The Gardens at Lake Merritt

Heaven in the middle of Oakland, can’t describe the beauty of this park. A lot of animals there, plants, you can go to read of eat, anything will be a great plan there. Respect the silence and don’t leave a bad trace. There’s a bonsai garden, but maybe have a different schedule or closed for maintenance.

A lovely peaceful hidden gem on the shores of Lake Merritt. In particular, the dahlias were in full bloom (September) and looked beautiful. The wide variety of plants from alpines to trees were interesting, as were the various different landscaping.

What a lovely place to spend 2-3 hours walking through and admiring the beauty of creation! Best of all, it didn't cost anything.

The Autumn Lights Festival here was a fun event. The lighted art installations were clever and beautiful. I really liked the local crafts as well. Parking was very challenging.

I was truly amazed by the beauty of the park and lake in Oakland. The peaceful atmosphere, the lush green trees, and the delightful sound of birds create a perfect natural escape in the heart of the city. Riding a bike through the park was such an enjoyable experience — refreshing, calming, and full of scenic views. It’s a wonderful place to relax and connect with nature.

5 stars for the Bonsai Garden, 4 for the rest of the gardens... Serene spot, with a few spots to sit and chill!

I love a good frolick in a beautiful urban garden and these gardens are it! Small but mighty, tons of benches, shade and running water. Peaceful, verdant, and open to all. This is where I go to hide for a bit, protected by bounty of green life. The only criticism I have is the hours (8am-2/3pm), I wish they opened earlier or stayed open later—this would make the gardens most accessible for those that want to visit during the week but work 9-5. Still, this local gem provides a moment of reprieve from busy Oakland. Love these gardens to bits!

Beautiful just gorgeous. Probably the only real time I have really been here. Came today with My 4+ years old daughter. We both fell in love. Lovely trees, the magical sound of the stream, the lovely bonsai garden, the community edible gardens and so much more makes this place truly magical. Love it. Want to visit more often and just enjoy this amazing space. So lucky to be here to experience this. Highly recommend to anyone at any age.

This was a perfect stop for a staycation since it was open on Labor Day. It was pretty quiet, which we didn't mind. There were so many types of flowers, some of which I've never seen, and it leads out to Lake Merritt itself. My family and I took our time to look at everything and we there for about an hour. *Verdict: Free to the public, this is a great place to soak in the sun and escape from the hustle and bustle of the city!

A lot of times, after my run around the lake, I like to come here and just walk around, it's so serene and peaceful here! It really doesn't feel like 7 acres in here at first, but once you explore all of these gardens, you get a feel of just how expansive it is in here. It's free to enter, but also has limited hours. It's open weekdays from 8AM-3PM and weekends from 8AM-4PM. You will find people sitting on the many benches in here conversing, or just taking in the scenery. I've been walking through here for a long time, always enjoy being here!!

Lovely gardens appropriately located adjacent to the beautiful Lake Merritt, creating a serene and picturesque destination. Came by to explore the scenery and diverse artworks of the annual Autumn Lights Festival this past weekend (see my other review for more on that), and was delighted to discover this wonderful collection of trees and vegetation, including dahlias, roses, and bonsai, as well as various vegetables, water features and mini waterfalls, and even bee hotels when we visited for the fall event. It doesn't compare to some of my favorite parks and flower gardens in SF and San Jose, but there is still plenty to see and appreciate here. Parking is available nearby for a small fee, though be aware it can get crowded during special events.

I was looking for things to do while in Oakland, and came across the gardens. It is a seven-acre collection of themed gardens located at Lakeside Park. It costs $5 to park, but there is no entrance fee for the garden itself. The Torii gate serves as a landmark for the garden. We saw a variety of interesting plants. The biggest draw for me was the bonsai garden. If you like greenery, then check it out!

