Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Hidden in Russian Hill: Fay Park


San Francisco's crookedest ... Lombard Street, Russian Hill -- A serious photo op for tourists.
Photo: Wikipedia

Fay Park: Open Daily 10am to 4pm
Continue down Lombard Street a bit to Leavenworth and you'll discover a tiny, albeit, delightful city park designed by the Mid-Century Modern landscape architect, Thomas Church.

Thomas Church is surely best known for his design of an iconic American landscape: El Novillero, the Donnell Garden. Although I live nearby, I've yet to be free on a day when the private garden has opened for special events.

Fay Park also holds a unique place in American landscape architecture, as it's believed to be the only residential garden designed by Church that is now regularly open to the community and visitors, alike.

San Francisco Parks & Recreation Department worked to restored Fay Park. A neighborhood group, the Friends of Fay Park helps to keep the garden looking lovely year-round. The city has been enriched by the very special bequest of Mrs. Mary Fay Berrigan, who gifted her home and garden to San Francisco. Should you visit the city by the bay, hop off the cable car, or walk up from North Beach: You'll want to take some time to relax in the serene oasis of this park, where beds of roses bloom for months on end.
**Fay Park is a popular setting for weddings, so you may find a celebration in progress.**

3 comments:

  1. Great to see a park get restored. I should remember to go if I am ever in SF

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Alice, Now that is a perfect car park - in which plants are in the majority for once. And Thomas Church is truly a wonderful landscape architect. The photo with the water and the next photo with the lattice demonstrate perfect satisfying balance. cheers, cm

    ReplyDelete
  3. When I was in San Francisco I drove on Lombard St and did all kinds of other touristy things. Now I will have to visit this little gem of a park.

    ReplyDelete