The Gardens at Lake Merritt

Sometimes just Seussical!

A moon named after a flower?! The full Pink Moon supermoon will reach peak brilliance at its 7:45 pm rise over the Oakland horizon tonight. Despite its name, the Pink Moon isn’t actually the color pink, it was named by Native Americans because a flower called moss pink (or creeping phlox) blooms during April.

It’s always time to garden! This elegant sundial is in the back of The Gardens, near the entrance to the Mediterranean garden. Donated in 1920 in honor of John Stetson, a Bay Area attorney who served as a Regent of the University of California. He was a member of the Committee of Fifty, working to maintain order and distribute funding after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and the devastating fire that followed. Apparently it became clear that the board of supervisors couldn’t manage it and this citizen committee stepped forward to save the day. #oaklandhistory #1906earthquake

The and are loving our blossoming Pollinator gardens - they are HUGE fans of any of the Verbenas!

Our majestic Palms have their eye on you!

We are getting some nice attention for our new rock garden! https://oaklandgeology.com//rock-garden-coming-to-lake-me/

As in our last lockdown, Lakeside Park is now closed to cars but open to pedestrians - nice to see little kids on bikes and skateboards again! Stay safe out there. The Gardens remain open, thanks to everyone for masking up!

Nature, geometry and art come together in this cute Bunny Ear Prickly Pear from our Succulent Garden. These are actually tiny flower buds! Also known as Opuntia mocrodasys. Stay tuned as it unfolds! #cacti #succulents #succulentgardens #cactusysuculentas #pricklypear #oaklandgardens cacti #succulents #succulentsofinstagram #cactusysuculentas #oaklandgardens

As you may know, our garden is deeply enhanced by our volunteers, we rely on them so much! Today, we would like to highlight and thank a hardworking group from @girlventures who donated their time and energy in the gardens pre-lockdown. (Garden still open as of Monday) GirlVentures provides support and mentorship to adolescent girls at a time in their life when it is much needed. Through outdoor education, GirlVentures fosters the self-confidence, perseverance and sense of c...ommunity necessary for social, academic and career success. Hiulam, a volunteer from GirlVentures said I enjoy being with plants in nature and helping my community. We come together even during the pandemic. There is comfort being with people in a similar situation as you. We don’t have to go through Covid-19 alone. #communitybuilding #femaleempowerment #natureismedicine #girlventures #gardensatlakemerritt

Today marks the first day of our winter hours! Now open 7 days a week 8am - 4pm.

The annual Post-Thanksgiving Monarch count reveals deep tragedy for the Monarchs.

Our 2020 Halloween may seem different this year due to Covid, but it will feature a cool spooky weekend spectacle: a rare second-in-the-month full moon! Also - time change Sunday morning!! This full moon on Oct. 31 at 10:49 p.m. is called the blue moon because it's the second full moon this month -- following the harvest moon of Oct. 1. The last Halloween full moon visible around the globe was in 1944. Photo: publicdomainphotos

Our Mexican Bush Sage is such a fabulously reliable and fragrant winter flower in the Gardens and all over the Bay now. Bees love its velvety texture and it is an important nectar source in this chilly season. #flowersandmacro #facebookgardens #salvia #mexicansage #oaklandgardens #sage #purple #Pollinatorposse

Our beautiful Vireyas are in bloom in the lattice house at the back of the garden. We have a collection that is actually nationally and even world famous! A tropical Azalea, they thrive in our sheltered setting. Lots more info in our new website: https://gardensatlakemerritt.org/vireya-garden/ Photos: Carole Levenson, Mary Mortimer #vireyarhododendron #vireya #sfbot

These gorgeous hand-crafted lanterns are still available for donors at our $250 Champion level! Let’s bring this incredible virtual and unique Autumn Lights Festival to a successful landing. Open till Halloween! These would make an awesome holiday decoration, with the rotatating colors!

The 150th anniversary of our Lake Merritt nature preserve, the first in the nation.

This is a new piece of art from one of our Autumn Lights artists. (Autumn Lights is till available on YouTube, see links in previous post.)

All of the 2020 Autumn Lights lights festival can still be viewed on YouTube! The interviews of our artists like Grant Patterson were such an awesome feature this year! YouTube Live Stream Friday Oct 16: https://youtu.be/YHRmYo4Q9F0 YouTube Live Stream Saturday Oct 17: https://youtu.be/oeCuG8SqCSw... YouTube Live Stream Sunday Oct 18: https://youtu.be/WkduHTbK4_c

The last three nights have been nothing short of a virtuoso event, just amazing! Beautiful lighted art captured vividly by Oakland's award-winning Together Pictures, artists live-streaming from their own workspaces - an up close and personal Q+A in such a unique way, you really got to know the artists! A reminder that this year was an all-virtual program - brought to you remotely by YouTube. As always it is the annual fundraiser that keeps our Gardens at Lake Merritt vibrant. Donations accepted thru Square until October 31 at www.gardensatlakemerritt.org.

Wow - just two hours from our big Autumn Lights 2020 finale! This evening is Fine Art night - nothing like healing handmade lighted art to soothe the senses. Ahmed Hassan from DIY's Yard Crashers will host tonight's event that will feature scores of beautiful light displays captured vividly by Oakland's Together Pictures, music by Tara Linda, live streaming with five gifted artists offering a behind-the-scenes look into their creative processes, and much more in support of the Gardens at Lake Merritt. Register now to view tonight’s finale at 7pm it’s free. Here’s the signup link and thank you for tuning in! https://bit.ly/3j2odTx

Registered and ready to view tonight's Autumn Lights finale? The past two nights have been nothing short of amazing! Beautiful lighted art captured vividly by Oakland's award-winning Together Pictures, artists live-streaming from their own workspaces - an up close and personal experience for all. This evening - Fine Art night hosted by celebrity landscaper and environmentalist Ahmed Hassan. Healing art to soothe the senses. Reminder this year is a virtual program - brought to you remotely online via YouTube, not from the gardens. Register now for free viewing on YouTube tonight at 7pm. https://fb.me/e/c8dm4KrFX