The most colorful gardens in San Francisco

This 75 year old gem sprawls across 55 acres in Golden Gate Park. While the native plants are plentiful, it's particularly known for its assortment of flora from around the world, including the forests of Central America, South America and Southeast Asia. The garden lays claim to the fourth most significant collection of magnolias in the world. Wander amid mosaic-paved trails and stone-laden paths and you'll find the ancient plant garden, a quiet redwood grove, the rhododendron garden and the dwarf conifer pond. One of the most popular areas is the Garden of Fragrance, where plaques encourage visitors to sniff sweet-smelling plants like cascading rosemary, rockrose, lemon verbena, chamomile and lavender.

This is the oldest public wood and glass conservatory on the continent, housed in an ornate Victorian building that has withstood earthquakes and fires aplenty. The dome is teeming with vibrant, otherworldly flowers, including aquatic and tropical plants from Brazil, China, Ethiopia, Ecuador and beyond. The conservatory is best known for its assortment of jaw-dropping orchids, as well as fanged carnivorous plants and Monet-worthy water lilies.

This hilltop garden was formerly a vacant lot guarded by the so-called "Goat Lady" of Potrero Hil—-a defiant character who lorded over a herd of 15 goats. It was converted into a community garden in the '70s; now any city resident can become a member. (Though the goats are long gone, you will find a chicken pen within.) Today, the 51 plots are filled with fruit trees, vegetables and an array of flowers, including roses and dahlias. And though San Francisco is rife with community gardens, this particular spot affords a standout view of the Mission, Twin Peaks and beyond.

Locals care for this impressive array of blooms, which range from the palest pastels to fiery oranges and reds. Meander down the path bordering 60 rose beds—with plaques identifying each name, from the Lavender Lassie to the golden Royal Sunset—and follow along latticed fences to admire climbing varieties. The assortment includes hybrid tea roses, floribunda, grandiflora and miniatures. Peak season is typically mid-May through early July.

The great Bard himself infuses this garden, and his bust gleams from among the greenery. The fragrant space is filled with 200 flowers and plants mentioned in Shakespeare's plays and sonnets, including violets, daisies, poppies, roses and lilies. Enter beneath the ornate metal gate and admire the weather-worn sundial. The plants are interspersed with bronze plaques, each engraved with a quotation from Shakespeare's work. The best time to visit is in April, when the crabapple trees are flowering.

Even the yard-less and black-thumbed are regulars at this whimsical garden shop. The eponymous owner (yes, Flora Grubb is her real name) has created a vibrant, gorgeously arranged indoor-outdoor garden, where art hangs from the ceiling and succulents burst from under the hood of a rusty Ford. Grubb is particularly known for vertical gardens, which you can admire while sipping a Ritual coffee at the café out back. Throughout, hidden clearings bordered by citrus trees and flowers are artfully outfitted with neon bistro tables and chairs.

Fort Mason's community garden comes with a pedigree—at any given time, the wait list can run up to eight years. Luckily, anyone who knows where to look can visit. The secreted garden is tucked behind the administration building at Upper Fort Mason, with views overlooking Pacific Heights. The site, formerly a military post garden in the late 1800s, was transformed into a community project in 1975. Since then, the 7,000-square-foot expanse has flourished: you'll find flowers, herbs, succulents, cacti, fruit trees and vegetables sprouting from 125 plots. There's even a small greenhouse and kitchen for barbecues and garden-to-table dinner parties on-site.

Famed architect Renzo Piano designed this rooftop garden, which offers sweeping views of the de Young Museum, Golden Gate Park and Sutro Tower, fog permitting. This is no ordinary green roof: The terrain is marked by rolling hills symbolizing the seven hills of San Francisco. All the plants are native to California, with a particular focus on butterfly- and bird-attracting species. Visit at dusk to catch the sunset and seek out constellations with the museum’s high-powered telescopes.

A grand metal gate by local artist Kevin Leeper guards the entrance to this oasis in the Tenderloin. Formerly addled by crime, the narrow gathering place used to be known as Cohen Alley. In 2009, gallerists Darryl Smith and Laurie Lazer (co-artistic directors of the Luggage Store gallery nearby) transformed the 23-by-136-foot alleyway into the Tenderloin National Forest, an unusual garden where art and nature collide. The makeshift forest is filled with trees, flowers, herbs and vegetables, all bordered by colorful murals, artful birdhouses, koi ponds—even a handmade clay oven. The garden hosts occasional performances and art events.