Gardening

Volunteers Working in Black Point Historic Gardens
Events
Black Point Meeting Location
Help us restore the long-neglected gardens of East Black Point, a spectacular park site tucked away above the bustling San Francisco waterfront.
Volunteers Working in Black Point Historic Gardens
Events
Sat, Nov 02 10:00am-1:00pm
Sat, Dec 07 10:00am-1:00pm
Black Point Meeting Location
Help us restore the long-neglected gardens of East Black Point, a spectacular park site tucked away above the bustling San Francisco waterfront.
Our Work
Resident families introduced roses to Alcatraz during the military era, between 1850 and 1934. Surprisingly, roses thrived under these conditions and soon filled Alcatraz’s first gardens.
Gardens at Alcatraz
Our Work
Learn more about visiting the historic gardens of Alcatraz.
Perennial geraniums at Officers Row on Alcatraz Island.
Parks
Photos of flora commonly found on Alcatraz Island, presented by volunteers of the Parks Conservancy.
Gardens at Alcatraz
Our Work
Alcatraz gardeners needed tough plants that could survive with little water or care. The first ornamental plants that arrived to Alcatraz in the mid 1860s were typically favorite garden plants brought by soldier's families that called Alcatraz home. These plants were Victorian in fashion - roses and vines trained on...
Parks Conservancy staff shoveling compost at the Alcatraz Historic Gardens
Parks
Learn more about our sustainable gardening practices at Alcatraz Historic Gardens.
Mugshot of Alcatraz inmate and gardener Albert Smith
Stories
Albert Smith, found guilty of four counts of robbery, was sentenced to serve 10 to 24 years in prison. He was sent to Alcatraz in 1945 after an attempted escape, and began work duties as a gardener the following year.