Marin history: A garden blooms at San Quentin

With all the early gardens in Marin, it might be surprising that one of most remarkable rose gardens blossomed at San Quentin prison. At the end of World War I, the idea suggested by inmate Patrick “Pat” Tyrone — under the wardenship of James A. Johnston. It was named the Garden Beautiful and maintained and supervised by the inmates.

When Tyrone arrived at the prison, he saw a shoddy courtyard and buildings. He knew people needed to keep active, and a garden could help them rise above the depressing surroundings. His idea was strongly anchored in this vision and practicality. Despite being in the throes of WWI, the necessary elements were present: a shortage of food, extra time, available seeds and soil, and the California climate. Since he was a practical person, food came first. He planted cabbage, carrots, lettuce and beans.

Every Friday, vegetables grown in the garden were delivered to each house by prisoners in a horse-drawn delivery wagon. These deliveries, along with bread from the prison bakery and reasonably priced meats, helped families make ends meet. As a tight-knit community, the years between 1912 to 1922 were referred to as the “golden era” for those who worked at San Quentin and lived in the village.

When the war ended, the interest shifted to flowers — to create a beautiful garden. As the garden grew, flowers were donated by flower lovers. One of the most unusual dahlia patches in the world was found in the Garden Beautiful. The Dahlia Society of California would send a gift box of “their best and newest” to San Quentin every year. In addition, the dreary stone and mortar buildings were strategically covered with climbing roses. George Christian Roeding was a gifted nurseryman and plant scientist who was highly supportive of this program, and provided thousands of roses to San Quentin. This program started after World War I ended, and Roeding supplied roses to San Quentin yearly until his death in 1928.

Roeding strongly believed that working in gardens could be a “helping hand to the unfortunate … that will change the derelict from a pessimist to an optimist; that will convert the down-and-outer into a useful member of society; to create courage in place of despair; to repair a lost manhood and give it the character and stability that will command respect.” Not widely known, Roeding’s interest in prisoners went beyond the walls of the prison garden. For a number of years, he employed ex-convicts in his various fields and nursery grounds.

In August 1943, the New York Times printed an article entitled, “Flowers aid in prison: The ‘Garden Beautiful’ at St. Quentin helps to build morale of inmates.” It turned out that the only large flower show held in California that summer was a sale staged at San Quentin for the benefit of the United Service Organizations, which attracted a large number of people. By 1954, the Garden Beautiful had become Portal Plaza: a manicured, formal garden with a variety of roses.

Luckily, things have come full circle. Since 2003, the H-Unit — a dormitory yard — at San Quentin has served as a flourishing plot of vibrant drought-resistant plants, flowering herbs and wild geranium and echinacea. The H-Unit Garden is planted and maintained by the Insight Garden Program (IGP). In 2015, a vegetable plot was added in partnership with the nonprofit Planting Justice. The plot grows onions, garlic, potatoes and leafy greens, which are donated to the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank. In addition, IGP’s partnership with Planting Justice goes beyond the San Quentin walls by offering jobs to former inmates.

History Watch is written by Lane Dooling, marketing and social media coordinator at the Marin History Museum, marinhistory.org. Images included in History Watch are available for purchase by calling 415-382-1182 or by email at info@marinhistory.org