10 Best Nursery And Gardening In Southern California

Gardening

Native Plantings in Jeffrey Fontana Park

A beautiful selection of mature and new native plant gardens can be found in Jeffry Fontana Park in San Jose. Wandering through the park, you will find plants from both northern and southern California in a variety of settings.

This is the perfect place to view plants that grow well in San Jose and find ideas for your own gardens.

From buckwheats to monkeyflowers to California fuschias, you'll see something in bloom year-round. Many of the plants are labelled, making it easy to identify your favorites.

The two original berms were planted in 2011 as an alternative landscape feature to tall trees under PG&E power transmission lines. The plants are well-established and no longer need irrigation.

Five Islands

This garden was planted at the beginning of 2018, although the concept was conceived years before. In the words of Patrick Pizzo, its founder:

The concept of the Five Island Project was born about six years ago. We wanted to create islands or berms much like the two that we first introduced into our park, Jeffrey Fontana, as an alternative landscape feature to tall trees, which have impact on the safe delivery of power transmission by PG&E. You see, our two parks, T.J. Martin and J. Fontana are contiguous along the PG&E power transmission easement in south San Jose. Our contribution, toward potential loss of trees, was to develop native plant and shrub alternatives. This was our first effort.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLGX6CPQBw0

Now near this island is an open area between heritage coast live oak trees, Quercus agrifolia. Our vision was to have a network of islands/berms in this open area. Neighbors wanted to have an alternative to weeds and summer dust storms. The area is about 120 foot by 120 foot. We envisioned five CA native plant islands in this open area.

Part of the reason for the passage of time was due to the drought. The City policy became 'no new plantings'. Then, a couple of years ago, with MFPA postured financially to support a major project, the idea came to the fore and I was asked to implement the proposed project. During the four years leading up to this okay, we had been in multiple conversations with our Parks Department in San Jose about the Five Island Project. About a year ago, we broke ground.

The elongated islands are about 35 by 15 foot and of elliptical shape. The spine is about 2 foot high, tapered to ground level, providing good drainage. The native soil was removed or 'dished'; and this native dirt (sand and adobe) was mixed with 'garden soil' from Evergreen Supply in San Jose. It is the lowest grade of organic soil on the market. The combined soils were used to create the islands/berms. Each island is sponsored, to raise money to implement the project. We have five sponsors: East Bay Wilds, DGDG, Almaden Valley Nursery, PG&E and the past presidents of our organization: MFPA (Martin-Fontana Parks Association):

https://martinfontanaparksassociation.blog

After forming the islands, plants were planted. Each sponsor selected plants and designed their own gardens. Directly after planting, drip-irrigation was installed. We are using Techline drip line with pressure-opened emitters: 1 gallon per hour per emitter. The emitters are spaced 18 inches apart. I designed the irrigation system and will relate at the site-visit. Currently, due to low rain (nothing Jan and Feb), we irrigate every 8 days for 1/2 hour and this is working out fine. We have a variety of water-need plants on the island, by design, so it will be a challenge to fine-tune any summer watering. The islands were planted from mid-Jan through the end of February, which worked out great as you recall the beautiful weather (minus rain). The plants seem very happy with their new homes.

Additional information is available at:

https://martinfontanaparksassociation.blog/2018/06/19/have-you-been-to-the-islands-yet/

Here is a plant list for the five islands.

Directions: The original two berms and the Five Islands area of the park is across from 1278 Oakglen Way, San Jose. Street parking is available.

Capitancillos Drive Native Plant Demonstration Garden

This garden adjoins over a half mile of Capitancillos Drive in San Jose. It is a labor of love by one of the residents of the neighborhood, supported by other neighbors who live along the way. Started in 1995 with the planting of 125 coast live oaks by Our City Forest (http://www.ourcityforest.org/), it has been maintained and filled in with an extensive collection of chaparral shrubs and plants. It blends beautifully with the Guadalupe Creek riparian zone, which is adjacent to the garden.

Backed by huge granite boulders and the meadow beyond, the shrubs and trees stand out nicely, yet seem to be part of the natural landscape. The plants are hand-watered until established, by Patrick Pizzo, who designed and installed this impressive garden. Lovely established specimens include a variety of ceanothus and manzanitas, sugar bush, spicebush, bush anenome, mountain mahogany, island bush snapdragon, coast silktassel, lemonade berry, sages, coyote brush, coyote mint, buckwheats, monkeyflowers, silver bush lupine, and much more. Plants are labelled, making it easy to find and identify specific cultivars.

