Thinking Green

In the heart of central San Francisco, one of the nation’s most densely populated cities, hidden gardens and parks flourish in full bloom.

Hayes Valley may be best known for its shops and restaurants, but the neighborhood’s outdoor getaways are some of the most pleasant in the city. For an afternoon escape from the congested traffic of Oak Street or the tourists flocking to Hayes Street, these gardens and parks add an accessible sense of peace to the community. Most of these hidden green treasures are quite on a daily basis, almost vacant even – making them perfect for a stroll with friends, walking the dog, or just simply having some time to relax and reflect all by yourself.

One of the more exclusive neighborhood gardens is located on Page Street at Laguna Street. This garden is a true retreat. It’s only the size of one vacant lot set between two private homes, like a tiny heaven with benches, sandy paths, flowers, and trees. Only known to passersby’s and residents, and not found on any maps, this garden is a romantic secret.

Just down the street lies the largest and most fun park in Hayes Valley. Koshland Community Park and Learning Garden is home to an up kept playground, basketball court, garden, and lawn space. On any given day, students from John Muir Elementary shoot hoops while young families visit the playground slides. Surrounding the Koshland Park is the Western Addition Peace Wall, decorated with creative mosaic-like tile art.

Along the borders of the neighborhood rest Duboce Park to the southwest and Alamo Square to the northwest, two of the most famous green areas in the city. Both sites are synonymous with popular culture images of San Francisco, having been filmed in movies and television shows. The Painted Ladies, a row of old Victorians on the Steiner street side of Alamo Square is a highly visited tourist attraction. And Duboce Park is perhaps the most canine friendly lawn in the entire city.

The nearby Civic Center Plaza can also be considered one of the best open spaces in the community. Although the city’s homeless population congregates in the plaza, because of it’s close location to the southern Tenderloin and the Civic Center Bart/Muni Station, the park is a safe open space patrolled by police officers. Civic Center Plaza may in fact be the nicest of the district’s green spaces – offering food carts, bathrooms, playgrounds, a nearby outdoor market, and great people watching opportunities.

The environmental havens of Hayes Valley and the surrounding communities are best enjoyed on a bright warm day, which luckily, happens quite often in central San Francisco. But even without ideal weather conditions, think green in Hayes Valley and you won’t be disappointed!

To learn more about the parks mentioned here and other city parks, please visit

http://www.sfgov.org/site/recpark_index.asp, http://koshlandgarden.blogspot.com/ or http://www.communitygrows.org/