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Tilden, Botanical Garden
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The entry gate was across and down the road from the parking lot. This can be confusing
when driving because city maps shows the entry on one side of the road but
not the parking on the other side. Just be aware that the parking is on Wildcat Canyon
Road fifty feet before the entrance when traveling east.
You may also access this botanical garden using an AC Transit 67 line bus.
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The garden rules were posted right there at the entrance. They read:
Welcome to the Botanic Garden,
Please observe the following rules:
East Bay Regional Park District
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A smooth path led from the entrance to the Visitor Center. But be aware that
this garden was built before ADA rules so sadly is not disability friendly.
Beyond the Visitor Center the paths become
rougher with stairs and winding narrow trails. Good for walking. Bad for walking aids
and wheels.
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This botanic garden employed lots of signs to identify plants. The signs were clear and large,
with a big enough font to be easily read.
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A cobblestone path led through one section of the garden, here bordered by a low
stone path. Notice California poppies growing wild along the low wall.
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Some parts of the garden appeared sliced from a book of faerie tales. Here, a winding path
ran through a rich forest scene bordered by a wooden rail fence. Only the frequent signs
spoiled the illusion.
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A stone and concrete bridge arched high over a running creek. Two paths parallel each other
here. One ran next to the bridge, the other ran over the bridge. The two joined to the right
of the bridge perhaps fifty feet distant.
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The dirt path that ran next to the bridge in the previous shot. It appears to
disappear in darkness, but really just curved out of sight to join the path over
the bridge.
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Another bridge over Wildcat Creek was lower and in the distance.
Note that Wildcat Creek runs through the Botanical Garden and continues
to later arrive at Jewel Lake
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Juniper Lodge is where the annual plant sale is held in April. It is also
where weekly plant sales take place.
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The redwood grove is in the upper northwest corner of the garden.
It is an amazingly quiet and majestic place to just stand and meditate.
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A wide section of lawn was just beyond the redwood grove. Too bad thickets
prevented the direct approach and instead forced a retreat and a roundabout access.
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A burl of redwood in the glade had captured a puddle of water. Note that the moist
shade allowed moss to grow.
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Just past the potting shed was an area of lawn. A lovely place to visit with
a picnic basket.
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Beyond and below the potting shed was another section of lawn. Notice the
stone steps in the foreground leading down.
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Inside the potting shed were labeled cuttings in trays.
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A handsome butterfly alighted on flowers next to the lower lawn.
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Two huge Kings Mountain manzanita (Arctostaphylos regismontana) grew alongside
the path next to Wildcat Creek. Note that these manzanita are endangered in the wild.
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A bridge over Wildcat Creek had a bench under it. There were two bridge arches.
The nearest one shown here was over a path. The further one was over the creek.
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Across the creek, narrow flagstone paths lead step-like up and across the hill.
This is why the old-style design of the garden was unfortunately not disability friendly.
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Lichen and moss grew on a wall that ran alongside the creek.
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At one place in the garden, the creek ran down a narrow channel. It was in this deeper area where
a crayfish was found
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A dragonfly alighted on a rock right next to the creek. Another creature seen in the garden
was a Junco
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The James B. Roof Visitor Center. James Bernard Roof (1910-1983) founded the East Bay Regional Park District's Botanic Garden. Building the garden began on January 1, 1940 and continued with a brief
interruption due to World War II because Roof was drafted. (Ref.
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