobody likes to have to pay for something that was … Continue reading →

Posted in california academy of sciences, de young museum, history, san francisco botanical garden | 2 Comments

musing in the tea garden

Posted on October 29, 2010 by fromthethicket

The Japanese Tea Garden is now a study in fall color.  Like the first layer of watercolor wash applied with a brush to paper, the saturation is variable throughout the garden now, with a spot or two of brilliant red, … Continue reading →

Posted in fall foliage, trees/urban forest, wildlife | Leave a comment

is golden gate park an urban forest?!

Posted on October 22, 2010 by fromthethicket

Here’s an interesting puzzle!  Friends of the Urban Forest is creating an urban forest map of San Francisco that omits Golden Gate Park (the project also omits the other parks in the city, including the Presidio). http://www.urbanforestmap.org/map/ I understand the … Continue reading →

Posted in trees/urban forest | 5 Comments

golden gate park fall foliage tour

Posted on October 17, 2010 by fromthethicket

The first signs of fall are here!  Here’s a picture of cherry trees at the entrance to North Lake (intersection of Chain of lakes Drive East an JFK Drive).  And the grasses in front of the De Young Museum. Another … Continue reading →

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reforestation in golden gate park

Posted on September 27, 2010 by fromthethicket

In the book, The Trees of Golden Gate Park (pp. 17-21), Peter Ehrlich describes the Golden Gate Park Forest Management Plan, a reforestation plan for the park, adopted in 1980 (so now 30 years old).   Mr. Ehrlich was in … Continue reading →

Posted in trees/urban forest | 1 Comment

fall foliage

Posted on September 22, 2010 by fromthethicket

I’m in the Canadian Rockies this week (blogging by iPhone is limiting), but I will be back next week and back up to speed. The Western larches here are magnificent, flaming gold!   I’m unable to check right now, but … Continue reading →

Posted in trees/urban forest | 1 Comment

little tulip tree

Posted on September 17, 2010 by fromthethicket

This young, recently planted tulip tree seems to be thriving in the Panhandle.  Smack in the middle of the undulating, open space that is the core feature of this linear park, it enjoys full sun and suffers little competition from … Continue reading →

Posted in trees/urban forest | 1 Comment

elms in the panhandle: then and now

Posted on September 16, 2010 by fromthethicket
Posted in trees/urban forest | Leave a comment