San Francisco Botanical Garden

The San Francisco Botanical Garden at Strybing Arboretum (formerly Strybing Arboretum) is located in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. Its 55 acres (22.3 ha) represents nearly 9,000 different kinds of plants from around the world, with particular focus on Magnolia species, high elevation palms, conifers, and cloud forest species from Central America, South America and Southeast Asia.[2]

San Francisco Botanical Garden at Strybing Arboretum
Strybing Arboretum
San Francisco Botanical Garden
San Francisco Botanical Garden
San Francisco Botanical Garden
San Francisco Botanical Garden
TypeBotanical garden
LocationGolden Gate Park[1]
Area55 acres (22 ha)[1]
Opened1940 (1940)[1]
Operated bySan Francisco Recreation & Parks Department
VisitorsOver 450,000 Annual Visits
StatusOpen year round
Website
McBean Wildfowl Pond and Primitive Plant Garden at SF Botanical Garden
Pond at Dwarf Conifer collection of SF Botanical Garden
Redwood trail
Nodding Pincushion Protea Flower Bud
Stones from the Spanish monastery Santa Maria de Ovila can be found in the library reading patio, the Rhododendron pavilion, and the Garden of Fragrance.
Verbascum at San Francisco Botanical Garden
Meadow at San Francisco Botanical Garden
Cassia in San Francisco Botanical Garden
Aloe at San Francisco Botanical Garden
Pagoda at San Francisco Botanical Garden

San Francisco's County Fair Building is located near the main entrance to the Garden.

History

Plans for the garden were originally laid out in the 1880s by park supervisor John McLaren, but funding was insufficient to begin construction until Helene Strybing left a major bequest in 1927.[3] Planting was begun in 1937 with WPA funds supplemented by local donations, and the Arboretum officially opened in May 1940.[4] As a part of Golden Gate Park, it is officially managed by the city of San Francisco, but the San Francisco Botanical Garden Society plays an important role in providing educational programs, managing volunteers, curatorial staff, and more. Formed in 1955, the San Francisco Botanical Garden Society (formerly the Strybing Arboretum Society) operates the Helen Crocker Russell Library of Horticulture, Garden Bookstore, and monthly plant sales, and offers a wide range of community education programs for children and adults. The Society also raises money for new projects and Garden renovations.

In 2004, Strybing Arboretum changed its name to San Francisco Botanical Garden at Strybing Arboretum, and the Arboretum Society followed suit, becoming San Francisco Botanical Garden Society at Strybing Arboretum.

Plant collections

The gardens are organized into several specialized collections:

  • Mediterranean
    • California Native
    • John Muir Nature Trail
    • Redwood Grove
    • Chile
    • South Africa
    • Australia
    • Mediterranean Basin Region
  • Mild-temperate climate
    • New Zealand
    • Moon-viewing Garden - a Japanese design
    • Temperate Asia Garden
  • Montane tropic
    • Mesoamerican Cloud Forest
    • Southeast Asian Cloud Forest (in development)
    • Andean Cloud Forest (in development)
  • Specialty collections
    • Ancient Plant Garden
    • Succulent garden
    • Dwarf Conifer garden
    • Exhibition Garden
    • Garden of Fragrance
    • Zellerbach Garden of Perennials
    • Dry Mexico
    • Rhododendron Garden
    • Magnolias & Camellias (found in many collections)

The mild Mediterranean climate is ideal for plants from surprisingly many parts of the world; the arboretum does not include greenhouses for species requiring other climate types.

See also
  • California native plants
  • List of botanical gardens in the United States
  • North American Plant Collections Consortium
  • 49-Mile Scenic Drive

References
  1. "San Francisco Botanical Garden". San Francisco Recreation & Parks Department. Retrieved 2016-04-12.
  2. "About San Francisco Botanical Garden". San Francisco Botanical Garden at Strybing Arboretum. San Francisco Botanical Garden. June 2008. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
  3. Sullivan, Michael J. (2004). The Trees of San Francisco, p. 56. Pomegranate Communications, Inc.
  4. "Strybing Arboretum in Golden Gate Park". Golden Gate Park. Golden Gate Park.com. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
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