San Francisco Botanical Garden - Gardens

Curator Don Mahoney
In cooperation with SFRPD staff, Mr. Mahoney has been responsible for operations of the SFBG nursery since 1984. He supervises the propagation of rare and unusual plants both for the Garden and to be sold at the Society's monthly plant sales. He also teaches classes in horticulture and botany at the Garden and has given numerous talks throughout the Bay Area to plant societies and garden clubs. He has served on many boards of plant societies and non-profits, and holds a PhD in wild-lands resource science from the University of California, Berkeley.

Perennial Plant Sale this Saturday

This June 11th, our Saturday plant sale features perennials. Perennials historically have been the backbone of the traditional English border and cottage gardens as they are some of the most colorful plants gardeners can grow. With careful selection they can add nectar and habitat for butterflies and beneficial insects.

Perennial Plant Sale Preview

This year we have an abundance of perennials in our nursery, many of them in bud and bloom. Of particular note are our blue Meconopsis or Blue Himalayan Poppies with which we fortunately had great success this past season. Also in good supply are Geranium 'Rozanne', which are a beautiful shade of blue and are the best new hardy geranium as they can bloom for eight months. Other plants include salvias (30+ varieties), variegated Brunnera, and Epimedium for shade, along with Dicentra eximia in full bloom, orange Trollius and five kinds of hellebores. Scented geraniums (actually Pelargonium) make great space fillers for lightly watered sunny areas and our large supply have interesting foliage patterns and showy flowers (10+ varieties). Grass-like restios from South Africa make a perfect companion and we again have numerous hard-to-find species. We also have many kinds of Irises, both for wet or dry gardens.

Our native section has its share of perennials and this week our Camassia bulbs are in full glorious bloom. Our native columbines are just coming into bloom and now is a perfect time to add some to your filtered light or shade dry garden. We have native Disporum or fairy bells for full shade and many native grasses, including blue forms of Festuca californica which will grow in sun or shade.

Please help support the Botanical Garden and add variety and vibrancy to your own garden by coming to the perennial sale and finding some new and exciting plants.

From the Curator

Perennial Plant Sale this Saturday

Perennial Plant Sale Preview