To help you decide which of the 26 gardens and related sites to visit, read the garden descriptions, listed in no particular order, below. On the day of the tour, ticket purchasers will receive a map. Cross reference the gardens’ names to the map to find your way to your favorites.
Buds N’ Bones
Purpose: To grow food, To provide native habitat for wildlife, To create art. Features: Vegetable bed(s), Small space garden, Recycled materials. Style: Drought tolerant, Rustic, Natural. Notes: A mix of succulents, plants, and natural decor.
Japanese Garden
Purpose: To relax outside, To create art, To spend time with family. Features: Water feature(s), Unique hardscaping, Small space garden. Style: Formal, Shady, Peaceful. Notes: Oasis in the urban city.
Tropi-Cali
Purpose: To grow food, To provide native habitat for wildlife, To create art. Features: Flower bed(s), Entertainment space(s). Style: Drought tolerant, Manicured.
Be(e) Friendly
Purpose: To relax outside, To provide native habitat for wildlife, To create beauty. Features: Waterwise design, Small space garden, Native plants. Style: Drought tolerant, Rustic, Natural. Notes: Great place to get away from it all.
E. R. Taylor Garden
Purpose: To grow food, To provide native habitat for wildlife, To educate others. Features: Water feature(s), Fruit tree(s), Native plants. Style: Productive, Drought tolerant, Loved. Notes: Educational, student run, community space.
Spirited and Edgy
Purpose: To relax outside, To provide native habitat for wildlife, To educate others. Features: City views, Sculpture, Native plants. Style: Eclectic, Natural, Wild. Notes: On the edge.
Warm and Wonderful
Purpose: To relax outside. Features: Flower bed(s), Small space garden, excellent roses. Style: Informal, Sunny, Shady. Notes: My garden brings me great happiness.
Visitacion Valley Agriculture Garden
Purpose: To entertain, To relax outside, To grow food, To provide native habitat for wildlife, To create art, To provide play space for kids, To educate others. Features: Vegetable bed(s), Fruit tree(s), Native plants. Style: Eclectic, Rustic, Lush. Notes: Our mission is to bring our community together through gardening and the arts.
Athens Avalon Greenspace
Purpose: To relax outside, To provide native habitat for wildlife, to provide a greenspace to our local community and a place to gather and work together. Features: City views, Flower bed(s), Unique terracing, Native plants. Style: Eclectic, Drought tolerant, Informal, Sunny. Notes: A community center.
Jardin Maravilloso
Purpose: To entertain, To relax outside, To grow food. Features: Flower bed(s), Vegetable bed(s), Native plants. Style: Eclectic, Informal, Lush.
Modern Elegance
Purpose: To entertain, To relax outside, To spend time with family. Features: Water feature(s), Entertainment space(s), Unique hardscaping. Style: Modern. Notes: This hill used to be unusable; now it is beautiful, and we can and do use each level of the slope.
Posies de Portola
Purpose: To double the beauty! This isn’t a garden–instead it is an art and floristry show. Come see floral interpretations of local artists’ work and bid on the arrangements you love.
Children’s Oasis
Purpose: To relax outside, To provide play space for kids, To spend time with family. Features: City views, Unique hardscaping, Unique terracing. Style: Informal, Lush.
Craftsman’s Cottage Garden
Purpose: To entertain, To relax outside, To grow food. Features: Water feature(s), Fruit tree(s), Unique hardscaping. Style: Informal, Natural, Cottage style. Notes: A 1905 Craftsman house and cottage surrounded by gardens.
Portola Gardens Assisted Living
Purpose: To entertain, To relax outside, To spend time with family. Features: City views, Flower bed(s), Vegetable bed(s), Entertainment space(s), Small space garden, Native plants. Style: Elegant, Sunny, Manicured. Notes: 1.5 Acres of Gardens at Historical Landmark Building in Portola Garden District.
McLaren Park Native Plant Garden
Purpose: To provide native habitat for wildlife, To educate others, To relax outside. Features: Waterwise design, Native plants, Unique landscaping. Style: Drought Tolerant, Rustic, Natural. Notes: The McLaren Park Native Plant Garden is an outdoor classroom made without any hardscape, which was designed to promote wildlife biodiversity and has a nature play area for children..
That’s a Plant
Purpose: To entertain, To relax outside, To provide native habitat for wildlife. Features: City views, Entertainment space(s), Native plants. Style: Rustic, Lush, Natural.
Native Sidewalk Garden
Purpose: To provide native habitat for wildlife. Features: Native plants. Style: Drought tolerant, Natural
Googley Eyes Garden
Purpose: To relax outside, To create art, To educate others. Features: City views, Flower bed(s), Outdoor kitchen or other space for creating. Style: Eclectic, Modern, Manicured. Notes: Clusters of ground covers competing for space. A green menagerie of life.
Poppy Farm
Purpose: To entertain, To create art, To grow food. Features: City views, Vegetable bed(s), Fruit tree(s). Style: Productive, Rustic, Lush. Notes: Our garden fills our bellies with food and our hearts with beauty.
Small but mighty
Purpose: To relax outside, To grow food, To provide native habitat for wildlife. Features: Unique hardscaping, Unique terracing, Small space garden. Style: Productive, Informal, Shady. Notes: if you think the space you have is too small for gardening, see this garden for ideas.
Proteas on Athens
Purpose: To relax outside. Features: Flower bed(s), Fruit tree(s), Entertainment space(s). Style: Eclectic, Drought tolerant. Notes: Other than palm trees, garden started as a dirt pile.
Rustic Garden
Purpose: To entertain, To relax outside, To provide native habitat for wildlife. Features: City views, Waterwise design, Native plants. Style: Rustic, Shady, Natural. Notes: Our gardens are a work in progress!
California Cottage
Purpose: To relax outside, To cook outside, To attract hummingbirds. Features: City views, Water feature(s), Small space garden. Style: Eclectic, Rustic, Cozy. Notes: Echoes of an English cottage but with California sensibilities.
Visitacion Valley Greenway
Purpose: To provide native habitat for wildlife, To educate others, To relax outside. Features: Unique landscaping, Growing fruits and vegetable, Public gathering spaces. Style: Drought Tolerant, Eclectic, Natural. Notes: The award winning six block long Visitacion Valley Greenway is an outdoor classroom artfully designed as a public pedestrian thoroughfare that is a lush green respite providing sun or shade as desired.
SFS Adventure Playground
Purpose: To relax outside, To provide native habitat for wildlife, To provide play space for kids. Features: Fruit tree(s), Unique hardscaping, Native plants, 50 ft. slide and small animal barn. Style: Sunny, Shady, Natural. Notes: The San Francisco School’s Adventure Playground is a garden oasis designed for teaching, exploration, socializing and play.
Portola Garden Tour 