If you're looking for something to do Thursday night...

Our Garden Bloggers Fling group has been invited to the wonderfully creative house of landscape designer Shirley Watts for a get together the night before the Fling is to start. We were unfortunately unable to get Shirley's garden on the tour for the days of the Fling but she kindly offered to have those of us who can make it over for a little shin-dig the evening of Thursday, June 27th. Her garden is in Alameda (across the Bay from San Francisco) so we'll need to do some carpooling or public transportation to get there.

If you are in town and aren't too pooped from your travels come join us! The party will be from 6:00-9:00 in the evening. We're also asking a contribution of $10 or so for Shirley to help offset the cost of the food and drinks.

If you would like to come to Shirley's please RSVP to me at kelly@floradoragardens.com so we can get a headcount and organize transportation.

Hope you can come!

Golden Gate Park

A longer visit to Golden Gate Park is time well spent. There are several worthwhile destinations right up against each other, and you can easily pass a day here.

The de Young Museum is a beautifully realized architectural achievement.

If you don't want to pay to go in and visit the galleries, you can still see the Goldsworthy courtyard

and go around the side to find James Turrell's atmospheric installation.

Across from the museum is the California Academy of Sciences, another architectural achievement, this one with an extensive green roof,

and a famous albino alligator.

He gets to loll on a heated rock in his grotto, and ignore the attentions of legions of fans.

The Botanic Garden AKA Strybing Arboretum is just down the way, and invites you to get lost along its curving paths as you visit plants and trees from climate zones around the world.

Cloud forest plants!

Afterward, walk across the moon bridge in the Japanese Tea Garden.

Alternately, you can go with Helen to find the nearest ice cream, here located in a mobile truck.

Really, if you've come this far you may as well go all the way down to the Beach Chalet

and have a meal looking out at Ocean Beach. On the way are buffalo, a nice lake, a windmill, and more of life's rich tapestry.

Buon lavoro!

Hi All! Registration is now closed for the 2013 San Francisco Garden Blogger's Fling! We'll see you in June!

If you have any questions please contact Kelly Kilpatrick at kelly@floradoragardens.com.