My Secret Garden.
Should you live in San Francisco, maybe I'll remind you what a righteous place this is and how lucky we are. Should you not happen to not live here and would like to come for a visit someday, this is one of the places you'd really want to see. Not Fisherman's Wharf (Fisherman's Wharf is what Times Square is to New York City - get it?). This is the Fort Mason Community Garden. It sits smack in the middle of the city, well, actually on the north end of the City, smack on the edge of the bay. I come here a lot. It used to be an Army post and there are abandoned canons strewn about the grounds, hiding in secret spots. It is the gosh darn truth that not a single canon was ever fired. Not once. Nice, huh? Good for them.
Fort Mason has reinvented itself into a community haven - a dog park, a used book store, an educational center for art classes, pottery, photography, Italian and even contains the amazing vegetarian restaurant Green's. Now, those are some good veggies. And then there's this garden. There are currently about 150 residents on the wait list to join, and have their own little plot of land in the garden. You can read more about its history here, but for now I'm just going to inundate you with the pix I took there a few weekends ago.
I come here to hide out, relax and just be in nature. This is one of the reasons I live in San Francisco. Because something this peaceful and beautiful, sits in the middle of the big city, right down the hill from my place. If you look closely, you'll see the city buildings looming in the background. And now, it's not so secret anymore, but I know you'll love it and keep it special, too.
26 comments:
It looks so serene. I never knew about this place. I'm gonna check it out soon. Thanks!
while in san francisco over spring break we stumbled on this awesome community garden. We chatted with a woman who had had her plot for over 20 years! Thanks for the reminder of a lovely trip.
diana
I would want to go there and relax too! It seems so beautiful!
i was born and raised in sf and sometimes.. i think i take it for granted. for anyone who wants to live in sf, it is a beautiful place.
I've lived here for two years and can't say that I have been there ... but now I very much want to go!
I adore this place, my boyfriends parents got engaged here ages ago... :) I love your blog!
mmmmmm....
I can smell the wind off the bay!!
thanks for the lovely post to salve my homesick heart
~SF Girl in Seattle
I work right near here. I have always loved the garden. It's in the perfect spot as the hill around the side and back blocks the wind and seemingly all noise. Perfect place for a moment of peace and quiet or a little picnic on a sunny day.
omg those blub-ish pods are amazing! do you know what they are?
as a native of the city, i've always loved fort mason, but i don't believe i've ever seen it so sunny! usually the fog lends such a mysterious quality to the area.
I simply must tell you how much I enjoy your blog. I have started calling in my coworkers to take a look at the gorgeous photos you include and we are all very inspired.
Keep being fantastic.
J.
Beautiful- going on my "to do" list for San Francisco. My Little One is begging to visit your fair city.
Love this post Victoria. There's a great little community garden on Russian hill in Michaelangelo park that you'd enjoy too!
thank you all so much. it's a really special place in my heart (coop and i used to come here several times a week), and i am happy to share it.
richie - i don't know what the pod-like plants are - they were so cool looking though!
robyn - oooh, i will look for that park! thanks!
Oh how pretty! I never knew there was a garden there. There's a community garden on my block and the waitlist is forever long. I love that we live in a city where so many people are committed to growing beauty.
How gorgeous! Seems so relaxing. I would love to find a place like that in my neck of the woods!
Such gorgeous photos. I love the "small spaces" in gardens. And the bluish pods are seed pods of a poppy plant!
Oh how I wish I had a garden. . .
How beautiful, Victoria! Thank you for sharing a little slice of your paradise with us. Your photos are outstanding!
Breathe in, breathe out...a peaceful place it is. Excellent post. Oh, and I loved the peek-a-boo shot through the vegetation!
Thank you for taking me back to a former home. I've been in Connecticut for 24 years now, but everyone knows I am still a San Francisco girl. Loved to poke around Fort Mason when I lived on Laguna -- and am so happy to see all these little treasures sprouting up (literally!) there. I enjoy your blog so much. You have a great eye for the sublime. The canon anecdote was a perfect example..
Everytime I come to your blog...you make me want to move to San Francisco :) I might just have to!
oh my, thanks for sharing this! i'll definitely visit over the weekend...along with many others probably :)
I just went here for the first time about a month ago, took my mom here for Mother's Day. We had a great time wandering through and enjoying everyone's gorgeous plantings.
I will be sure to check this out. I am on a mission this summer to find such gems around the bay area. Please do share any that you can think of that give you that special feeling.
http://in-the-fog.blogspot.com/2008/06/new-adventure-rediscover-san-francisco.html
My sister and I went to artisan craft show at the Fort Mason Center when I was visiting her in March. We walked over from her place in the Marina, so we passed Fort Mason itself. I wondered what was beyond the front gate! Thanks for this beautiful peek into the gardens. I'll have to make sure to go in next time I visit my sister!
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