San Francisco Botanical Garden facts for kids
Quick facts for kids San Francisco Botanical Garden at Strybing Arboretum |
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San Francisco Botanical Garden
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| Type | Botanical garden |
| Location | Golden Gate Park |
| Area | 55 acres (22 ha) |
| Operated by | San Francisco Recreation & Parks Department |
| Visitors | Over 450,000 Annual Visits |
| Status | Open year round |
| Public transit access |
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The San Francisco Botanical Garden is a wonderful place to explore plants from all over the world. It used to be called the Strybing Arboretum. This amazing garden is located in San Francisco's famous Golden Gate Park.
It covers 55 acres, which is about the size of 40 football fields! You can find nearly 9,000 different kinds of plants here. The garden focuses on special plants like Magnolia trees, tall palms, cone-bearing trees (conifers), and plants from "cloud forests." These cloud forests are found in places like Central America, South America, and Southeast Asia.
The San Francisco Botanical Garden is one of three beautiful gardens in Golden Gate Park. The other two are the Japanese Tea Garden and the Conservatory of Flowers.
Contents
History of the Garden
The idea for this garden started way back in the 1880s. John McLaren, who was in charge of the park, first planned it. However, there wasn't enough money to start building it right away.
Things changed in 1927 when Helene Strybing left a large gift of money for the garden. Planting finally began in 1937. Workers from the WPA helped, and local people also donated money. The garden officially opened its doors in May 1940.
The San Francisco Recreation and Park Department manages the garden. But a group called the San Francisco Botanical Garden Society also does a lot. They run educational programs, organize volunteers, and help care for the plants. This Society started in 1955.
They also manage the Helen Crocker Russell Library of Horticulture, which is a library all about plants. You can also find a garden bookstore and monthly plant sales. The Society helps raise money for new projects and improvements in the garden.
In 2004, the garden changed its name to the San Francisco Botanical Garden at Strybing Arboretum. The Society also updated its name to match.
Exploring Plant Collections
The garden is divided into many different sections, each with special types of plants. It's like taking a trip around the world!
Plants from Mediterranean Climates
Many areas of the garden feature plants that love a mild, wet winter and a hot, dry summer. This is called a Mediterranean climate.
- California Native Plants: See plants that naturally grow in California.
- John Muir Nature Trail: A path where you can explore local nature.
- Redwood Grove: Walk among towering Redwood trees.
- Chile: Discover plants from the country of Chile in South America.
- South Africa: Explore unique plants from South Africa.
- Australia: See plants native to Australia.
- Mediterranean Basin Region: Plants from the area around the Mediterranean Sea.
Plants from Mild-Temperate Climates
These sections feature plants that prefer moderate temperatures.
- New Zealand: Plants from the islands of New Zealand.
- Moon-viewing Garden: A peaceful garden designed in a Japanese style.
- Temperate Asia Garden: Plants from parts of Asia with mild climates.
Plants from Montane Tropics
These plants come from high-altitude tropical areas, often called cloud forests.
- Mesoamerican Cloud Forest: Plants from the cloud forests of Central America.
- Southeast Asian Cloud Forest: A new section featuring plants from Southeast Asian cloud forests.
- Andean Cloud Forest: Another new section for plants from the Andes Mountains.
Specialty Plant Collections
These areas focus on specific types of plants or themes.
- Ancient Plant Garden: See plants that have been around for millions of years.
- Succulent Garden: Plants like cacti that store water in their leaves or stems.
- Dwarf Conifer Garden: A collection of smaller cone-bearing trees.
- Exhibition Garden: Often features seasonal displays.
- Garden of Fragrance: A garden designed for its wonderful smells.
- Zellerbach Garden of Perennials: Plants that live for more than two years.
- Dry Mexico: Plants that thrive in dry conditions, similar to Mexico.
- Rhododendron Garden: A beautiful collection of Rhododendron flowers.
- Magnolias & Camellias: These beautiful flowering plants are found in many parts of the garden.
The mild climate in San Francisco is perfect for plants from many different places. The garden does not need greenhouses for plants that need other climate types.
Gallery
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McBean Wildfowl Pond and Primitive Plant Garden
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Pond at Dwarf Conifer collection
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Redwood trail
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Nodding Pincushion Protea Flower Bud
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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.
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Verbascum
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Meadow in the garden.
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Glandular Senna (Senna multiglandulosa) in San Francisco Botanical Garden
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Candelabra Aloe (Aloe arborescens) at San Francisco Botanical Garden
See also
In Spanish: Jardín botánico de San Francisco para niños
