Garden Bloggers' Fling: Visiting The San Francisco botanical Garden at Strybing Arboretum

One of the optional activities at the San Francisco Garden Bloggers' Fling was a morning photo shoot with Saxon Holt at the San Francisco Botanical Garden at Strybing Arboretum.  Mr. Holt was friendly, approachable, and full of great tips for taking better pictures.  After the formal presentation, Mr. Holt generously stuck around answering all kinds of questions.  This being our only chance to see the Arboretum, many of us left the group to explore.  Realizing that it would be impossible to see all 55 acres in the 40 minutes we had left, I walked briskly. 

Here's Saxon Holt telling the group that we should always use a tripod. 

Fun California poppy sculpture by the entrance gate.

 

Do you remember the Joni Mitchell song, "They Paved Paradise?"  Something about the next image with the fence around the trees reminded me of part of the lyrics:

 

They took all the trees
And put 'em in a tree museum
And they charged the people
A dollar and a half to seem 'em

Admission is free for all San Francisco City and county residents.  Pretty cool huh!

Here we are in the Fountain plaza. 

 

 

Arriving in Africa, where the sprinkler system is on. 

 
This is what Toto was singing about in their song "The Rains Down in Africa."

Dodging the sprinkler heads I got to see some beautiful restios and other South African gems growing happily in  San Francisco's mild climate.  I was not a particularly artful dodger which is how the map above got a little wrinkled.  On the positive side, the water felt pretty good on such a warm morning.

 Aloes

 Pelargoniums (Geraniums)

Now we're out of Africa.  Musa Basjoo.

 

 On the way to the succulent garden.

Who should I run into in the succulent garden but Ms. Danger.  How large is that agave?  Bigger than a Bohl!

Spent Echium flower spikes still create sculptural interest.

So much to see!

All too soon it was time to head back to the bus for another day of garden viewing adventure.  This is a wonderful botanical garden which is also part of Golden Gate Park.  I look forward to revisiting in the future!