past posts from the thicket
search by subject
overstory (links)
Category Archives: san francisco botanical garden
searching for spanish monastery stones in golden gate park
Walking in Golden Gate Park you may notice some ornately carved stones, segments of fluted pillars, arches, sculptural reliefs worn smooth by time. These are remnants of a medieval Spanish monastery, now scattered throughout the park and put to various … 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
1 Comment
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
2 Comments
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
free admission?
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
golden gate park: views from the thicket 