The garden provides food and shelter for wildlife from the adjacent Guadalupe Watershed and Guadalupe Creek. Bluebird nest boxes maintained by the Audubon Society provide additional habitat in the garden.

Here is a plant list for the garden.

Directions: From Hwy 85, go south on Camden to Coleman. Turn left on Coleman, and left again on Redmond, then right on Oak Canyon Drive. Oak Canyon Drive becomes Oak Canyon Place. Continue to the cul-de-sac and turn about. The garden borders the meadow for 0.6 miles. Ample free parking is available on the street next to the garden.

California Native Plants at West Valley College

California native plants dominate the grounds at the West Valley College campus in Saratoga. It's an excellent place to appreciate a wide variety of mature plants in a garden setting. Starting from the front of the campus, between the Administration building and Campus Center, one immediately encounters a huge bed of California fuschias fuschias (Epilobium canum) interspersed with narrow-leaf milkweed (Asclepias fascicularis), salvia, coffeeberry (Rhamnus californica), California roses (Rosa californica), and blue oaks (Quercus douglasii). When the fuschias begin blooming in late summer, this area becomes a hummingbird haven, filled with a charm of these tiny birds zooming around each defending their own patch of flowers.

This huge bed of flowers is a wildlife magnet – in addition to hummingbirds, the area is rich with a variety of birds taking advantage of the nectar, seeds and insects. As can be seen in this picture, the flower stalks provide a perfect perch for a pair of lesser goldfinches to enjoy a meal of fuschia seeds.

Behind the Student Center, there is a patio where Redbud and manzanitas have been planted. A variety of native columbines and other flowers can be found in the flowerbeds that surround the building.

The section of Vasona Creek that runs through the campus has also been restored, and is a delightful place to look for wildlife – including brush rabbits, lizards and more. There have even been reports of bobcats in the area. You c California Fuschia an find out more about this restoration project at: http://westvalley.edu/committees/Sustainability/Creek_Restoration/

A stroll through campus will reveal even more California natives. You'll find specimens of blue elderberry (Sambucus nigra ssp. caerulea), redwood trees (Sequoia sempervirens), deer grass (Muhlenbergia rigens), bush anemone (Carpenteria alifornica), buckeyes (Aesculus californica) and more. There's even a small bog with carnivorous plants next to the Science building. Be sure to look at the huge blue oak tree in the center of campus – watch it carefully and you are likely to spot the acorn woodpeckers that are often busily at work in it.

The Saratoga Farmer's Market is held at the campus on Saturday mornings – stop by and get some fresh produce and then take a stroll around campus.

Native Trees of San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties

Aceraceae (Maple Family)
Acer macrophyllum	big-leaf maple
Acer negundo var. californicum	box elder
Betulaceae (Birch Family)
Alnus rhombifolia	white alder
Caprifoliaceae (Honeysuckle Family)
Sambucus mexicana	blue elderberry
Ericaceae (Heath Family)
Arbutus menziesii	Pacific madrone
Fagaceae (Oak Family)
Lithocarpus densiflorus	tanbark oak
Quercus agrifolia	coast live oak
Quercus chrysolepis	canyon live oak
Quercus douglasii	blue oak
Quercus garryana	Oregon white oak
Quercus kelloggii	California black oak
Quercus lobata	valley oak
Quercus wislizeni	interior live oak
Hippocastanaceae (Buckeye Family)
Aesculus californica	California buckeye
Lauraceae (Laurel Family)
Umbellularia californica	California laurel
Oleaceae (Olive Family)
Fraxinus dipetala	flowering ash
Fraxinus latifolia	Oregon ash
Pinaceae (Pine Family)
Pinus attenuata	knobcone pine
Pinus ponderosa	Pacific ponderosa pine
Pinus sabiniana	gray pine
Pseudotsuga menziesii	Douglas fir
Platanaceae (Sycamore Family)
Platanus racemosa	Western sycamore
Salicaceae (Willow Family)
Populus fremontii ssp. fremontii	Fremont cottonwood
Populus balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa	black cottonwood
Salix laevigata	red willow
Salix lasiolepis	arroyo willow
Salix lucida ssp. lasiandra	shining willow
Taxaceae (Yew Family)
Torreya californica	California nutmeg
Taxodiaceae (Bald Cypress Family)
Sequoia sempervirens	redwood

