Spring is almost here, and there’s plenty blooming in the city. While you probably have some of your favorite parks and scenic spots for beautiful days in SF, there are some great hidden gardens with beautiful flowers that are perfect for getting you in the mood for spring. San Francisco is home to plenty of memorable gardens, but the most unique ones can take some digging to find. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of interesting and unforgettable spots for you to get a breath of fresh air.
1. Living Roof at the California Academy of Sciences
The best gardens are sometimes found in the most unexpected places. The living roof atop the California Academy of Sciences is a marvel of building design and green energy. Not only does it insulate the building below, but this beautiful canopy of 1.7 million plants plays home to local birds and insects. Visit for stargazing, eclipse watching, and other learning opportunities.
Location: California Academy of Sciences, 55 Music Concourse Drive
2. Japanese Tea Garden
The Japanese Tea Garden is one of Golden Gate Park’s most iconic destinations, and for good reason. The tea house, or ochaya, dates back to 1894, making it the oldest ochaya in the United States. Take a stroll through the pagodas, stepping stone paths, native Japanese plants, and more. Remember to visit in March and April for a glimpse of the cherry blossoms.
Location: 75 Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr
3. Ancient Plant Garden
Many of the plants in this unique garden date back to the times of dinosaurs, earning them the name of “living fossils.” The Ancient Plants Garden features plants from the early Devonian through the Cretaceous period. Who knew you could time travel right here in the San Francisco Botanical Garden?
Location: San Francisco Botanical Garden, 1199 9th Ave
4. Garden of Fragrance
Enjoy dozens of beautiful scents at the Garden of Fragrance, including lavender, mint, rosemary, and much more. The San Francisco Botanical Garden dedicated this peaceful space in 1965 for visually impaired and disabled visitors. Since then, they’ve expanded into a full experience designed specifically for your senses of smell and touch.
Location: San Francisco Botanical Garden, 1199 9th Ave
5. Garden of Shakespeare’s Flowers
The Garden of Shakespeare’s Flowers, better known as the Shakespeare Garden, is a must-see for literature lovers. This romantic garden is home to over 200 unique flowers and plants, all of which are mentioned in Shakespeare’s works. Whether you’re a diehard literature fan, or just looking for a pleasant picnic spot, it’s certainly worth a visit. Bring your favorite play and watch the imagery jump off the page.
Location: 335 Martin Luther King Jr Drive
6. Queen Wilhelmina Tulip Garden
Queen Wilhelmina Tulip Garden is a quaint spot in the northwest corner of Golden Gate Park, next to an authentic Dutch windmill. The garden is named after the late queen of the Netherlands who ruled for nearly 60 years, from 1890 to 1948, and the queen herself donated the famous Dutch windmill to the city in 1902. Tulips bloom in early spring, and are a symbol of peace and reconciliation in Dutch culture.
Location: 1690 John F. Kennedy Drive
7. Dahlia Dell
Dahlias are especially prominent in San Francisco because they thrive in the cool summers. In fact, they were established as the Official Flower of San Francisco back in 1926. The resolution stating so asserts that “in its versatility, its beauty, its infinite variety of color and form, it is the very symbol of San Francisco life and of the spirit of her people,” according to the Dahlia Society of California. Golden Gate Park’s Dahlia Dell blooms August through September.
Location: off the eastern end of the Conservatory of Flowers
8. Gardens of Alcatraz
During the entirety of Alcatraz’s history, generations of people including soldiers, inmates, families of correctional officers, and more have worked at cultivating gardens in the island’s rocky soil. After the island was neglected for four decades, the Garden Conservancy worked for 10 years to restore the gardens for visitors to enjoy. You can now see countless colorful plants including roses, naked ladies, bush daisies, treasure flowers, geraniums, and more. Find them throughout the island in places including the Cellhouse Slope, the Officers’ Row, and the west side gardens.
Location: Alcatraz Island
9. Yerba Buena Sister Cities Gardens
Yerba Buena Gardens has a display of Sister City Gardens along the length of its upper terrace above the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial. They feature flowering plants from across the international cities for a “global quilt of colors.” You can also find quotes from Dr. King translated and inscribed into the cities’ languages on the memorial below.
Location: 750 Howard St
10. Golden Gate Park Rose Garden
The Golden Gate Park Rose Garden features many different species of roses ranging in color and size. The beautiful garden is filled with fragrant flowers, and you are free to visit the park. Just a short walk from the Conservatory of Flowers, it’s a great spot for a picnic on a sunny day.
Plus, if you want to venture farther out of San Francisco, we recommend Filoli Estate and Gardens, which blooms with thousands of flowers every spring. The beautiful estate features massive manicured gardens that are perfect for exploring and taking in the view. Gamble Garden in Palo Alto is free to visit every day with numerous flowers blooming this spring.
By Jamie Ferrell and Dana Flynn