Conservatory of Flowers

Twenty-three years ago Wednesday, “one of the strongest storms ever to strike the West Coast” walloped the Bay Area with several inches of rain and wind gusts in excess of 100 mph, according to the National Weather Service.

The Corpse Flower has bloomed in San Francisco, causing quite the stink.

Oooh, that smell. Can’t you smell that smell? Soon, many in San Francisco will be able to smell the pungent yet popular bloom of the Corpse Flower, which began to open Sunday at the Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park, according to a conservatory spokesperson.

The Pink Triangle may be a byproduct of the Holocaust, but San Francisco on Saturday will light up its iconic installation with 150 rainbow-colored kisses, effectively turning its symbolism on its head. “We’ve totally flipped the meaning of the Pink Triangle – it’s about love and not death,” said organizer Patrick Carney.

Whether you believe in the power of this seasonal shift or just want to start the summer with fun festivities, here is a list of the best Solstice happenings in the Bay Area.

San Francisco’s Conservatory of Flowers is celebrating the blooming of their most morbid inhabitant: the Corpse Flower, also known as Terra the Titan.

Filled with groovy jams and a far out light show, guests will be transported back to the summer of 1967.

Melody and Charlie Wambeke are a delightful husband and wife photography team who love to explore our region together, each with a camera in hand. They share images of gardens, ghost towns and and the other-worldly Mono Lake.