Brilliant selection of unusual plants. An oasis in the city. Also, some quality garden tools.

A DREAM COME TRUE -- Talk a long stroll through the various sections and discover whimsical plants, trees, grasses, flowering trees, tree ferns, brilliant red flowering trees, bright orange flowering trees.... This place will make you want a larger yard and more time to spend sowing your garden! We got chicken poop and fir bark (recommended) for our garden, and lots more plants. Half a dozen varieties of blooming sage, lavender, and today I even spotted pots of naked ladies with an usually fuschia hue. Berkeley Hort FTW! read more

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First time coming here and I'm in love! As a succulent and wanna be green thumb i've been exploring tons of nurseries in the Berkeley area to find some new plants to welcome into my home. This place has been on my BF's list for a while so we decided to trek out to this location this gorgeous weekend so that we could really take our time to explore. Located in North Berkeley you can find free street parking right in front of the nursery. PROS: + Great variety of plants (indoor, fruit, vegetable, etc) + Affordable ceramic pots ($8+) & other styles for your plants - I got a great multi-colored ceramic pot for a medium sized plant for $9 + Large assortment of fertilizer, plant food, etc to help with health + Koi pond in back + Affordable prices - I got an assortment household ficus for $20 in great condition + Friendly service that takes the time to answer your questions thoroughly & show you around to get the items you need Honestly, no cons for me at the moment. I really enjoyed my visit here and the staff was friendly to answer all questions I had regarding how to maintain my plant's health after I took it home. Will definitely be coming back! read more

Parking can be difficult, but this is one of the nicer commercial nurseries that I've been to. This place is huge and full of very nice plant specimens. The employees are helpful. Only downside is some of the stuff ain't cheap! We're re-doing our front yard with low-water native plants. Their selection is truly mindboggling. Almost all of the species recommended by local landscape designers and native plant enthusiasts were there. Really helped us out a lot, since we wanted to see what the plants looked like in real life. We'll definitely be back after the hardscape is installed to get our plants. Tip: One of the "bargains" in this place are the air plants (Tillandsia). They're located inside the greenhouse, where the orchids are. They sell for $10 and up at other nurseries, but a decent size one is only $2 here. Mega bargain! Get your trendy hipster decor and DIY a terrarium on the cheap! read more

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Beware. You would think that for the prices these guys charge, they would have good quality specimens and good customer service. Unfortunately that's not the case. I've probably spent over 5k at this nursery over the years (I have a large yard). However, the last batch of plants I special ordered from them for several hundred dollars were very thin when they arrived and half of them died almost immediately upon putting them in the ground. I tried to talk to the manager, and despite talking to numerous employees and visiting the store 4 additional times, giving them my contact into, etc, "TC" never called me back. I eventually grew tired of the runaround, purchased the same plants from another store for 20% less, and they are all thriving in the exact same location and conditions as the ones that died. So be warned - this is not the place to make any serious purchases for your garden. I will be taking my substantial garden budget elsewhere, in particular due to poor quality of the specimens and the run around I received from numerous customer service reps here. read more

BHN is not what it used to be. Today was an October day, Saturday, early afternoon and in the 80s - a perfect day and yet the place was practically empty, no people, and half of the plant material wasn't there either. Third of the real-estate was clear of plant material, nothing. Lots of nice gravel. They have the usual annuals, pedestrian stuff, overpriced as usual, but not the nice interesting material they used to have. Granted, their clientele are people from around there, with plenty of money to burn, people who don't mind paying a premium for something they could get in other nurseries for half or even less. For common things it is better to go to other nurseries, and since they don't have that much of the unusual stuff, why bother. Although the state lifted mask even in restaurants, these people insist that you wear one even outside, with hardly anyone around. You can walk without the mask on the sidewalk, go to surrounding businesses w/o a mask, but not at BHN - maybe they have sick people working there? Why else would they insist on "protecting us". I have two nurseries within five minute drive, then there is Annie's in Richmond, it'll be a while before I go back to BHN, it has been disappointment after disappointment, will spend my money elsewhere. And be able to breathe while I'm outdoors. read more

Fantastic crew members. Wide variety of plants and they all look healthy. If you can't find something, staff can help you find it or order it for you m. Highly recommended. read more

Friendly generally knowledgeable staff. Decent covid procedures. And a wide selection of plants well curated and well cared for.

