History

The garden development began in the early 1920's when Mr. And Mrs. Anson Blake of Berkeley sought a new site for their home to make way for the university's proposed football stadium to be built at the entrance to Strawberry Canyon. Although the site had been purchased previously as a potential quarry site they soon realized that its true value was in its richly varied terrain, unusual rock outcrops, and the spectacular views of San Francisco bay area.

From the beginning the garden was important. So much so that when the house was designed, the Blakes impressed on the architect, Walter Bliss, that it be sited to take advantage of the views and to shelter a portion of the garden from western marine exposure. Using this approach groves of laurel, coast redwood, canary island pine, acacia, and lacebark were planted in exposed areas throughout the garden.

The property, originally 22 acres was designed to serve two houses, one for each of the two brothers, Anson and Edwin Blake. Miss Mable Symmes one of the first students in the University of California at Berkeley, Department of Landscape Architecture and her sister, Mrs. Anson Blake, created the first garden plan. By dividing the site into separate areas that reflect the varied topography and microclimates in the garden and linking them informally, they created a progression of spaces that allows the visitor to experience the garden's diversity and unique terrain in a intimate and logical way.

The garden today is half its original size. With Edwin's death in the mid 1950s the 22 acre property was divided into approximately two equal pieces. The Anson Blakes retained 10.5 acres around their house while Edwin's house was left with a two acre parcel leaving the remaining land to be divided into small housing lots. Edwin's house was given to the Roman Catholic Church which soon after established a Carmelite Monastery.

In 1957 Mr. and Mrs. Blake deeded their house and garden to the University of California, "reserving unto themselves and the survivor of them the right to occupy the property for life. With the death of Mr. Blake in 1959 and Mrs. Blake in 1962, the house and garden passed to the university. While it was not decided until 1967 that the house would be used as the official residence of the President of the University of California it was made clear that the Blakes wanted the garden be used by the Department of Landscape Architecture as resource for it program. For this reason the garden has been used as an outdoor laboratory for plant identification, planting design, the study of problems in spatial relationships, and other studies in landscape architecture and environmental design. Under the guidance of succeeding directors such projects as surveying, mapping, and photographing the site as well as cataloguing plants were undertaken. Blake continues to serve as an important source of information to students studying plant identification and garden design. It is valued for its substantial collection of over 1200 species of established plant material and its quality of design demonstrated by the 1920's formal garden. Blake continues to offer volunteer programs for the general public as well as work study programs and internships through the Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Design at the University of California at Berkeley.