I am a little late doing my blogging rounds this week!

We really are lucky in Austin and we do have some terrific nurseries. I like the fact that they are like half day outings for us, some have lunch and smoothies, others chickens, donkeys and goats included! I guess I just thought most other places would have something similar…I will, from now on, savor my smoothie!

I am really surprised that a city like LA would not have more human-driven amenities at their garden centers…Germi? In between all your horticultural design globe trekking I am sure you have time to start such a place? No? You could get it exactly how you want it, and I bet it would be haunted “treat” around this time of year.

ESP.

Cal Cactus Center is like a fun house. I never get tired of going there. And yes, that stretch of 101 is a little mecca. Oh I almost forgot. Australian Natives, just outside Ventura. It’s like 10 minutes from my house & I only just went there for the first time and FELL IN LOVE. Bring lunch if you go. You’ll be there a while.

And when your extended vacation begins, you’ll have lots of gardeners in Austin ready to take you on the local tours… Better yet, can I join you in England and Oregon?!!

Melody thanks SO MUCH for this awesome comment! I love that you made me remember La Cienega, which should have been on the list – the caveat being that I still end up having to go elsewhere for the tough drought tolerants that are the backbone of my palette. But I’ve never been to The Jungle, and I’ll remedy that – it sounds great, and it could be a destination!
I am so with you about that stretch of 101 – starting with Seaside Gardens and ending with San Marcos – I am in heaven! And the profit margins ARE tiny for retail nurseries, but nurseries in other cities offset the small mark-up on plants by selling coffee, smoothies, sno-cones, and making the nursery a great place to be for the afternoon. If you get people to linger over an iced latte, chances are they are going to buy some plants!
You totally made me laugh with your comment about not going west of La Cienega – I’m worse! I tend to stay this side of WESTERN as much as possible – but for cool plants, I’ll go anywhere!
Thanks so much for dropping by – we are very much of like minds of the subject!

Hi Fern! Ha! YES – Rolling Greens is $$$ – and not very nice. I once had to get a bunch of plants for a Bonnie Hunt Show demo, and they gave me SO MUCH attitude, like I was trying to rip them off or something! I think alot of their business is film and photo – they are just into what can dress spaces. That explains the limited selection and out of control prices. And all the FAKE plants! WTF? I always wondered about that… I HAVE heard good things about Marina Garden Center – Michael, the project manager for Elysian Landscapes, swears by them. I need to visit – but that means I SERIOUSLY have to get over my Westside issue! (I am such a baby – the only way I can make myself do a job on the westside is promising myself lunch at a fabulous restaurant!)
It’s true – we in LA have to start fighting for our rights for reasonably priced plants, a great selection, and an upbeat retail experience! I feel for my non-wholesale garden friends!

The only nursery I’ve ever used in LA and can give even 3 out of 5 stars to is Marina Garden Center in Marina Del Rey. They’re overpriced, but they have a decent selection and helpful/friendly staff.

Maybe I’ve lived outside of LA for too long, but it never ceases to amaze me how much more expensive it is than the rest of Southern California.

Paradoxically (and thank goodness) we do have some incredible wholesale growers outside of the city. I feel like the whole stretch on the 101 from carp to goleta is a teeming oasis … its almost painful to drive that stretch of highway without stopping at at least one nursery. And then there are wholesalers like the baron borthers and the berylwoods of ventura county. This dichotomy starts making sense when one takes into consideration the premium of real estate in denser urban situations such as los angeles and then contrast city rents/proterty ownership with the profit margins of a retail nursery (which I would speculate are pretty slim … unless we are talking about ‘inner gardens’ … because with those prices somebody’s goose is getting fat).

I LOVE the California Cactus Center, and although they are relatively specialized, I am always blown away by the breadth of their selection and the knowledge of the staff (Im pretty sure it is a family run business?). I totally missed out on hortus … I was battling the throws of teen angst during their prime … but your transferal of nostalgia definitely leaves me wanting.

As an aside, I grew up in San Juan Capistrano, aka the suburbs of Los Angeles, and whenever I go down to visit my parents I am totally jealous of their local retail garden centers which include the’ tree of life nursery’ and a place called ‘plant depot’ (what sunset nursery could be if they had more property and a more complete inventory) that just keeps getting better and better. Not fair! I would do almost anything for a two mile drive to a great garden center, I just wouldn’t live in the suburbs!

I do feel like you may have left out a couple of noteworthy nurseries … none of which are the one stop shop … in fact, quite the contrary … however all of these little gems are definitely worth knowing about if you are in LA / Hollywood. I am also an eastsider … and for me, generally speaking, traveling anywhere west of La Brea Blvd can be quite painful and unnecessary … especially a retail destination … but these nurseries are worth an occasional exception:

The Jungle Nursery – this nursery used to be in culver city but has recently moved up to sawtelle, adjacent to hashimoto and yamaguchi (which fyi … has some pretty radical bonsai) … subtropical mostly … good selection.

La Cienega Nursery – i really like this place for its specimen and exotic plants … it is a beautiful little nursery, the facade of the building is covered with this monster climber native to the jungles of vietnam. the owner is a real plant lover. they have some pretty stunning orchids in the back. Across the street he has some crazy specimens … jurassic dasylirions and kalanchoes, the likes of which make dr seuss seem unimaginative.

(wholesale)Kobata Growers … torrence isn’t so bad … especially when oktoberfest is going down in alpine village

… and I dont know if Malibu counts … or if this nursery is even still around … but a few years ago I went to a place called Nagel Nursery .. off Bonsall Road down by zuma beach … mr. nagel has quite a collection of palms and other subtropicals. It is a pretty wonderful place.

Carpinteria does have the lovely Island View nursery as well as Seaside Gardens. Closer to home, of course there’s Worldwide Exotics in LVT, which you already know. We like Sperling in Calabasas because it’s more like a theme park – you kind of need a map to get around, and it’s hard to see it all in one visit. It’s a fun day.

I’ve been to Persson’s in Pasadena several times, usually because they are the only place selling something in particular that I’m looking for, so that’s to their credit. They have trees that nobody else seems to sell and a great selection of bareroots (fruit trees, roses, you name it).

The one we miss is the late, great Steven’s in Valley Village. It wasn’t nearly as awesome as Hortus sounds, but ah, we had some good times (and good thymes).

About the only place we go anymore is Green Arrow. The plants are fairly basic but they do a good job on supplies, plus their Christmas trees are so inexpensive in December.

Hi Jenny! Oh, you would DIE at California Cactus Center! I did a big post on them when I had my blog at Domino magazine – I think it’s time for me to do another one. Three days ago I was there and was just drooling over the enormous Agave parryi truncatas they had – and the most beautiful huge tree aloes (which nobody can possibly afford!)
You know, I think the which came first, the nursery or the gardener is SUCH a good question! Because I know from my own experience that I was already interested, but I doubt I would have become an extreme plant lover had I not been exposed to the variety of unusual and high-quality material by my beloved Hortus.
I can’t believe you carried an AGAVE on a plane with you! That is the best – the mark of a true, die-hard plant fiend! And someone on the flight crew must have been one of us – a kindred spirit, don’t you think? XO!