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Color postcard of 'Garden Beautiful' inside San Quentin c. 1960s, Jeff Craemer Collection/MHM Collection. | |
The magical idea of the ‘Garden Beautiful’ is credited to a prisoner named “Pat” Tyrone. When he arrived at the prison, he saw a shoddy courtyard and buildings. An educated man, Pat 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. He planted cabbage, carrots, lettuce and beans. At the time, there were just a few flowers here and there. Mr. Tyrone became known as the “Head Gardener to the inmates”. He received more applications to help than there were vacancies. 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 reasonable priced meats helped families make ends meet. Since there were no cars, television or radios, children and adults had to entertain themselves which created a tight-knit community. Activities included baseball games, fishing and social gatherings. The years between 1912-1922 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 in a vegetable garden 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 the gardens for convicts 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 with 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." The courtyard became the pride of “the old-timers” who took care of the garden masterfully. On Sundays and holidays, the San Quentin Concert Band played near the Warden’s office in the gazebo. Don Zubler, the nephew of Clifton Duffy, enjoyed listening to the band situated near the Garden Beautiful filled with flowers, shrubs and a bird bath. 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 Prison for the benefit of the USO which attracted a large group of people “proving that public interest in ornamental plants has not in the least diminished.” |
