Gardens

Gardens at Lake Merritt
open M-F 8:00 - 3:00;
Saturday and Sunday 8 - 4.
Free entry.

Lake Merritt shoreline and Lakeside Park have many plants and trees of interest, but the highlight of plant life at the lake is in the gardens, which includes a superb Bonsai Garden, Community/Edible Garden, Japanese Garden, Mediterranean Garden, Lakeside Palmetum, Rhododendron Garden, Sensory Garden, Succulent Garden, Vireya Display Garden, Pollinator Garden, and Bay Friendly Demonstration Garden.

Volunteer Gardening
For info contact volunteer coordinator at this email address: [email protected]
Visit g ardensatlakemerritt.org
Detailed map of gardens

Current Volunteer Schedule
1st Sat. -- Sensory Garden 9:30-12:30
2nd Sat. -- Palmetum 9:00 - 12:30
3rd Sat. -- Mediterranean 9:30-12:30
4th Sat. -- Front Entry 9:30-13:30

ASK A MASTER GARDENER in the Community/Trials Garden at Lakeside Park. The certified Master Gardener volunteers will be on-site to answer your gardening questions. Monday 9:30 - 11:30; Wednesday and Friday 11:00 - 1:00. For more Master Gardener and gardening information, visit this link --- Alameda County Master Gardeners. Info brochures available during Lakeside Park Garden hours. Fliers are in 'Help Yourself!' container. Self Guided Tour maps of the Trials Gardens are available on-site.

Urban Edible Garden

--- Gardens & Guardians ---

Guardians & Gardens at Lake Merritt
From the poetic nature of the gardens to the stewardship of the guardians this video series captures the essence of the Gardens at Lake Merritt and the diverse array of natural beauty and artistry that awaits within the gardens' sanctuary. 2020
Photos, Music & Video by John Kirkmire.
Guardians & Gardens, Part One
00:01 Intro: The Gardens at Lake Merritt
04:00 The Gate Project... Shawn Lovell
08:25 The Bonsai Garden... Gordon Deeg
12:26 Bonsai Master... Kathy Shaner
15:34 Suiseki Exhibit... Janet Roth
16:52 The Bonsai Collection... Gordon Deeg

Gardens & Guardians, Part Two
00:23 Lydia Swann, Oakland Park Supervisor
01:20 Carole Levenson and Dick Austin, volunteer organizations
05:03 Tricia Christopher, Landscape Architect
09:31 Bruce Cobbledick, the Gate Project
11:38 Carole Levenson, Fundraising
12:45 Autumn Lights Festival montage
14:18 Tora Rocha, Autumn Lights Festival & Pollinator Posse
18:50 Butterfly montage

Gardens & Guardians, Part Three
The Garden Classroom:
00:20 Insect Science Museum... Eddie Dunbar
04:10 Friends of Japanese Gardens... Dick Austin
05:20 Aesthetic Pruning & Rock Display... Bill Castellon
10:31 Master Gardener Program... Sam Fouchee
14:06 Edible Urban Gardening... Tom Branca, Merritt College Horticulture
16:56 OUSD Photo Teacher... Jessie Shapiro

Gardens & Guardians series: Alpine Rock Garden in Gardens at Lake Merritt. Commentary by John Tsutakawa, Rock Garden planner and organizer.

Gardens & Guardians series: Oakland-Fukuoka Sister City Garden. Commentary by Peter Bowyer, volunteer landscape architect.

Lakeside Park Garden Center built in 1959, has been a hot-house for the germination and cultivation of horticultural beauty in the Bay Area... The Garden Center hosts garden shows, public and private events. Garden Center is available for rental, contact (510) 238-2218.

The Gardens at Lake Merritt are tended by :

Aesthetic Pruners Association / American Rhododendron Society / Bay Area Bonsai Associates / Bay Area Carnivourous Plant Society /
Bay Area Satsuki Aikikai / Berkeley Garden Club / Bonsai Garden at Lake Merritt / California Horticulture Society/
California Native Plant Society / California Suiseki Society / Contra Costa Hills Club / East Bay Bonsai Society / East Bay Rose Society /
Dahlia Society of San Leandro / Friends of Japanese Gardens / Golden Gate Cymbidium Society / Golden Gate Lily Society /
Hillside Gardeners of Montclair / Lake Merritt Breakfast Club / Master Gardeners of Alameda County / Mediterranean Garden Society /
Merritt College Landscape Horticulture / Montclair Women's Club / Oakland-Fukuoka Sister City Assn. / Orchid Society of California /
Palm Society of Northern California / San Francisco Begonia Society / San Francisco Suiseki Kai / Sydney B. Mitchel Iris Society

Bonsai Garden

Tour Bonsai Garden with Director Gordon Deeg. 7:43
excerpt from Gardens & Guardians, Part One.

Bonsai Garden inside Gardens at Lake Merritt, home to some of the finest Bonsai on the West Coast. Built, staffed and maintained by volunteers. Open Tuesday - Friday 11 - 3; Saturday 10 - 3:30; Sunday Noon to 3:30. Call (510)763-8409 to arrange special group tours.