past posts from the thicket
search by subject
overstory (links)
Category Archives: trees/urban forest
the oldest trees in golden gate park: coastal oak woodlands predate the park
In the north east corner of Golden Gate Park, along Fulton Ave. behind McLaren Lodge and the Conservatory of Flowers, a grove of native coast live oaks (Quercus agrifolia) offers a glimpse of what the San Francisco peninsula was like before the … Continue reading
a timeless grove in golden gate park
How fitting that a grove of redwoods in Golden Gate Park commemorates those who have lost their lives to AIDS. For me, a stroll through these magnificent giants is a spiritual experience whenever I encounter them. Even more than stone circles and … Continue reading
Posted in gardens, plants, trees/urban forest
Tagged AIDS Memorial Grove, golden gate park, urban parks, walk in the park
1 Comment
water in golden gate park: name that pond
A lovely pond just inside the Friend Gate in the Botanical Garden in Golden Gate Park is frequented by ducks and seagulls, stocked with large carp and home to turtles that particularly delight small children who were running around the verges and keeping … Continue reading
Australian tree like a benign serpent in the grass of golden gate park
Next to the Ghiradelli Rustic Shelter, a hang-out for chess and checker players just north-west of the Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park, the serpentine trunks of an old (possibly dying?) Melaleuca tree must be an irresistible jungle gym for children. Going … Continue reading
Posted in plants, trees/urban forest
Tagged golden gate park, trees of golden gate park, urban forest, urban parks
2 Comments
primordial tree fern dell in golden gate park
The shady Tree Fern Dell in Golden Gate Park is so different in mood from the sunny, flower-filled Conservatory Valley on the other side of JFK Drive. But this jungly dell well represents the flip side of the Victorian sensibility, a fascination with the exotic and … Continue reading
trees love light: photos of trees in golden gate park at the botanical garden
A beautiful exhibit of photographs by local photographer, Steve Kane, opened in the library of the San Francisco Botanical Garden in Golden Gate Park last night and will be on view through April, 2014. Don’t miss this one! Using … Continue reading
sudden oak death found in golden gate park
‘The number of oak trees in California that died from the virulent forest disease known as sudden oak death has increased tenfold in just a year’s time as the pathogen spread into several new parts of the Bay Area, including … Continue reading
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
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
Leave a comment
golden gate park: views from the thicket 