Salesforce Park

Salesforce Park is on the roof of Salesforce transit center. It is a garden, a bird paradise,  a 1km trail and also a exercise ground, in one park.

We visited the park for the first time last May. It was a sunny day and we arrived near noon time. There were quite a few people in the park. Through trees, across lawns and over the bushes, the high-rises around dominated the views. 

181 Fremont at SoMa district of SF

former GQ of Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company

Salesforce Tower (left) 

The flora at the park is impressive as well. There are many varieties, of different species, different shapes, different colors,  including monkey puzzle trees,  King Protea flower, Bird of paradise flower, Prickly Pear Cactus, and a Queensland Bottle Tree.

Monkey Puzzle Trees (left),

Prickly Pear Cactus (lower right)

King Protea (South Africa National Flower)

Bird of Paradise (flower)

Queensland Bottle Tree

With gardens, there come birds, which include pigeons, hummingbirds, white crowned sparrows, house finches, ...The male house finches draw attentions due to its red head and neck, White crowned sparrows on the hand make beautiful song, humming birds amaze me by its tiny size and fast flapping wings. 

A pair of house finches, the red head is male

white crowned sparrow

A black chinned hummingbird (?)

The second time we visited the park was earlier this month on a cloudy day. It was not as colorful and bright as the first visit, but we enjoyed the park just as well.

It drizzled a little, few people in the park, an old couple were jogging, a security guard was patrolling. The same species of flowers were still blooming, and birds singing.

Black chinned hummingbirds were flapping around. I finally got a clear good look at one of them. Using cellphone, I could not zoom in to see its colors clearly.

Another interesting episode was that when Lily took pictures of flowers standing on the drainage like strip by the paved trail, the strip shot out water - it was a fountain - and she was splashed on! She thought that stepped on a activation mechanism. The security guard told her that the fountain was activated by bus passing below. It is the Bus Fountain. The sensors in the ceiling of the floor beneath the park, under the bus fountain, activate the fountain when there is a bus passing by. 

We were not aware that fountain was a bus fountain before. We were made aware of it by chance.

We used elevator to get to the park the first time, and did not appreciate the sheer size of the transit center. The second time we used escalators, and we were made aware of its size.

A great park to spend an hour or two!!

Yerba Buena Gardens

Yerba Buena Gardens, a beautiful haven in the heart of San Francisco’s downtown art district. It was a block away from the hotel we stayed during our last two visits, we walked into the Gardens by chance during our first visit and went there again during the second visit.

The name Yerba Buena sounded foreign and mysterious to me. It is Spanish, meaning, Good Herb. In fact, San Francisco was originally named "Yerba Buena" before 1847, referencing the abundant herb found there.

We visited last May for the first time on a beautiful morning, and earlier this April on a cloudy day.

The gardens are surrounded by St Patrick's church to the northwest, Yerba Buena Center for Arts, and San Francisco Museum of Modern Arts to the northeast, Moscone Center (a convention center), and Children's creativity museum to the southeast, and a shopping mall to the southwest.

It is a quiet, calm place with few visitors. it has a large lawn, an infinite pool which feeds to a waterfall. A few large trees, and many blooming bushes, some birds. 

The pool at the Garden on a cloudy day in April

In May 2025, there was a sculpture exhibit, Colossal Creatures in Bloom, at the Gardens. The sculptures vivid color, exaggerated figures, attracted our attentions. There are a few permanent sculptures there as well. 

In April, on the northern side of the lawn, unexpectedly we saw many people, mostly children and their parents lingering around. There was a SF scholastic Chess championship that morning in the building. There will be a outdoor festival at the Garden - a giant poster reminded visitors.

 

It is an oasis in the forest of concretes, great for sitting there for relaxation, some mind exercises or a leisure stroll.

Chartreuse Green in N Texas

The most memorable impression from my two-week visit to Texas was the vibrant green of early spring—chartreuse in its purest form—especially across North Texas.

It is the color of new life, rich with promise. It stirs a sense of energy and renewal in me that the steady presence of evergreen never quite achieves.

Trail at Abor Hill Nature Reserve 

A tree at Abor Hill nature reserve 

The blooming in the green at Dallas Arboretum. 

note - the following was my original writing without revision 

The most impressive observation I had during my two week visit to Texas was the vibrant green color of early spring, aka the chartreuse green, especially in N Texas. 

The color of new life, the potential it represents instill energy and vigor in me, that evergreen can never do. 

Hermann Park at Houston

Hermann Park is located southwest of Downtown Houston, known for lush landscape, and dense amenities - it has Houston, Zoo, Japanese Garden, Houston Museum of Natural Science and a Golf course. I was made aware of the park during a recent United Airline flight to Houston.

I visited the park on the sunny morning of March 29, 2026.

The first thing that impressed me about the park was the big trees lined along the sidewalks on its perimeter. 

Sam Houston Statue stands at the entrance to the park, with a reflection pool in its back.

The rectangular shaped Mary Gibbs and Jesse H. Jones reflection pool connects the statue with the Pioneer Memorial Obelisk.

There are a few sculptures which added artistic flavor to the green space. 

Canopy

Scattering Surface

Atropos Key

The giant trees along the long sides of the pool plus the water in the pool, and in McGovern lake provide a paradise for birds and water fowls... blue jays, northern cardinals, Moscovy ducks, mallards, laughing gulls ...rainbow

laughing gull

Moscovy ducks 

blue jay

geese

American Robin

Due to a lunch engagement,  I walked only less than a quarter of the park.

I will definitely visit the park again when I go to Houston next time.