Where to Buy Native Plants

Details: Last Updated: Tuesday, 15 June 2021 18:52

Here are sources for California native plants in the Bay Area and beyond: Native Plant Nurseries and Seed Sources; Botanical Gardens with Native Plant Sales; and Online Sources & Resources. Call before visiting nurseries. All cities are located in California, USA. Also see the California Native Plant Link Exchange for additional sources for native plants.
NURSERIES AND SEED SOURCES All links will open a new browser window
Annie's Annuals & Perennials	740 Market Ave. Richmond, CA 94801 (510) 215-3301	Retail and mail order nursery with a large section dedicated to native plants.
Bay Natives	10 Cargo Way San Francisco 94124 (415) 287-6755	Wholesale and retail nursery with a wide selection of rare and endemic Bay Area native plants as well as choice species from across the state.
Berkeley Horticultural Nursery	1310 McGee Avenue Berkeley 94703 (510) 526-4704	Retail with one section devoted to natives.
California Flora Nursery	PO Box 3, Somers and D Street Fulton 95439 (707) 528 8813	Uncommon perennials, Mediterranean and California natives. Both wholesale and retail. Call for open hours.
Capital Wholesale Nursery	2938 Everdale Drive San Jose, CA 95148 (408) 239-0589	Uncommon perennials, Mediterranean and California natives. Both wholesale and retail
Central Coast Wilds	336 A Golf Club Drive Santa Cruz 95060 (831) 459-0656	California native seeds, plants, revegetation, consulting, and habitat restoration for professionals and home gardeners.
East Bay Wilds Native Plant Nursery	28th Ave at Foothill Blvd Fruitvale District of Oakland 510-409-5858	Call for hours. Native plants plus demonstration garden.
Grassroots Ecology Native Nursery	Foothills Park Palo Alto 650-949-3158	A wholesale nursery growing local native stock. Open to professionals by appointment.
Larner Seeds	PO Box 407 235 Grove Road Bolinas 94971 (415) 868-9407	Mail order seeds and California native wildflowers, perennials, grasses, shrubs, and trees. Demonstration garden. Retail plants at the nursery from October through July.
Las Pilitas Nursery	3232 Las Pilitas Rd Santa Margarita, CA 93453 (805) 438-5992	Mail order and on-site nursery. Planning tool gives you an instant native plant list for your ZIP Code, soil type, sun/shade exposure, wide variety plant purchases available. Deer problems link. Extensive native plants lists.
Linda Vista Native Plants	San Jose. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.	By appointment. Occasional public sales announced to their email list.
Mission Blue Nursery	1 Mountain Flora Parkway Brisbane, CA 940056 (415) 467-6631 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.	Quarterly and by-appointment sales. Mission Blue Nursery grows plants entirely from seeds and cuttings collected on San Bruno Mountain.
Mostly Natives Nursery	54 B Street, Unit D Point Reyes Station, CA 94956 (415) 663-8835 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.	Wholesale and retail coastal natives and drought-tolerant plants. Call for open hours.
Native Here Nursery	101 Golf Course Drive in Tilden Regional Park Berkeley 94708 (510) 549-0211	Alameda and Contra Costa County natives. Nursery is operated by East Bay CNPS for East Bay Regional Parks District. Tuesday noon-3pm, Friday 9am-noon, Saturday 10am-1pm.
Native Revival Nursery	(831) 684-1811	Online-only. Wholesale and retail seeds and plants, contract collection and growing, revegetation and restoration.
Oaktown Native Plant Nursery	702 Channing Way Berkeley, CA (510) 387-9744	Retail and wholesale. Offers contract growing for restoration and large landscaping projects.
Our City Forest	1000 Spring St. San Jose, CA 95110 (408)785-2302	Retail
Pacific Coast Seed	533 Hawthorne Place Livermore 94550 (925) 373-4417 or (800) 733-3462	Wholesale or through local nurseries. Wildflower and grass seeds.
Payless Nursery	2927 S. King Road San Jose 95122 (4080 274-7815	This independent nursery devotes a section to a varied selection of native trees, shrubs and perennials. Address your native plant questions to Wanda Olson.
Rana Creek Nursery	7480 Williams Ranch Road Carmel, CA 93923 (831) 659-3820	Native grass seed production and four-acre native plant nursery. Wholesale only. Revegetation, seed, container, and bare root plants.
Regional Parks Botanic Garden	Southpark Drive and Wildcat Canyon Road in Tilden Regional Park Berkeley 94708 (510) 841-8732	Retail plants on Thursday 10am-noon. Seed is available in Visitor Center in fall and winter. April Spring Plant Sale.
San Diego Chapter, California Native Plant Society seed store	Contact Form San Diego, CA	Sells California native seeds primarily from Southern California in small quantities for home and demonstration gardens
Seedhunt	PO Box 96 Freedom 95019	Mail order annual and perennial seed with hard to find selections and about one-third native
Sierra Azul Nursery & Gardens	2660 East Lake Avenue (Highway 152) Watsonville 95076 (831) 763 0939	Mediterranean, native, and water-conserving plants for California displayed in demonstration gardens as well as the nursery.
S&S Seeds	P.O. Box 1275 Carpinteria, CA 93014 (805) 684-0436	Wholesale seeds, with $150 minimum order.
SummerWinds Nursery	725 San Antonio Road Palo Alto, CA 94303 (650) 493-5136	Retail. There are several locations, but the Palo Alto store has the best selection of natives. Ask for Judith for assistance.
Suncrest Nurseries, Inc	400 Casserly Road Watsonville 95076 (831) 728-2595	Wholesale only. See website for retail outlets. Develops new and unusual coastal plants with some natives.
Tree of Life Nursery	PO Box 635 33201 Ortega Highway San Juan Capistrano 92693 (949) 728-0685	Wholesale and retail. Contract collects and grows. Round House Plant Store has plants and books for home gardener.
Watershed Nursery	601 A Canal Blvd. Richmond, CA 94804 (510) 234-22225	Retail native plants. Contract collects and grows.
Yerba Buena Nursery	12511 San Mateo Rd. (Hwy 92) Half Moon Bay (650) 851-1668	Retail native plants with some seed.
NATIVE PLANT SALES All links will open a new browser window Top of Page
Strybing Arboretum Arboretum and Botanical Gardens	Golden Gate Park, 9th Ave at Lincoln Way, San Francisco (415) 661-1316	Saturday sales with one for natives in the autumn.
University of California Berkeley Botanical Garden	200 Centennial Drive, Berkeley (510) 642-3343	Autumn sale with some natives that are hard to find.
University of California Santa Cruz Arboretum	Empire Grade at Western Drive, Santa Cruz (831) 427-2998	Joint sale with CNPS Santa Cruz Chapter in April.
ONLINE SOURCES & RESOURCES All links will open a new browser window Top of Page
California Gardens		Extensive list of California native plants. Pictures and plant descriptions. Ojai, California e-business.
California Native Grass Association		Information packets, seed sources, workshops, website resources. Primary focus is grassland restoration, but resource list is broader.
El Nativo Growers Inc	(626) 969-8449	Good source of information on natives in the landscape. Wholesale only.
The Theodore Payne Foundation for Wildflowers and Native Plants Inc.	10459 Tuxford Street, Sun Valley 91352 (818) 768-1802	Promotes and restores landscapes and habitats, propagates and sells native plants and educates about native plants. Sells native seeds in quantity.

