January 25, 6-8pm
Give your sweetheart a special floral surprise on Valentine’s Day as you roam the moonlit paths of the Garden, guided by a San Francisco Botanical Garden naturalist. Marvel at the luminescent magnolia blossoms overhead reflecting the silvery moon and inhaling their lovely fragrance. Enjoy hot, aromatic tea and cookies while gazing at the moon viewing pond. Bring a flashlight. Heavy rain cancels. $35 Members/$50 General if combined with Magnolia Cocktails. You must register online in advance to attend. Payment at the door. Cash, checks, credit cards. About the Magnolia Collection San Francisco Botanical Garden's magnolia collection includes 51 species and 33 cultivars, including many prized examples from Asia. This unique and long-standing collection began in 1939 with Eric Walther, who planted the very first magnolia in the Garden and continued to introduce species and cultivars throughout his tenure as the first Garden Director. One of the most famous species he planted was the cup and saucer magnolia or Magnolia campbellii, the first of its kind to bloom in the United States in 1940, attracting huge crowds of excited and curious visitors who stood in long lines to see the magnificent large pink blossoms of this lovely magnolia that still stands in the Garden today. More than a dozen other M. campbellii can now also be found throughout the Garden.
|
Magnolia campbellii 'Strybing White'. Photo by Joanne Taylor
|