Shakespeare Garden is a small, gated garden at 335 Martin Luther King Jr Dr in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. Its flowers and plants are linked to Shakespeare’s writing, with quotations beside the plantings for a literary thread as you walk. A brick path, trees, fountains and benches make this a calm pause between nearby park sights. It is easy to miss, so look for the entrance as you explore the area around the Botanical Garden and the de Young.
Plants connected to Shakespeare’s writing
The garden’s plantings bring together flowers and other plants named in Shakespeare’s works. Quotations placed beside the plants connect the garden beds to the writing, so you can read as you walk rather than needing to recognize each species on sight.
The garden has been home to more than 200 flowering plants mentioned in Shakespeare’s writing. The collection gives the place its literary focus, with the quotations offering a direct link between the plants and the plays or poems in which they appear.
A small garden within Golden Gate Park
A brick path leads through the enclosed garden, with a bust of Shakespeare at one end. Trees, fountains and benches give the compact space places to pause, read or sit quietly. Its leafy boundary and iron entrance separate it from the wider park, and the entrance is easy to pass if you are walking toward the de Young.
The garden dates to 1928. It is also used for wedding ceremonies, so you may encounter a private event during a visit. Nearby, the Botanical Garden and Conservatory of Flowers make natural additions to a longer walk through Golden Gate Park.
FAQ
Where is Shakespeare Garden?
It is inside Golden Gate Park at 335 Martin Luther King Jr Dr, San Francisco, near the de Young.
What can you see in Shakespeare Garden?
The garden has plants mentioned in Shakespeare’s writing, with quotations beside the plantings, as well as a brick path, a bust of Shakespeare, trees, fountains and benches.
When is a good time to visit?
Visit early in the morning for a quieter garden walk.