Wow, what a pleasant experience! This is a sizable nursery with a massive variety of plants, including indoor plants. They even have a pond area with aquatic plants... mesmerizing and inspirational. The staff is very attentive and helpful, yet chill. I came in looking for a house plant/tree, and left with a moderate to large-sized "cat palm" for $80, under the guidance of Sully, our awesome associate. Bookmarked and will return! Parking can be tricky though, heads up. read more

This place continues to fall downhill rapidly. None of the staff out in the gardens know anything about plants. The watering and maintenance people are not allowed to talk to us about plants. It's absolutely ridiculous. They no longer carry and his annuals. Their Covid safety protocols are a joke right now and their staff continues to be condescending to longtime customers like me. read more

I had loved this place for YEARS. But I doubt that I will return. It's a large, gorgeous nursery, like a wonderland. Prices are WAY up now, and maybe not their fault. But they act as if Covid is still in full swing. They still won't let any customers inside the building, for any reason. This is June 2023! They will no longer honor Frequent Gardener card that is meant to give discounts after a lot of money has been spent. When I asked why they "blamed it on Covid." Sounds like a lame excuse. Service is not what it used to be, and some of the few employees you can find are snotty. Snotty attitude on phone also. I have discovered the wonderfully helpful East Bay Nursery on San Pablo. Nice people and they even have a parking lot! At BHN parking is terrible. Always has been, but difficult with mobility problems makes it another minus. Oh well. read more

Immediate update... The darn plant has so many flowers! Still looks like a naked stalk. However, thriving! I'm growing a Momotaro (heirloom) tomato plant I got from my cuz, Cubby, who is a owner at Tokyo Fish Market. Perhaps I'm growing it only because it's Japanese and I'm trying to find my inner-ethnic self. Lol! Nah, I like tomatoes! Whoa! Fast forward 30 days... This plant has taken off like a 4/20 bush! Flower buds, do I clip them? No says the wise woman at Berkeley Hort. "The flowers are the tomatoes! Prune the little shoots so the flowers can get all all the goodness and bear fabulous fruit!" Yes, I found out, it's a fruit! So I pruned my fruit plant, Lycopersicon esculentum (jeez, I'm so on it) to look like a Chiwawa pup and them flowers are beginning to burst. More advice from the great gal at Berkeley Hort, "the flowers may drop off, so don't get your hopes up. Sun, temperature, and care play an important "art" in the care of tomato plants." The disclaimer (sigh). Therefore, 3 stars today. Lol! 4/20 is so much easier to grow. Not that I would know. More later. Still a fun summer! read more

Very disappointed to have a bad experience today. A delivery of new transplants came in and I waited, off to the side, while several workers readied them for sale. After about thirty minutes (I had come down from Mendocino County, so it wasn't like I could just come back another day), one of the workers said I could look at the plants. I thanked her and as I stepped closer, another worker very rudely said for me to not get close. Another customer had been permitted to do so, but for some reason, I failed the litmus test. I'm a brown lady and when I get treated this way in a largely white space, I'm just quiet and polite even if inside, I feel terrible. Took a breath and asked nicely how close would be okay, and all the worker would say was "Just not close." So, I stepped off to the side, very embarrassed by her hostility. After another minute, I left, feeling foolish for having come such a long way to my favorite nursery (the rude worker knew I had come from Mendocino, asked me if that were really true), to have waited patiently while they were unpacking the plants, and then to continue to be polite. I doubt this review will matter much. Berkeley Hort is an institution (my mother used to work there), and they have a devoted clientele. And I know the pandemic is hard on everyone. But please, can the workers show a bit more grace towards clients that keep them in business and in possession of their jobs? read more

It's 2022. No need to make people stand outside in a slow moving line while your employees carry our items and credit cards inside to process the transaction. You're operating like it's September 2020. Move along. read more

Terrible customer service. Their cashiers and staff are very rude, and they do not offer basic services to their customers that other nurseries do. I am delighted to refer people to other bay area native plant, permaculture, and ecological/ornamental nurseries. Legacy no longer. There are many other optuons. Support them. This one does not deserve your business. read more

