A trio of albums chronicling 3 editions (10th, 14th, and 15th) of the annual California Spring Garden Show held in Oakland, CA.

Each of the fair was curated around a central theme, an idea which came from the show's frequent producer, landscape architect Howard Gilkey. The themes represented here are Shangri-La (1939), El Dorado (1946), and Fantasia (1947), which are visible to varying degrees throughout the exposition displays, El Dorado being the most vividly apparent with features such as the "Round-Up of Covered Wagons", a Gnarled Oak, an Old Mine Tunnel, and an overlook where visitors could view the indoor exhibits from above a 30 foot waterfall. Each fair included a large and beautifully designed indoor display at the Oakland Exposition Hall, comprising a variety of water and stone features, cut flowers, bulbs, rare plants, orchids, and other elaborate displays. This was paired with outdoor exhibits, each small section designed by floral clubs and women's societies from throughout California.

In keeping with the tidiness of the natural exhibition, the albums themselves are presented in a pristine manner, with well composed, thought-out photographs, each neatly linen backed. All three albums have an introduction page naming the Board of Directors, Landscape architects, Treasurers, Presidents, etc., and two possess a facsimile floor-plan of the overall expositions.

Beyond his work producing the city's garden shows, Howard Gilkey (1890-1972) contributed to many important public works projects in the city of Oakland, including Mills College, Woodminster Amphitheater and Cascade, the Knowland State Park arboretum, the Cleveland Cascade, and the original duck pond on Lake Merritt. Architecture historian Phoebe Cutler once wrote about him, "Gilkey had more effect on the city of Oakland than most of its mayors and city councilmen yet his name and reputation have virtually disappeared from the memory of the Bay Area."