San Francisco Botanical Garden - Gardens - From the Associate Curator

Associate Curator David Kruse-Pickler
Mr. Kruse-Pickler has worked at SFBG since 2007, first as Plant Collections Manager, then as Associate Curator. Prior to that he volunteered as a Docent as well as a Nursery and Plant Collections volunteer. Currently, he is working on a graduate degree in Plant Systematics of California Native Flora at San Francisco State University.

Olfactory treats await in the Garden of Fragrance

A visit to the Garden isn't complete without an olfactory stroll through this quaint and 'smelly' garden. Located close to the main entrance and ADA accessible, it is the perfect botanical stop for everyone, especially at this time of year.

Start your walk at the main or left-most entrance and the air is full of what smells like maple syrup or curry, or ?? That smell is emanating from the Escallonia myrtoidea. Escallonia has leaf margins with broad glandular teeth that are sticky to the touch. Walk up to the plant and smell the leaves and you will be surprised that they are odorless. The oils from the glands evaporate on warm days to cool the leaves, creating an intoxicating smell to welcome you to continue your olfactory journey.

Straight ahead you will see the bright pink flowers of a blooming pelargonium cascading down the wall. Pelargoniums, like most of the plants in the Garden of Fragrance, require their leaves to be rubbed to discover their 'fragrance.' (rub please, not tear or rip or break). The smell is indescribable, something between floral and medicinal, or perhaps turpentine. There are many pelargoniums in the garden with fragrances like lemon, apple or citrus. Most leaves with a strong fragrance might smell pleasing (well, mostly pleasing) to people, but not to most pests that would enjoy a leaf or two for a snack. Many of these leaves contain terpenes, or chemicals that purposefully repel these pests.

As you move toward the middle of the garden (rubbing new leaves along the way) you will see a small pond with a statue of St. Francis behind it. This is the centerpiece of the garden. The statue was part of the San Francisco Pavilion at the Golden Gate International Exposition in 1939. As you are gazing at the patron saint of San Francisco and the 'protector of plants and animals,' you might get a whiff of something that reminds you of garlic, a very strong smell wafting through the air. Tulbaghia violacea, or society garlic, is from South Africa and is growing in multiple places in this garden. If you want to get an up-close look, just continue moving through the garden towards the far steps and look to your left as you go down in the raised planter. To your right is a raised bed full of Lavandula (lavender) and other fragrant wonders on one of your last fragrant stops on what some might call your "aroma-therapeutic stroll."