Established for beautification purposes when Alcatraz was U.S. Army fort, these gardens were  restored and tended by incarcerated people during the island’s era as a federal Prison. A new restoration project began in the early 2000s led by NPS with a multi- member partnership. Now the wildly popular national park site is dotted with flowering plants, some of which are heirlooms of parent plants introduced decades ago.A robust volunteer program supports a cadre of  local gardeners who ensure the gardens grow and thrive.