All I can say is WOW! After getting terrible service from the 'fancy' garden centers in SF, this place really made me feel confident in what I was buying. Really excellent selection of plants! Particularly impressed with the selection of maples and grasses. Good selection of perennial colors too! Overall the plants were in excellent condition apart from a couple of Clematis who had seen better days. Even during this pandemic the staff were moving through the nursery to answer questions and help find what you're looking for, but not in a pushy kind of way. The line was long (probably owing to the popularity of the place), but it moved fast and the staff were efficient and knew how to manage the situation well. Street parking was available close to the nursery. I'd recommend this place and it truly deserves all five stars! read more

Has a little bit of everything and a wonderful selection of small veggie plants. To note: - Wide variety of plants: flowers, shrubs, small trees, etc. An example of their wide variety is they have 4 types of lavender plants. - So many small veggies (including 4 types of broccoli) and herbs. - Wide variety of clay, ceramic, and wooden gardening pots and containers in various sizes and in round / rectangular / square shapes. - Large wall of seeds for herbs, flowers (including wild flowers), and vegetables. They sell out of some plants (like spinach) so it's recommended to call-in or come right after a shipment to make sure they have the items you need. read more

So many varieties and examples in natural settings. Staff is friendly and (most importantly) knowledgeable without being judgmental - they seem to really want to share their love of plants and help you care for the plants when you take them home. read more

First time visiting and I love this nursery! They have a large variety and range of plants! It was also nicely decorated and organized. It was quite a fun experience as they have a beautiful koi pond and tables & seats outside. Their staff was friendly and even answered any questions I had. I always shop for houseplants and I left with two! The prices are a little high but the plants they offer are healthy so I didn't mind it. I'd definitely come back here again read more

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LOVE this place. The BEST selection of fruit trees and certified organic veggie plants. They truly are a full service nursery with everything from air plants, to succulents, to floor coverings and fruit/vegetable plants. The staff is helpful and super nice. Parking is kinda tricky as they do not have a parking lot. read more

Came to the Berkeley Horticultural Nursery on the recommendation of a fellow Yelp-er. Boy, have I learned to trust that person's referrals !!! We visited on a Sunday afternoon, and just wandered and wandered the nursery. In fact, our visit was on the Sunday before Halloween. This was a great time of year to visit, as we were pleasantly surprised by the very creative display of scarecrows that had been artistically "stuffed" in a variety of spots around the Nursery's grounds. (Check out my photos of the scarecrows and other sundries.) Regardless of the day you choose to visit, you will find an extremely diverse selection of plants, including many that you won't find at most other nurseries. This is not a huge nursery, but it's still large enough that there's plenty of variety to see and choose from. Also, everything is very well marked to identify conditions under which the plants will best thrive, care instructions, . . . all of the "to-do's" and "not-to-do's". Another cool thing is that the Berkeley Horticultural Nursery has been in this location since 1922 !!! There is real character to this place, and it beckons you to enjoy a very enjoyable stroll throughout, in a peaceful & natural green setting. Very soothing to the soul . . . and a great place to make an impulsive purchase from a wide selection of plants, trees, flowers, ground cover, etc. etc. Enjoy!!! 5 Stars !!! read more

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(3/13/17) Another visit to my favorite nursery. Overly ambitious, I was going to purchase edibles or herbs, but with my newest addition, I realized it may not be possible. I did pick up two flowers & some soil. In a few weeks, I'll go back when the planters (terra cotta) are on sale. I have to move my jade plant to a larger container (its overdue). As always, I had a great visit. I love Berkeley Hort read more

Wasn't really impressed overall by this nursery. Very small tight section for houseplants. Didn't see much in the way of succulents either. But if outdoor gardens is your thing. It definitely seemed like they had quite a bit of those. read more