This was a nice surprise nestled in Lake Merritt. The garden has a few areas, but I was interested in the Bee and Bonsai Garden. Bonsai classes are offered. Seeing all the different shapes and colors of Bonsai trees was very relaxing. See attached photos. The Bee Garden was small, but nice to know the Bees have a place to go for food and shelter . The Garden is free, but I don't know about the Bonsai classes. I'm not even sure who offers them. Just a side note....there were sooooo many beautiful dogs being walked at Lake Merritt. Seeing them was quite a treat Here's What I Think... I will defintely go back when I have more time. Check it out if you're in the area.

Lovely, peaceful spot to wander around in, right near the path around Lake Merritt. Several small waterfalls to contemplate. Mostly paved, easy to navigate with a stroller. Parking was three dollars on a weekday.

I can never resist peeking into this lush city garden when I'm walking or biking through the park here. It has a mix of old and new plantings spread throughout and a community gardening space. The quiet sanctuary of the bonsai garden is also housed within this place. Altogether, a hushed, welcome respite from the noise and activity of nearby Grand Avenue.

Today was a beautiful day for a leisurely stroll through the Gardens at Lake Merritt. The gardens is about 100 yards from Children's Fairlyland at Lake Merritt. It's very walkable and family friendly. There are a variety of plants, flowers, and gardens. This is a great place to enjoy nature, spend quality time with family / friends, or to clear your head. There is lots of parking ($5 fee) as long as you get to the park early. This is definitely a must visit place if you're looking for a quick escape from the hustle and bustle of the city.

This is a great free place to visit while at Lake Meritt or as a destination upon itself. While it's free the parking is $2 though there is a lot of street parking in the neighborhood. There are many diverse gardens to explore which is good if you like variety. My favorite has always been the Japanese garden for their calmness and tranquil feeling. I'd been here a couple of times and thought the Tori gate, stream and the huge lantern was considered the Japanese garden before I realized the Japanese garden is actually an enclosed space right next to the Lake garden center with a waterfall, pond, and bridge. I think they close it for private events sometimes so it's not as obvious. It's also very small so if coming specifically for a Japanese garden I'd recommend the nearby Hayward Japanese garden instead which is much bigger and more elaborate. I was really impressed with the area with the Dahlia flowers which wasn't on the map as an official garden, but it had its own designated area. The Dahlia is a very pretty flower because it's so symmetrical and came in a wide range of colors. Some of those flowers there got really huge!!!! I think the best time to come is the mid-winter-mid spring because that's when all the wildflowers come out. The yellow oxalis come as early as February and really light up the garden in bursts of yellow. They tend to die down earlier than the others probably by May. Spring also brings lots of butterflies to the Pollinator and Edible gardens. I only wish they'd close later. 3pm seems like a ridiculous time to close especially in the summer.

Beautiful just gorgeous. Probably the only real time I have really been here. Came today with My 4+ years old daughter. We both fell in love. Lovely trees, the magical sound of the stream, the lovely bonsai garden, the community edible gardens and so much more makes this place truly magical. Love it. Want to visit more often and just enjoy this amazing space. So lucky to be here to experience this. Highly recommend to anyone at any age.

Gardens at Lake Merritt where the artist Kevin Woodson used to paint and draw his inspirations from is superb. I like the idea of designating a specific area and plant specific plants that will facilitate protecting native bees from the Bay Area. Being no expert on bees, I can only tell there is a diversity of bees (in addition to the ones in the sign) pollinating flowers and showing their natural beauty. They are all very cute and hardworking, contributing to the ecosystem balance in their unique ways. Highly recommended for its diversity of plants, flowers, bonsai trees and other species.

A hidden gem in Lake Merritt! I've lived in the Bay my entire life and I never knew Lake Merritt had a garden. It's such a nice place for a walk. I visited the garden with a student I work with to have them explore the sensory garden, which is filled with herbs anyone can smell and feel. I love that there are so many different insects and birds, as well as plants! Such a peaceful place to relax in the town.

