It’s hard not to be mesmerized by San Francisco. The farmers markets are intoxicating, the view of the bay luminous, gardens in the golden gate park and in urban yards inspiring. I was invited to San Francisco to give a garden lecture in early September, and built in plenty of time to wander the city in search of fresh ideas.
Eager to learn more about edible school gardens, I signed up for a tour at The Edible Schoolyard Garden in Berkeley, CA, inspired by Alice Waters. I took the cable car to Golden Gate Park to explore the botanic gardens, and a ferry to Marin County to wander through the intensively planted gardens and quiet retreats at Green Gulch Farm. In addition to gardens, there was also food: cooking classes with Emily Delias, farmers markets at the Ferry Marketplace, a pastry class at Tante Marie, and lunch at Chez Panisse and Tartine.
Leaving my garden smack in the middle of the harvest season may not have been the most sensible thing to do: my pesto never got made, I did not pick the beans in time to freeze, and the weeds took advantage my absence to grow faster. But looking back at the photographs below, I am reminded that there is so much to learn in the world beyond my backyard. It’s easy to imagine living in a climate with exotic flowering vines and fragrant angel trumpet blossoms hanging off every street corner.