Went here based on the good reviews and a call confirming they had what we were looking for as part of a large landscaping project in stock and ready to go. Great selection of trees here and most looked healthy and prices in line with Flora Grubb in SF and Ace in Piedmont. We asked about delivery and the salesperson took us to a map and asked us to confirm location, which we did (in area). She told us there was a threshold of $300 to get free shipping. No problem, we were buying 9 trees, 4 pieces of trellis and 10-12 cubic feet of new soil so would have been over a G anyway. Went around and loaded all of our trees and tagged the 15 gallon olive trees and crap myrtles. Delivery was going to be 2 weeks, which was also fine since it would give us a chance to turn the soil and dig the holes (each staff member had conflicting answers on how big holes needed to be, soil type and ratios, and ratio and amount of watering btw - Google was going to have to step in once we got them). At checkout when everything was getting rung up, salesperson conferred with manager and we were informed of an $80 delivery charge. We asked why and they presented a printed delivery policy sheet with 5 or 6 items on it explaining scenarios where a supplemental charge would come into play. None fit (examples were 2 or more trees over 15 gallons, 15+ bags of soil, etc.). Tried explaining that only one 15 gallon could fit on a dolly at once so they needed a second person on the truck for liability reasons. We lifted them there without a dolly no problem so did not make sense why a second person was needed or why there is nothing in writing explaining this charge anywhere. Even if you need to load with a dolly, $80 for an extra 2 minute 100 foot trip between the shop and the truck? Refused the bait and switch and left. Not sure why the owner would leave the keys to the kingdom in charge of some dude that would let his sales people tell customers incorrect policies, request a delivery charge not represented anywhere in writing in the store, and otherwise be unwilling to fulfill what his sales people told them when intending to purchase, at this time, $1000+ in plants and supplies. Guess what, when folks are dropping that money in one strip, they are likely to to do the same in the future if treated well (once we plant the trees, we plan on adding shrubs, flowers and other plants to fill in the yard and devil strips, but guess that didn't occur to them). If this place had better staff the founder's grandson could go from semi to full retired because they would not be turning customers and money away and would not destroy the family legacy. Will not be back and will do my best to make sure none of my other friends and colleagues buying homes in the East Bay patronize this place either. Recommend using this as a showroom to decide what you want and then to have a better nursery order those for you; will get more accurate information regarding planting and care, will save money, and will not need to deal with the abysmal customer service. read more

I am giving 3 stars because when I cAlled I spoke to a very kinda woman who took her time to seek put particular flowers I was looking for.. However, unfortunately I did not get her name and when I went to the nursery I was greatly disappointed by the grouch who helped me. Yes, it was Saturday afternoon and maybe this guy had a long day however when I asked him for help seeking certain plants he not only seemed put out he was just down right unpleasant! I was able to find 2 flowers I was seeking and felt really let down because the experience I had on the phone was so different from the service I received in the store.. So, although this place is cool I found another nursery around the corner that was able to help me out better. read more

The parking here sucks because it's next to a lot of little food markets. The place is huge it takes up most the block. They have a ton of options they have fruit trees in large pots. They have little starter plants for veggies and fruits. They have a large selection of flowers. A lot of gardening tools. There's a small inside location it's mainly an outdoor place. It smells amazing and is so peaceful here. The price is ok but you'll definitely find what you're looking for. Definitely recommend coming here. read more

Reason for visit: New pot for my plant Visit date: June 16, 2012 First time? No Places like Berkeley Horticultural Nursery make me wish I had a garden! They have a great selection of edibles and for-eyes-only plants, quite a spread of soils and other gardening products, and lots of pot choices, which was especially exciting for today's visit. BHN is a great place to be when your thumb isn't so green; the friendly staff knows their stuff! No question can stump them! Even if I wasn't looking for anything, I think I'd enjoy just browsing all their plants. :) read more

Have been here many times. Last time got a very cool retro bird bath for the yard. Yesterday we bought a meyer lemon tree and a half wine barrel to plant it in. The staff was extremely helpful in terms of what to plant it in, how much and when to fertilize, etc. Their citrus selection was great - at least 3 kinds of lemons, limes, lumquats, many types of oranges including cara cara the red navels that are delicious. We wanted to stay focused on the lemon tree but they had so many great plants that I had to restrain not to buy a lot more. Looking forward to the next visit. And check out the fantastic colorful counter made out of recycled plastic bottles when you check out. read more

Large nursery with plenty to look at and a lot of space.

Best Nursery in Berkeley, might as well be a park. I love the variety of - everything.

