Tour Showcases Hidden Gardens and Landscapes of Fort Scott

Presidio of San Francisco (May 4, 2009) — The historic Fort Scott district is home to several of the Presidio’s most beautiful landscapes: Dragonfly Creek, the Presidio nursery where 60,000 native plants are grown each year, the gardens of the officers’ homes on Kobbe Avenue and a World War II victory garden that is now tended by park residents. On Saturday, May 9, as part of the Presidio’s Experience of the Month, the Presidio Trust is offering the public a rare chance to explore these Hidden Gardens and Landscapes of Fort Scott. Trust staff will lead two-hour tours of these gardens beginning at 9 am and noon.

Built during the Army’s heyday, the gardens served no military purpose but were a quiet escape for Presidio officers and their families. The tours will offer visitors a chance to stroll through the remnants of history found among the gardens, their stone walls, and historic bridges and fountains.

“It’s like stumbling across something that’s been forgotten about but — like a jewel being polished — is now having its luster restored,” says Damien Raffa, education and volunteer program manager with the Presidio Trust.

Visitors will also get a glimpse of a stretch of creek that is actively being restored and a behind-the-scenes look at the Presidio’s native plant nursery, the source of plants for landscape, forestry and habitat restoration across the park.

“In a relatively intimate geographic area one can experience the diverse spectrum of landscapes found across the Presidio from forests, to gardens to ecological areas,” says Raffa. “These areas tell an almost complete story of the different ways humans have interacted with and shaped the Presidio landscape.”

Each month throughout the year, in its Experience of the Month, the Presidio Trust will showcase a different aspect of the park that the public might not otherwise have the chance to experience. Trust staff and friends will offer a unique and personal perspective as they peel back the varied layers of the Presidio.

The Presidio Trust was established by the United States Congress in 1996 to oversee the Presidio of San Francisco, an urban national park located at the base of the Golden Gate Bridge. The 1,500-acre site contains expansive open space and spectacular views, a 300-acre historic forest, and rare and endangered plants and wildlife. It also comprises nearly 6 million square feet of buildings, including 469 historic structures that contribute to its status as a National Historic Landmark District.