University of California at Berkeley Botanical Garden Visit
Where: UC Berkeley Botanical Garden, 200 Centennial Drive, Berkeley
Admission: Complimentary
Leader(s): Tom Swaine
Coordinator: Stephen Mahabir 510.329.2124
The 34-acre University of California Botanical Garden is one of the most diverse landscapes in the world, with over 10,000 types of plants including many rare and endangered species. Organized geographically, the Garden features 9 regions of naturalistic plantings from Italy to South Africa, along with a major collection of California native plants. The Garden was established in 1890 and its living collections are invaluable resources for international research and conservation.
We will meet at the front gate at 200 Centennial Drive at 10 AM. I, Tom Swaine, have 10 tickets for free entry into the garden. I can lead a walk through the garden because I have been there many times but am not an official docent. You are free to explore and do your own walk.
Carpooling is strongly recommended to avoid parking problems because springtime is prime time at the gardens. Parking is across the street from the gate and costs $1.50/hr. It is recommended to purchase at least two hours of time. A parking app is available to download so you can add additional time while within the garden.
An option is to have a picnic lunch in the California section around noon. Everyone will bring their own lunch and beverage.
Optional hike: After lunch, Tom will lead another garden hike at the Native Plant Garden at Tilden. After the Berkeley Botanic Garden and picnic lunch, a 1-2 mile drive gets us to the California Native Plant Garden. This beautifully located 8-acre garden is divided into nine botanic regions featuring imported plants from every corner of the state. They grow here because of different soils and unusual weather conditions, and because of artificially created environments. Entrance is free.