The San Francisco Botanical Garden at Strybing Arboretum (formerly Strybing Arboretum) is located in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. Its 55 acres (22.3 ha) represents nearly 9,000 different kinds of plants from around the world, with particular focus on Magnolia species, high elevation palms, conifers, and cloud forest species from Central America, South America and Southeast Asia.
San Francisco's County Fair Building is located near the main entrance to the Garden.
The San Francisco Botanical Garden is now one of the three locations of the Gardens of Golden Gate Park, along with the Japanese Tea Garden and the Conservatory of Flowers.
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History
Plans for the garden were originally laid out in the 1880s by park supervisor John McLaren, but funding was insufficient to begin construction until Helene Strybing left a major bequest in 1927. Planting was begun in 1937 with WPA funds supplemented by local donations, and the Arboretum officially opened in May 1940. As a part of Golden Gate Park, it is officially managed by the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department, but the San Francisco Botanical Garden Society plays an important role in providing educational programs, managing volunteers, curatorial staff, and more. Formed in 1955, the San Francisco Botanical Garden Society (formerly the Strybing Arboretum Society) operates the Helen Crocker Russell Library of Horticulture, Garden Bookstore, and monthly plant sales, and offers a wide range of community education programs for children and adults. The Society also raises money for new projects and Garden renovations.
In 2004, Strybing Arboretum changed its name to San Francisco Botanical Garden at Strybing Arboretum, and the Arboretum Society followed suit, becoming San Francisco Botanical Garden Society at Strybing Arboretum.
Plant collections
The gardens are organized into several specialized collections:
Mediterranean
California Native
John Muir Nature Trail
Redwood Grove
Chile
South Africa
Australia
Mediterranean Basin Region
Mild-temperate climate
New Zealand
Moon-viewing Garden – a Japanese design
Temperate Asia Garden
Montane tropic
Mesoamerican Cloud Forest
Southeast Asian Cloud Forest (in development)
Andean Cloud Forest (in development)
Specialty collections
Ancient Plant Garden
Succulent garden
Dwarf Conifer garden
Exhibition Garden
Garden of Fragrance
Zellerbach Garden of Perennials
Dry Mexico