Botanical Garden

Every morning I take a 45-minute brisk walk at the San Francisco Botanical Garden located at Golden Gate Park. It is a hidden gem in the City, and my mom's favorite place! It has become my favorite place too! The Garden is very luscious with plant life from all over the world. The outer perimeter of the Garden are paved roads, but toward the inner area, there are deeper trails that lead to many tiny, secret gardens and my favorite is the Redwood Trail which ends up in a deep forest-like setting, a bit dark and mysterious. I like to inhale the fresh smell of the large redwood trees, and it is so quiet and still that you can hear your own heartbeat. The above photo is me standing at the center of the garden square, where you could see the greenery under a clear and bright sky. Tomorrow, August 7 will be the first day the SF Botanical Garden will start charging visitors, who are non-local San Francisco residents a fee to enter the garden.

Apparently, this public space needs $250,000usd to maintain every year, and due to the dwindling economy, the public park is unable to furnish the funds without the public's assistance. Though the measure was quite controversial, and many people disagree with charging people, especially out-of-town visitors to maintain a City public park, the SF Board of Supervisors have approved the measure. However, after seeing the entry fees posted on the park last week, i was very surprised that it would be so expensive - $15 for a family, $7 for adults, $4 for children over 5 and this will apply to all visitors, not local San Francisco residents. Though, I'm relieved that it doesn't apply to me, but I wished the park could be enjoyed by all people and remain free to the public. It is a beautiful retreat in a bustling City like San Francisco. A hidden gem that I admire and enjoy every morning of my summer days. Thanks to mom for introducing this gift to me! ;-)