Category Archives: north oakland

A rose is a rose is a rose.

That famous quote by Gertrude Stein may make sense to many, but to true rose lovers and connoisseurs, I’m sure it couldn’t be further from the truth. You’ll find many of these folks, and many more roses, at the Morcom Rose Garden on Jean Street just off of Grand Avenue. Have you been there? It’s a real Oaktown gem, established over 80 years ago and still going strong!

oakland rose garden, morcom rose garden, dedicated deadheaders

I stopped by the garden yesterday and have to tell you that, while still beautiful and serene, it is not the prime time to visit this garden. Some early bloomers are already strutting their stuff (mostly climbing roses, pictured below), but the real show won’t happen for another month or so (see buds in following picture). The place should be exploding in May & June.

pink roses, roses in bloom, climbing roses

rose buds

The garden, formerly known as the Morcom Amphitheater of Roses, “was constructed in 1932 as a project of the Works Progress Administration. It was named in honor of former Oakland mayor Fred N. Morcom. As well as thousands of roses, the garden features winding walkways, a reflecting pool, and a cascading fountain. The garden is available for weddings and can hold up to 200 people.” (Wikipedia)

cascading fountain, rose garden cascading fountain, morcom rose garden

climbing rose in bloom, fuscia rose blooms

My pictures do not do this garden justice due to the cloudy day on which I visited, and the lack of blooms. Here are some more exciting photos to pique your interest…

dedicated deadheaders, morcom rose garden volunteers, morcom rose garden

Pictured above are some of the garden’s volunteer force. They call themselves Dedicated Deadheaders (anyone familiar with gardening will know the term “deadheading” which is a pruning technique to remove spent flowers and spur the growth of new ones). Anyone can volunteer on the 2nd Saturday and 1st Wednesday of every month (9am to 1pm), but you’ll have to clock a certain number of hours before you get one of their groovy Grateful Dead inspired tie-dyed vests.

There’s a special volunteer workday this Saturday, April 17th in honor of Earth Day…. same hours 9am to 1pm.

Though the garden is small, it’s chock full of an incredible variety of roses laid out in a very traditional architectural arrangement for rose gardens of its period. One of the volunteers told me the technical term for one of the large clusters of plantings in a circular arrangement of geometrically shaped beds, but I’m blanking on the word right now. When I said “huh?” he said “the head of the lollipop.” Oh. I see.

Throughout the garden are lovely shaded walkways, plenty of benches for resting, and gorgeous stone steps that will take you to incredible views from above. The park is also surrounded by a small native plant buffer that provides habitat for a wide variety of birds (the songs were wonderful) and other critters. Check out this wild turkey who decided to dip his toes (claws?) in the reflecting pool!

wild turkey, reflecting pool, morcom rose garden

The garden is currently competing to be dubbed “America’s Best Rose Garden.” Here’s a brief message about the contest and a link to vote. There’s money and prestige for Oaktown at stake! Please visit the garden and cast your vote…

Dear Bay Area Friends,

As you know, one of my special loves is the Morcom Rose Garden. Over the last couple of years the talent, experience and vision of a committed City gardener, Tora Rocha, has stimulated a resurgence of volunteers, programs and regular maintenance so that the garden, now certified as an AARS garden (All-American Rose Selection) is earning recognition.
We’re competing to be America’s Best Rose Garden for 2010, so that’s where you come in. The contest has several steps but the first one is to get a lot of votes. The ten gardens that get the largest number of individual votes will be finalists. Then a panel of experts will come to review and judge the gardens. The ultimate winner will receive $2500 and become part of the AARS publicity campaign.

And Please vote for us in  The AARS’s Contest  ” Americas Best Rose Garden” We are in the running and could win some very needed money and publicity.

Thank you,
Mary Ellen Navas

All-American Rose Selections’ (AARS) “America’s Best Rose Garden” competition is a national competition to find the best public rose gardens in America. The voting officially starts on April 1st, 2010 and closes July 1st, 2010. Communities across America can vote for their favorite local garden.

Vote now and vote for Oakland, California’s Morcom Rose Garden
http://www.rose.org/voteform/

dedication plaque, morcom rose garden

It’s tulip time…

spring flowers, tulips blooming, mountain view cemetery, spring in oakland

I took a quick spin through one of my favorite places to walk in Oakland, Mountain View Cemetery, and realized it’s that time again… We’re still getting our share of rain (Sunday was a doozy) but plenty of warm sunshine too, and already the plum blossoms and daffodils have yielded to later blooming beauties, like the magnolias, wisteria, and these majestic reds. It’s a brief window… you gotta catch it when you can!

This got me to thinking that maybe I should focus on some of the gorgeous gardens in Oaktown, no doubt sprucing up under these longer warmer days for your viewing pleasure. Also, I’m working on a gardening series for Oakland Local, and Earth Day is coming up (lots of celebrations this weekend), so it seems right to focus on some greenery for a bit.

I’ve already written about some of my favorite gardens in Oakland:
Mountain View Cemetery
The Gardens at Lake Merritt (What is Art? and The Gardens Continued…)

More to come.  Please stay tuned…

Running Festival Recap

So did you check it out?!?

Hopefully you did because it was a lot of fun, and I have to say I’m feeling pretty blissed out on Oakland right now.

