No, this is not the view from Alcatraz, The Rock, the old prison in San Francisco Bay. I am on vacation, relaxing on a family reunion at the beach..
So I have pulled a post from July 2009 with an update on the Gardens of Alcatraz.
I was recently invited by The Garden Conservancy to tour the Alcatraz garden project. The Conservancy, in partnership with The Golden Gate National Park Conservancy, has spent the past 5 years restoring and replanting the barren and windswept old prison in the middle of San Francisco Bay.
Talk about Gardening Gone Wild! It is a truly wild and difficult site. The fact there are any gardens at all is a testament to the human spirit. This barren rock had hardly any soil until early Army engineers brought soil in the 19th century for the original military prison and built a Victorian style garden.
Much of what prospers today are hardy Mediterranean native plants that were planted as a beautification project starting in the 1920s. Notice the Acanthus mollis here with the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance.
The gardens were expanded during the years as a Federal penitentiary, 1933- 1963, when prisoners were given permission to work out of doors. Other naturalized flowers such as Centranthus ruber grow among succulents under the watchful guard tower.
The ferry ride trip to the gardens is a must do tour for any visitor to San Fransisco. The prison itself has definite if depressing history, but the very location of this island rock with sweeping views of the city skyline is thrilling. Below we see Verbena and Achillea on a hillside overlooking the Bay.
Since I wrote this piece, The Garden Conservancy has now finished restorations and has opened the garden to the public. Visits can be arranged through their wonderful website – The Gardens of Alcatraz website with virtual tours. More of my Alcatraz photos on PhotoBotanic.
There is now the Alcatraz Florilegium, and inspired collection of botanic artwork being created by the Northern California Society of Botanical Artists and the master teacher Catherine Watters. Their website contains even more information the history of the gardens and offers the artwork for sale.
OK. Now back to vacation:
Virginia Beach umbrella with chairs and a good book.
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