Tom’s Garden

Left Coast Gardening

Our garden in the San Francisco Bay Area historically has experienced the wet mild winters and dry mild summers characteristic of Mediterranean climates. It's a modest family garden -- its core was formerly a swimming pool -- so we might grow a single plant or a handful of plants, where a larger-scale operation could do long rows or massive beds. Over time we have adjusted to find the right balance for our garden.

On Top

All this new stuff goes on top
turn it over, turn it over
wait and water down
from the dark bottom
turn it inside out
let it spread through
Sift down even
Watch it sprout.
A mind like compost.

— Gary Snyder

About the Bay

As it's evolved, this site has increasingly focused on vita plantae in the San Francisco Bay Area, so I've rejiggered this blog to reflect that. You will still find plenty of more general posts on life by the bay. Visit the site home or try one of these:

Orientation

Environment

History

Activities

Culture

You can contact me here.

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Historical map of San Francisco Creeks

This great map from the 1890s shows creeks in blue and marshes in green, with modern landfill in magenta. A larger version is at the Oakland Museum of California site.

historic water featuers of san francisco

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2 Comments

  1. Luba Muzichenko

    7 January 2008

    This map is amazing! I was just talking about the various lakes and creeks that once ran under San Francisco with a friend today and meant to go online to “google” it. But I stumbled on your site when it was mentioned on CurbedSF.com and accidentally found the map here! I found the rest of the information on your site fantastic too! Consider me a fan now! 🙂

  2. xensen

    7 January 2008

    Thanks very much, Luba