San Diego has a storied history with gardens and their green
inhabitants. Last week we highlighted
the botanical gardens, and thought we’d continue on the same theme, especially
in light of the 91st Annual Coronado Flower Show happening this
weekend. But, first we need to delve
into the history of San Diego’s diverse vegetation and the person responsible
for all the beautiful flora in our city.
Kate Sessions was born in 1857 and went on to earn a degree
in natural science from UC Berkeley in 1881, something that was unheard of in
her day. How she came to be known as the
“Mother of Balboa Park,” and the only non-fiction historical woman in San Diego
to receive her own full sculpture, is an inspiring tale.
She left business school in San Francisco to accept a job in
San Diego in 1883 and soon after purchased a nursery in 1885 and began to grow
flower fields in Coronado, Pacific Beach, and Mission Hills. In 1892 she negotiated with the city to lease
30 acres of land in Balboa Park (then called City Park) to expand her flower
fields. In return, she would plant 100
trees a year in the mostly barren park and 30 trees a year around San Diego. She traveled to Europe and Mexico to collect different
trees to plant in Balboa Park, and became a prominent figure in transforming
the desert eco system of San Diego, which was mostly dirt and sagebrush. She also co-founded the San Diego Floral Association
in 1907, the oldest garden club in Southern California. It’s
no wonder she has an elementary school and park named after her in Pacific
Beach.
She started Mission Hills Nursery in 1910, which is
still a neighborhood favorite, and the oldest nursery in San Diego. Even if you are not planning on buying anything,
it is still worth visiting. Chickens meander
around the grounds, you might catch a glimpse of a dozing cat, and the staff
are not only welcoming and friendly, but incredibly knowledgeable. Whether you have a question about a single
plant or your entire garden, the employees here are so passionate about what
they do, they are more than happy to answer your questions. It’s hard to come away empty handed after
perusing their large selection of native Californian plants, mini succulents,
and rare varieties of plumeria, jasmine, and magnolias. the Nursery is open seven days a week from 8:00
AM to 5:00 PM, but if it’s raining, they suggest Calling Ahead to make sure
they’re operating that day.
Kate Sessions would be thrilled that the Coronado Flower Show is going to have it’s 91st show this weekend. Happening in picturesque Spreckels Park in
Coronado Village, this event is the largest tented flower show in the nation. The history of the Flower Show is also an interesting
one. Established in 1922, the Coronado
Flower Show was created to help unite a neighborhood using the beauty of
flowers that was being torn apart by differing political views. A few years later, the third weekend of April
was designated to be the official weekend of the show, and the Coronado
Flower Show became a community favorite.
There will be live music and beer and wine garden for the
grown-ups. A special children’s zone will
be set that will include a craft area, floral arrangement classes, and the
annual ‘Zoo’s Who,’ where fruits and vegetables are whimsically assembled to
resemble animals. The fun starts this
Saturday (April 16th) from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM and on Sunday from
10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The entrance fee is
$5 and children under 12 are free.
Who would have thought that Balboa Park owes
its grandiose trees
to a revolutionary woman from the 1880s, or that an annual flower
show
was created to smooth over political discrepancies from over
a 100 years ago?! San Diego has fascinating stories everywhere
you turn. To become fully immersed in our captivating
history,
book a few days in Mission Bay at one of our Vacation
the Kate Sessions statue
on the southwest corner of the Plaza near
the Sixth Avenue
entrance.
