Green Thumb Sunday - Living Roof, Butterflies, Birds and Frogs

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Earlier this past week, I ventured to the California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. The Academy just reopened about a month ago after an almost 10-year renovation project. The new building is stunning and I spent most of my time on the Living Roof as well as in a four-story rainforest habitat.

The Living Roof is comprised of seven hills planted with nine native plants and spanning two and one-half acres. These native plants include four perennials: (i) Beach Strawberry (Fragaria chiloensis), (ii) Self Heal (Prunella vulgaris), (iii) Sea Pink (Armeria maritima ssp. californica), and (iv) Stonecrop (Sedum spathulifolium). The remaining nature plants consist of five annual wildflowers: (i) Tidy Tips (Layia platyglossa), (ii) Goldfield (Lasthenia californica), (iii) Miniature Lupine (Lupinus nanus), (iv) California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica), and (v) California Plantain (Plantago erecta). I spotted many bees merrily enjoying the flowers of these native plants. The Living Roof absorbs all rainwater (which can be substantial in our winter rainy season) and the plants act to naturally cool the building's interior (avoiding the use of electricity to cool the building). The Academy is believed to be the "greenest" museum in the world.

Bee or Fly-Bee on Wildflower

Bee or Fly-Bee on Miniature Lupine

The 4-Story Rainforest rests directly beneath the open area shown on the above photograph of the Living Roof. It consists of four stories in a 90-foot diameter glass dome.

Here is a sampling of some of the beautiful frogs, butterflies and birds featured in the rainforest habitat.

Red-Eyed Tree Frog

Red-Eyed Tree Frog

Poison Dart Frogs

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