** The following review reflects my experience DURING the COVID-19 pandemic. ** It's been here for over half a century, but honestly I didn't know this place existed, and when I passed by it on my lakeside strolls, I just assumed it was a nursery even though in hindsight, I never did see anyone carry out any potted plants. When I finally satisfied my curiosity and entered through the tall metal gates, I finally realized it was a series of gardens over a seven-acre space. Granted it's no Butchart Gardens, but it's also not $32. It also doesn't require you to violate lockdown regulations to travel to British Columbia. It's free and frankly a nice respite to chill. The Japanese garden is flanked by a traditional torii gate, and there's a bonsai garden which was locked the two times I visited. The rest melts together as it appears under constant renovation. But I'm quibbling because we should all be grateful for places like this that allow us the distancing needed to roam conscientiously. RELATED - Looking for gardens? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/37K9I3L

this little hidden garden is such a gem in the middle of oakland! we came upon it on accident and wandered through for a while and were so impressed by all of it. the palm tree grove transports you into a little oasis, and we were lucky enough to see a turtle swimming in the pond! the bonsai garden was closed when we were there but will definitely be going back to see it :)

I made reservations on open table. It was ready when we arrived. Sat out on patio on a Saturday morning, there was a heater overhead on the most inner tables. Attentive service. Creative and fun dishes. I had the bacon rice and it was really yummy. Parking is a bit difficult. There's a public parking near but plan on walking. And there are lovely walking trails with a garden nearby!

I've been going to this garden ever since I could walk and I simply cannot put into words how much love I have for this garden. The garden has different parts--e.g., there's a part that grows mainly fruits and veggies, there's a part that has a botanical garden (hours are extremely limited for this part), there's a part with succulents, there's a part that's Japanese themed/inspired with a little pond that sometimes has Koi fish and turtles that you can walk over, and so much more! This garden has two main entrances--one faces Fairyland and the other faces the boating place. Parking is readily available and there are public bathrooms nearby. My favorite thing about this garden are the squirrels, haha. They've become so accustomed to humans that they often will walk up and ask for snacks (it's okay to feed them little nuts). Overall, this garden is a great place to bring your loved ones to just relax, unwind, and appreciate nature

File this under "Most Beautiful Places in Oakland." I came here a few weeks ago while walking my dog and was completely mesmerized. I ended up staying for two hours and left with a deep gratitude for all botanical beauties. Here's what I saw and would recommend: ***** If you're looking to UNWIND... The sensory garden has a small water feature with river stones that you can stack, which I found very calming. The waterfall area is also lovely; I can see it being a great place for a quick meditation. If you're looking to be INSPIRED... Check out the gorgeous dahlia collection! They truly are some of the most beautiful flowers you'll see. A volunteer who was tending to the plants told me that dahlias have more genetic diversity than humans. Definitely pay a visit to the bonsai garden, which rightfully earns its place as one of the most talked about areas of Lake Merritt Gardens. So many varieties, and all are very clearly cared for. ***** Even if you don't know much about plants (I don't), you'll be awed by the horticultural diversity that's tucked away in the few acres of Lake Merritt Gardens. If I still lived in the area, this would be one trip I'd happily take every weekend to relax and reconnect!

The gardens are free but it costs $2 for 2 hours to enter Lake Merritt Park. The gardens take 45 minutes to walk through. Parking was plentiful inside the pay area but scant outside the fee zone. A sizable chunk of space is devoted to the vegetable garden. The palm garden was the best managed space. The bonsai collection (see www.yelp.com/biz/golden-state-bonsai-foundation-at-lake-merritt-oakland) has slightly shorter hours than the main garden. With almost 100 bonsai packed tightly into a small space, the display was too crowded. For instance, I took photos of three outstanding bonsai (redwood, juniper, and cypress) but other trees cluttered each shot. The plants were healthy but some needed pruning.

I didn't know this place was here for the longest. I took some good pictures here. It's also a good place to study.

There were so many flowers in bloom and so many plants. I loved smelling the flowers. I was also shocked that there was such a big garden hidden near the lake. Sadly, I didn't take any pictures because my phone was dying but I would recommend coming here.