The University of California Botanical Garden

200 Centennial Dr, Berkeley, CA 94720, United States

The University of California Botanical Garden is a 34-acre (13.7 ha) botanical garden located at the University of California, Berkeley campus, Strawberry Canyon. The Garden is located in the Berkeley Hills, within the boundary of Oakland, overlooking the Bay of San Francisco. It is one of the most diverse collections of plants in the United States and is famous for its large number of rare and endangered species.

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.

A small garden of economic plants was established 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 aim of gathering as quickly as possible those of the neighboring states of the Pacific Coast. Within two years, the collection consisted of 600 species. In the following decade it grew to 1500, but then began to expand both its scope and collection to encompass plants from all continents and about 10,000 species.

The original official garden was located near Haviland Hall on the north side of the campus, surrounded by a large glass conservatory modeled after the London Crystal Palace.

This worldwide collection includes plants of documented wild origin from almost every continent, with an emphasis on plants from Mediterranean climates (California, the Mediterranean Basin, Australia , South Africa and Chile).

Outdoor collections are primarily arranged geographically by continent of origin or region, including Asia, Australasia, California, Eastern North America, the Mediterranean, Mexico / Central America, the Americas Deserts, South America and Southern Africa.

The University of California Botanical Garden, in collaboration with the Lawrence Hall of Science, has developed Math in the Garden, a guide to math activities that anyone can do. There is no need for mathematics expertise to lead the activities, only a desire to discover 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 wider range of topics, from discovering patterns and symmetry to measuring planting beds and harvesting. Building on children's natural curiosity and a sense of fun, these creative activities foster language, nutrition and teamwork.

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