The 34-acre UC Botanical Garden is one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world, with over 10,000 species of plants, including many rare and endangered species. Ordered geographically, the Garden includes 9 naturalistic planting regions from Italy to South Africa, along with a wide selection of native Californian plants. The Garden was established in 1890 and its living collections are valuable resources for international research and conservation.

A small garden of economic plants was built on the Berkeley campus at the site currently occupied by the Moffit Library in the 1870s by Dr. Eugene W. Hilgard (1833-1916), founder of the Dean of Agriculture. The University of California Botanical Garden was formally established by E in 1890. L. Greene, the first chairman of the Department of Botany to form a living collection of native trees , shrubs and herbaceous plants of the State of California, with the intention of collecting as quickly as possible those of the neighboring states of the Pacific Coast. Within two years, the collection consisted of 600 species. It expanded to 1500 in the next decade, but then started to extend both its reach and its collection to include plants from all continents and about 10,000 species. The original official garden was situated near Haviland Hall on the north side of the campus, surrounded by a large glass conservatory modeled after the London Crystal Palace.

Mission

Their  mission is to develop and maintain a diverse living collection of plants, to support teaching and worldwide research in plant biology, further the conservation of plant diversity, and promote public understanding and appreciation of plants and the natural environment.

The garden has more than 20,000 accessions, containing 324 plant families, 12,000 species and subspecies, and 2,885 genera. In general, outdoor collections are organized geographically and almost all specimens have been collected in the wild.

The key family collections include: cacti (2,669 plants), lily (1,193 plants), sunflowers (1,151 plants), erica (897 plants) and orchids (950 plants). Other families include around 500 types of ferns and fern allies, Chinese medicinal herbs, plants of economic importance, old rose cultivars, and native Californian plants. The collection of greenhouses includes succulents, epiphytes, ferns, carnivorous plants and tropical plants.

The University of California Botanical Garden, in partnership with the Lawrence Hall of Science, has produced Math in the Garden, a guide to math activities that everyone can do. There is no need for mathematics skills to lead the activities, just a willingness to explore outdoors with children.

Math in the Garden uses a mathematical lens to explore the magical garden arena. The beautifully illustrated, easy-to - follow activities cover a broader range of subjects, from finding patterns and symmetry to measuring planting beds and harvesting. Building on children's natural curiosity and a sense of fun, these imaginative games foster science, language, nutrition and teamwork.

The project was sponsored by the National Science Foundation in 1999 and partly supported by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Post-school youth leaders and educators from botanical gardens, garden clubs, 4-H organizations, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, home-school classes, and classroom teachers have taught and contributed their experiences.

This amazing landmark is located in California’s Alameda County and is only a short distance away from:

• Jack London Square
• Oakland Zoo
• Lake Merritt
• Chabot Space & Science Center
• USS Hornet - Sea, Air and Space Museum
• Mission Peak
• Coyote Hills Regional Park
• Del Valle Regional Park

All of these wonderful landmarks are located just a short distance from our location, conveniently located just down the freeway at 1261 Locust St, Walnut Creek! Stop by for a visit anytime!