This place is enormous, and beautifully laid out. Went looking for a ponytail palm. Had an exceptionally friendly and personable staff member help us find the perfect specimen, and select the perfect pot for it. Very happy with our purchase, and for the excellent customer service. If you're going to Berkeley Horticultural Nursery for anything, ask for Kenny; he'll take good care of you! read more

Berkeley Horticultural Nursery - Nurseries & Gardening Near Me - Berkeley, California

Fantastic selection and knowledgeable staff that is very helpful. The plants they sell are healthy.

This is the go-to Berkeley nursery, but they have Covid regulations in place which mean that people cannot go into the store section, (even though it's ventilated on both ends) so we can't browse seed packets or tools. One tells the person what you want, and they bring it out to you. It makes your physical presence kind of optional...in terms of seeds, there is no opportunity for inspiration, or daydreaming, which is one of the most important parts of gardening. I shall go to my reliable Burpee seed catalog, and skip Berkeley Hort for seeds. I've bought starter plants here over the years, with fairly good results, and I've gotten pretty good advice there, so I'll continue with them for starter plants. read more

I took my cue from the wise Yelpers and got to the Nursery before it opened to snag a prime spot. I wasn't the first to park in front (two guys got a slightly better spot and were leaning against their pick-up, smirking and waiting for an Asian lady driving joke come to life, but I made sure not to let that happen. They ended up looking away, heh heh). I wanted something for my balcony since I have a pretty depressing view, so I walked around this (free to look) botanical garden that even has a koi pond. Everyone working there was so friendly and cheerful, even though it was 8:30am on a Sunday morning. I had come pretty much unprepared, except for a vague criteria of something that is as independent as you can get, and ended up with an English boxwood. It's OK to go with an expectation of a free tutorial on how to take care of whatever plant, as long as you don't have shame. read more

I've been shopping at Berkeley Hort since I moved to the East Bay in 1997 , and have always marveled at their selection, fair pricing, friendly and informed staff, and thoughtful layout. When I moved to Montclair in 2001, I became acquainted with one of the Hort's owners who lived down the block, and it became apparent to me that what I liked about the hort was what my wife and I liked about him and his wife - friendly, intelligent, and always sunny dispositions. Need a plant? Go the the Hort...Need plant advice? Go to the hort. Wanna dream about roses? Go to the Hort. Just go read more

Horticulturist friends from Seattle to LA all consider Berkeley Hort. to be one of the best collections of plants for sale in the entire West. I have a bad case of hobby gardening and "plant collecting", and would love one of everything from Berkeley Hort. I've gotten some of the most unusual and delightful plants from here, including a real "Sacred Lotus" that bloomed last summer in our fishpond. The staff is expert, the business is locally owned and deserving of the respect and support it gets. read more

Berkeley Hort is the way to go for all things in your garden! I absolutely love wandering around this oasis & can happily spend an entire afternoon here imagining all kinds of possibilities....Since we are renters, we have a few limitations, tho' I will say we have faithfully planted herb & vegetable gardens each year with healthy, lush plants from here...all with success (except for those darn squirrels who fancy the raised bed garden lettuce!). Aside from my furry-tailed garden friends, everything has worked out magnificently! One of my favorite ways to spend time here is over by the elaborate pond with all the huge, colorful goldfish. So many varieties of plants, the trickling sound of the water, the glimpse of color as a fish swims by...all very bucolic. I long for the day when I will have my very own garden in a plot of land belonging to us. I envision planting trees to mark special days or events, and this is where I hope to purchase my seeds, starter plants and a few fruit trees. This is a lovely place to dream, and have the help you need to see these dreams become realities. Cannot speak highly enough of this Berkeley treasure! read more

A friend took me here today because I collect Japanese Maples . BHN has a huge selection of Maples and some fairly Exotic species also. The trees are displayed by species there. They have a huge selection of other plants also . Its a cool place to Wander if your into plants and gardening. read more

Anyone notice a trend in the reviews? All positive and why not? Berkeley Hort has been my gardner heaven for years and delivers time after time. Not cheap but great selection well divided into zones (vines, water plants, shade, etc). It being spring their insane selection of organic heirloom tomatoes was almost sold out by Sunday afternoon but I'll be back. The herb section is great as well. Staff is helpful and you get what you pay for. read more

loved it here! perhaps a little more expensive than westbrae nursery, but the selection is just as good. friendly staff lots of street parking near the entrance. they don't have their own parking lot. read more