Visitors exploring Yerba Buena Gardens in downtown San Francisco can now discover more than just its beautiful landscapes. A new interactive public map brings the Garden's trees, garden beds, public art, and amenities together in one accessible online experience, no app required. Working alongside horticultural intern Olivia Jensen, Blue Raster developed the map using Esri's ArcGIS platform, turning an ambitious idea into a public-facing resource in just three and a half months.
Seve Ghose, Executive Director of Yerba Buena Gardens, stopped at Blue Raster's booth at the American Public Gardens Association annual conference in June 2026 and saw maps other gardens had built in collaboration with Blue Raster.
"He knew exactly what he wanted for Yerba Buena," said Chris Gabris, Blue Raster's Public Gardens Practice Lead, "and when he saw our examples he knew it was possible."
The speed came from a clear goal and a tight scope: one campus, one data collection season, and one public app.
What visitors can do with the map
The map turns a two-block urban garden into something you can explore by plant, by artwork, or by what you need right now.
| Feature | What visitors can do |
| Search | Type a plant, amenity, or garden area and jump straight to it |
| Garden beds | See the plants, birds, and insects found in each bed, and log their own sightings on iNaturalist |
| Trees | See each tree's common and scientific name, family, native range, and any dedication |
| Public art | See the artist, medium, year installed, and a photo of each piece |
| Filters | Narrow plants by California native, flowering season, plant type, and leaf type |
| Amenities | Find benches, dog spots, elevators, restrooms, and a wheelchair-compliant swing |
The garden bed pop-ups go beyond plants. In the Oche Wat Te Ou Reflection Garden, the pop-up lists tule reed alongside the birds that visit, bushtits and Anna's hummingbirds, and the damselflies that live there. It turns a planting map into a guide to a small ecosystem in the middle of downtown San Francisco.
Mapping 300+ trees in a few weeks
The project took about three and a half months from first conversation to public launch.
| Milestone | Timing |
| First conversation at the American Public Gardens Association conference in San Francisco | June 2026 |
| Contract signed | Within six weeks |
| Public launch on the Yerba Buena Gardens website | ~ Two months |
A small garden can build an accurate inventory without a GIS department. In collaboration with the Garden's horticultural intern, Olivia Jensen, Blue Raster first set up an ArcGIS Online organization and a field data collection workflow for plants, garden areas, art pieces, and other amenities across the campus. Over the course of a few weeks, Olivia was able to map over 300 trees across the campus, along with over a dozen art pieces.
Once data collection was complete, Blue Raster worked within the Garden's branding guidelines to develop cartographic design and a wireframe for the public application. Functionalities such as keyword search, pre-configured filters, and an interactive legend were added, utilizing out-of-the-box widgets while stretching the capabilities of ArcGIS Experience Builder. Custom pop-ups were also developed to showcase the plants, birds, and bugs that can be found in specific garden beds. This allows staff to highlight the annual species that are present in the garden without re-mapping them over time.
Throughout the process, Blue Raster worked collaboratively with stakeholders at Yerba Buena Gardens to tweak functionalities, design, and text as needed. The app was launched on Yerba Buena's website, just days before the end of Olivia's internship.
Our Rich History With Public Gardens
Blue Raster has partnered with Public Gardens and Cemeteries for over fifteen years to bring GIS and mapping to everyday workflows. We have worked with public gardens since supporting the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington, DC, and now work with 20 public gardens on mapping workflows and applications.
Our team designs intuitive tools for staff to manage plant records, and interactive applications for the public and researchers to search and enhance their experiences.
Let Us Help You Map Your Public Garden
Blue Raster can help you showcase your garden's unique landscapes, collections, and experiences with interactive maps that inspire exploration and connect visitors to the beauty of your space. Contact us today.