U.C. Botanical Garden at Berkeley

The San Francisco Bay Area is fortunate to have several botanical gardens available, each with its own specialization. Typically plants are grouped, categorized, and marked with signs that identify the genus and species. Botanical gardens often offer classes, host plant sales, and rely on volunteer services.

Succulent collection at U.C. Botanical Garden at Berkeley.

The University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley includes specimens from all over the world, with a concentration of plants from Mediterranean climates (California, Chile, Australia, Mediterranean basin, and South Africa). It also includes specialty gardens for old roses, herbs, Chinese healing herbs, cycads, and palms. Green houses display carnivorous plants, succulents, ferns, orchids, and other tender plants.

New World desert collection.

Botanical gardens provide a great way to view a living specimen of a plant, and see an established plant throughout the seasons. This is a useful resource to learn more about a plant before adding it to your landscape. On my excursion to U.C. Botanical Garden at Berkeley, I was especially drawn to Arid House for the succulents, new world desert plants, and the Asian collection. To plan your visit: http://botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu/.

Monkey Puzzle tree.

Trees at Mills College

My Arboriculture class from Merritt College visited Mills College to learn how to evaluate trees (mature trees can add thousands of dollars to the price of a home), and how to assess trees that present a danger. Our guide was Judy Thomas, who worked at Merritt College for many years, developed much of its landscape horticulture curriculum, and now works as a professional tree evaluator. Our class was fortunate to have the opportunity to see the historic campus, known for its botanical collection and heritage.

Rothwell College Center at Mills College

Tree-lined path that follows Richards Road into the campus

Mills College was founded in 1852 as a Young Ladies’ Seminary, originally in Benicia, California, and then moved in 1865 to its present site in the Oakland foothills with the new name Mills College. The college developed a collection of native and exotic plants. In 1919, Mill’s botany professor, Howard E. McMinn, wrote A Manual of Trees, Shrubs and Vines of Mills College Campus, which provides plant identification for its 263 species collection. The book was updated in 2011 (both edititions are available on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&rh=n%3A283155%2Ck%3Amanual%20trees%5Cc%20shrubs%20vines%20Mills%20College%20Campus&page=1).

Leona Creek restored with native plants



A Eucalyptus tree that still remains

Mills College worked with Robert Sabbatini, ASLA, from 2006 to 2009 to update their landscape. They developed the Mills College Landscape Heritage Plan, which embraces current ideas in landscape architecture, and retains the College’s sense of place and botanical history. Part of this plan included restoring Leona Creek, which courses through the property, and replacing a landmark double-row of blue gum Eucalyptus trees, planted a hundred years ago, with another type of tree. To view the plan: http://www.sabbatini-loyd.com/r-Mills-Summary.pdf.

Sunset Magazine Contributions to Western Gardening

In 2008, I had the opportunity to interview a former Sunset writer who worked at the magazine in the 1960s. Charles (Chuck) Konigsberg has had a long career in landscape horticulture—as a writer, teacher, and landscaper. Chuck studied landscape horticulture at Cal Poly, then was hired by Sunset editor, Joe Williamson, to update the Sunset Pruning book in the early 1960s. Chuck worked at Sunset in Menlo Park for several years as a writer, and then moved into teaching. He taught landscape horticulture at Foothill College for over 30 years, and taught similar classes at Merritt College.

Chuck Konigsberg worked at Sunset magazine in the 1960s.

Based on our interview, we came up with a list of some of Sunset Magazine’s contributions to Western gardening:

• Modernized gardening – moved out of the realm of popular wisdom to scientific accuracy.
• Accurate plant names – insisted on accurate naming of plants (Joe Williamson, editor, hired a botanist).
• Sticklers for accuracy – writers sent articles to experts for review; cross checked facts.
• Promoted ecology – from 1970s to the present, have moved from old-style gardening (pesticides, lots of lawn, high water usage) to a more earth-friendly style.
• Promoted networking – encouraged networking between writers, landscapers, horticulturist, designers and experts in various fields.
• Regional publications – adapted information to regional climates where necessary.
• Promoted climate zones – moved to climate zones that reflected microclimates in the West, in addition to the USDA’s hardiness zones .