A ton of beautiful people were out… it was a picture perfect day with our typically warmer-and-sunnier-than-San-Fran-weather… and spirits were high!  It’s hard to really recap the experience in words, so I’ll just share a few pictures and videos from the weekend…

Saturday was the Twilight 5k at Lake Merritt kickoff event. Here are a few pics… (more on Flickr).

ella baker center, oakland running festival, twilight 5k ella baker, twilight 5k

twilight 5k, lake merritt, oakland running festival, mother & son running together

oakland running festival, st. david school, st. david school twilight 5k, twilight 5k

running for the community, promoting health, oakland running festival

oakland marathon, oakland running festival, twilight 5k

I also put together a short video with folks talking about why they decided to participate…

Here are a few photos from the Marathon and Half-Marathon finishes on Sunday morning… (more on Flickr).

Oakland Marathon, Tony Torres, Winner of Marathon

Oakland Marathon, oakland marathon 2010, community spirit oakland

frank ogawa plaza, city hall, oakland marathon, oakland running festival

post marathon celebration, oakland marathon 2010, frank ogawa plaza

broadway and telegraph, downtown oakland, oakland marathon, oakland runnning festival

And one more video interview with a half-marathon participant…

Oakland Running Festival!

Did you know there’s a marathon in Oakland this weekend?!? It seems like big news, as this is the first marathon being held in our city in over 25 years, but I’m surprised by how many people have no idea this is happening.

So here’s a little plug for what is surely to be an amazing event…

Oakland Running Festival

There was a great article in the East Bay Express about this history of this event (and other marathons) called Can Oakland Go the Distance? by Dan Schoenholz.

Some highlights…

“Long time Oakland runners and race organizers… see the Oakland Running Festival as an opportunity to promote both Oakland and running, and as a way to unify a community that is often divided by racial, economic, and geographic differences.  Marathons are big events in many cities – New York and Boston, famously, but also Baltimore, Cincinnati, Houston, and countless others – and serve as a source of civic pride and unity.  Why not Oakland?”

The festival is based on a more modern, all-inclusive model, not just for hardcore athletes, but one in which a variety of races are provided so that folks can participate at any level they choose.  It’s designed to be runner-friendly, walker-friendly, family-friendly, and most definitely, celebratory. There’s the marathon (26 miles!), half-marathon, a 5k, a kids fun run (two age categories & distances), and a four-person relay.

Strikingly different from the marathon course run in 1981 which was fast, flat, and through heavy industrial areas, this year’s course is designed to be scenic and show people what “Oakland has to offer.” The course starts at City Hall… the first high-rise government building in the U.S. and the tallest building West of the Mississippi at the time it was built.  Runners then progress through the newly redeveloped Uptown section through to Temescal, and Rockridge.  Then the route parallels the BART tracks heading up Keith & Broadway to Lake Temescal Park, and continues through the lovely hills of Montclair before entering the Dimond  District to head back down towards the flats.  Runners will then head down Fruitvale Avenue into the melting-pot district of Fruitvale, and continue along International Boulevard through the Arts district of Jingletown, and on to Jack London Square.  Tired yet? There’s still much more.  After Jack London, runners will pass the West Oakland BART station and through West Oakland, rich with African-American history.  Then they’ll make their way up the lovely redeveloped greenway of the Mandela Parkway, just up to the border of Emeryville, where they’ll hang a right and head through my neighborhood of Ghosttown.  This is so cool! They’re almost in the home stretch.  Then on to 27th Street to hit Lake Merritt and make their way almost the full circumference around, branching off at 19th street to head back to City Hall… the finish line!

Here’s a link to the marathon map, and another link for the half-marathon map.

Here’s the schedule of various events:

  • Saturday 6:00pm – Kick Off Party at Lake Merritt
  • Saturday 6:30pm – Twilight 5K at Lake Merritt (starts at Lakeview Branch Library)
  • Saturday 8:00pm – Twilight 5K Awards Ceremony
  • Saturday 6 – 9pm – Celebration Village at Frank Ogawa Plaza (live music, merchandise, food & drinks, etc.)
  • Sunday 7:15am – Opening Remarks and National Anthem at City Hall
  • Sunday 7:30am – Marathon and Team Relay Races Start (14th & Broadway)
  • Sunday 8:30am – Kids Fun Run Starts (Frank Ogawa Plaza)
  • Sunday 9:00am – Half Marathon Start (14th & Broadway)
  • Sunday 12:00pm – Awards Ceremonies (Frank Ogawa Plaza)
  • Sunday 9 – 3pm – Celebration Village at Frank Ogawa Plaza (live music, merchandise, food & drinks, etc.)

I know I’ll be out both days.  While picking up my Press Pass this morning I nearly bumped into the Mayor, the downtown unbelievably abuzz with activity.  This weekend is a great moment to show the world what a beautiful and vibrant city Oakland truly is.

Please come out to support the runners and support our city!

city hall, us first skyscraper, oakland marathon finish line, oakland marathon starting point

City Hall - the starting point & finish line for the marathon & half-marathon

More reading…

Oakland Marathon a step in the right direction by Chip Johnson

Oakland marathon builds steam with charity donations by Sean Maher