Last year, I finally got a chance to visit the
Salesforce Park in San Francisco. It's a large public park located on top of the new Transit Center. The park is only about 2 years old, but it already has an
interesting history: it closed 6 weeks after it's initial opening due to major structural problems.
I think you can see that about a year went by after the plants were planted without much human attention. The park has a varied collection of plants, organized in themes, mostly by location. Not many of the plants are labeled, but i found this great walking tour on
San Francisco Trees that identifies most of the plants.
My pictures aren't nearly as organized, or labeled, but it definitely is a gorgeous park! We started in the South African garden:
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| it's in the middle of high rises |
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| everything is super lush and dense |
Also, how much would you like to live in one of those apartments?
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| so pretty |
Signs in each part of the garden let you know a little bit about what you're looking at:
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| there was one for each section |
More plants!
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| one that always dies in my garden |
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| pretty! |
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| the combination of plants & buildings actually works |
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| ditto |
Other signs tell you about the uniqueness of San Francisco. Although i can't imagine much fog actually makes it to the middle of this urban area.
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| one of my favorite plants - if only i could find one for the garden |
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| aloes! (or Aloidendron, i suppose) |
The wildlife has found the garden, of course. I doubt the hummingbirds cared much about structural cracks:
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| all fluffy in the early morning chill |
Found the agaves!
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| there were a lot more |
and succulents:
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| most of the garden was focused on lush, leafy plants |
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| but on one end, the beds were filled with agaves, cacti, aloes, etc |
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| i may have taken a lot of pictures? |
In the middle of park is a big green area - a dought tolerant lawn of sorts:
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| the "lawn" |
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| the lawn changes into low growing plants and a pine forest |
On the opposite side of the desert beds, are these giant leafy beds:
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| i think here you can really see how everything grew for a year |
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| the leaves were giant! |
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| back around the other side of the lawn with trees. |
There were so many beautiful plants and combinations! Just a last few pictures:
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| "heart eyes" |
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| to be able to grow these beauties |
The park was definitely worth a visit! Here's to hoping it lives up to it's potential in the coming years.
I admit I had my reservations when I saw the name of the park but it won me over instantly. It looks well established already and I love the idea of an expansive garden in the middle of an ultra urban area. Santa Monica installed Tongva Park next to a huge condo/townhome development years ago and I ever so briefly entertained the notion of living there. I'm not sure I could deal with gardening on a balcony, though.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure i could go back to gardening on a balcony either, Kris! But the park was wonderful.
DeleteThis park just jumped on my "garden radar" in the last couple weeks. Looks like some very savvy and exciting planting. Thanks for the tour and the reminder to pay a visit!
ReplyDeleteI hope you can visit it soon! The plants were very interesting, and totally taking advantage of San Francisco's great climate.
DeleteFor being left to it's own devices for a year the garden looks pretty darn good. Would be wonderful if more of these types of 'parks' were integrated into urban neighbourhoods. Great tour.
ReplyDeleteWouldn't that be lovely? I think people are starting to appreciate them more. Now if we could only get them without massive corporate sponsorship. Radical thought, i'm sure!
DeleteI used to work in one of the surrounding buildings a few years back ... I will definitely pay a return visit. I bet some of those specimen plants were already pretty big when planted. Thanks for the post!
ReplyDeleteHope you make it back! Starting with big plants certainly makes a difference, but it's also amazing how quickly they grow.
DeleteI only became aware of this place a couple of weeks ago and had no idea there was such a history. Maybe it was a blessing for the plants to be allowed to grow unfettered for awhile? Great photos!
ReplyDeleteThank you! I get the sense it probably was good for the plants, although building a giant building in the middle of a quake zone and then realizing you did it wrong can not have been good for the people involved... I hope you get a chance to visit!
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