Subcategories

Gardening With Natives

Woolly sunflower, monkeyflower, elegant clarkia, and Cleveland sage in a Sunnyvale garden Do you want a garden teeming with life? One that changes with the seasons? One that looks stunning? One that saves water, energy, effort, and money? Consider incorporating California native plants in your garden to attract butterflies, birds, and other wildlife. These beautiful plants will bring seasonal color to your landscape. They will give your California garden a unique sense of place.

This website is for gardeners and home owners who want to learn how to grow California native plants in their landscapes. Visit this site to find out about talks, classes, workshops, garden tours, native plant sales, and other events where you can learn more. Visit this site for plant lists and useful articles on the propagation, growth, and care of native plant gardens.

Gardening with Natives is a special interest group of the Santa Clara Valley Chapter of the California Native Plant Society. The group contains a mix of beginners and seasoned professionals, and is a great place to learn. Newcomers are particularly welcome. Gardening With Natives maintains a discussion egroup where people can ask questions, get answers, offer advice, and stay informed about upcoming events. Sign up below to participate in this forum. Membership is voluntary. Email traffic ranges from 10 to 20 messages a day. You can opt for individual emails or a daily digest.

The fall Seed Exchange is held at the Peninsula Conservation Center (PCC) in Palo Alto.

For other queries, contact the Gardening With Natives Steering Committee at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..