Patch Picks: Local Gardening Know-How

Looking for a local resource to begin, spruce up or take your garden to the next level? These five nurseries date back generations and provide a wealth of information to help you green your thumb.

1. 

1435 A San Ramon Valley Blvd., Danville

925-831-3574

www.sunsetcolornursery.com

Judy Sandkuhle keeps the tradition of her family-owned nursery with local roots going back to 1906 alive and thriving. You would be hard pressed to find a more knowledgeable resource about what grows here and how to grow it well.

Did you know?: Judy Sankuhle’s grandmother’s wedding gown is on display in the  exhibit at the .

2. 

2550 Camino Tassajara, Danville

925-736-7600

 Family-owned Tassajara Nursery has been helping local gardeners, experienced and amateur alike, since 1979. Loyal fans say this is the place to go for landscape design expertise.

Did you know?: The nursery’s owner, Kunitoshi Akabane, is a bonsai master. He established the in 1981. He also has served as the chairman of bonsai at San Francisco’s Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival for many years.

3. 

828 Diablo Road, Danville

925-743-0288

Tucked on the corner of Diablo Road and El Cerro Boulevard, Sloat has the features and feel of a neighborhood nursery, with the pricing advantages of being part of a larger Bay Area independent chain of 10 garden centers, in business since 1958. The selection of pottery and statuary make it a destination and its blogs, newsletters and classes are an invaluable source of information.

Did you know?: Sloat is the largest independent pottery importer in the United States, and supplies many other independent garden centers.

4. 

800 Camino Ramon, Danville

925-837-9144

Serving the East Bay since 1885, Navlet’s understands what grows well in our area, and has good supplies for do-it-yourself garden and landscape projects.

Did you know?: Navlet’s original location occupied the entire acreage of the Rose Garden shopping center.

5. Ruth Bancroft Garden Nursery

1552 Bancroft Road, Walnut Creek

925-944-9352

A horticultural treasure, the Ruth Bancroft Garden attracts gardening enthusiasts interested in cultivating water-conserving gardens. The garden features a rich array of succulents on a portion of what was a 400-acre fruit farm established in the 1880s. Volunteers propagate plants for sale. Plant purchases may be made by appointment only on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Did you know?: Hubert Howe Bancroft, who established the farm in the 1880s, was a famous historian and publisher. His collection of books about the history of the American West were donated to the University of California and are housed in the library on the Berkeley campus that bears his name.