Flower Supply Established in 1890, this 34-acre botanical garden, located on the UC Berkeley campus, features one of the most disparate collections of trees, flowers, flora and fauna we've ever encountered. Initially, we were a little suspicious of this place charging $15/per to visit, but after just a few minutes, we realized it was worth every penny. The Good: *As mentioned above, with over 10,000 types of plants--many of which are rare and endangered--your mind will boggle at the sheer diversity. *Despite the sheer number of plants, it is actually quite an organized mess with all the plants being sorted by continent and/or country of origin. *Docents are very well-informed and friendly. *All the plants have signage that tells you the botanical name, scientific name and area of origin. There's also an indicator (red dot) if the plant is endangered or rare. *Be sure to visit the Mather Redwood Grove adjacent to the garden (you'll need a code to enter) and bring a lunch to enjoy amongst the redwoods! The Meh: *Road to get here is a bit hinky, but just go with it. *Unless you're a member, you MUST have a pre-purchased ticket with a specific time to enter. I'm guessing this is a Covid Policy holdover, which is slightly annoying. However, we had no issue buying tickets for an early weekend sojourn. *Speaking of The 'Rona®, if you're still a bit covid shy, I def recommend bringing a mask for when you're in the greenhouses. Warm, damp environments are viruses' best friends. *You have to pay for parking, as well as your ticket. They charge $1.50/hr, I believe, if memory serves. *There's a chance the Mather Redwoods could be closed if there's an event being held there. The Ugly: *For the most part, the walking paths around the garden are in rough shape. I highly recommend wearing sturdy walking shoes and def don't try and push a stroller around unless it's a beefy off-road type like a Bob® Ironman™. TLDR: Spectacular garden that's unlike any we've ever seen. It's definitely a must-see for nature and plant lovers alike. read more