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

Never going there again. Prices are jacked up; tree ferns died in two days; rude service when I tried to return. Frustrating

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

I could not be more disappointed in my experience today. I signed up for their fruit tree pruning class. After about a 40 minute drive, I arrived on time, but needed to use their restrooms before the class started. I was informed that they were no longer granting their guests access to theirs restrooms and that I should look for another facility, maybe "across the street" (I couldn't find any). I was so upset. Nowhwere on their website, nor in the class announcement does it mention that their restrooms are currently closed to guests/customers. I had no choice but to leave. I wasted my time and gas. I had planned to purchase bareroot fruit trees after the class, but based on my experience, I won't be back at their nursery. read more

pros: - beautiful and clean: no weeds and plant material is healthy - nice selection: lots of rhodies, vines, cal natives, 4 inch, etc. - shade section is really extensive the shade structure is beautifully constructed. - nice displays -well maintained plantings. cons: -outrageous prices and snooty staff. i could care less honestly about the staff, as i am more than self-sufficient in a nursery, but the prices....eek! verdict: come here to be impressed. buy here if you are rich. read more

Great place for gardeners looking for difficult to find flora. They provide top quality plants and are full of information. I usually come here to get cocoa hulls for mulching, makes your garden smell like chocolate. They are a little pricey, but it comes with the territory with unique and hard to find plants. The old issue here would be parking. read more

I adore the Hort and everything in it - especially when there are big dogs walking around so I can pet them! OK, I'm getting off track here. We've been buying vegetable plants from the Hort for several years, and they are always of the highest quality, and do really well in our yard in Montclair. They have a huge selection of organic tomato plants, herbs, lettuces, you name it. The folks who work there are extrmeley knowledgeable, and help you out with growing tips, and also recommend what fertilizer works best - we generally use our compost pile, but sometimes you need a supplement. They also have a wide selection of gardening supplies, stationery, seeds, wind chimes, you name it - anything and everything for the garden. Beware - parking is street only and it can be a bitch! read more

Wide selection of many things. Only Ok selection of vegetables (given that they have so much space and that it's planting season - this is surprising). The staff helping with selection were not knowledgable (a staff person told me that the aphids on a young tomato for sale was not a problem because aphids don't affect tomatoes!!!) but the staff loading up the car were very helpful and kind. Hours! They are open to 5:30, so there's a least some potential of getting here after work. But really, truly, please, please please: can you stay open to 6 or even 7 during spring at least??? On one Saturday, there were easily 100 customers being driven off of the grounds at closing. I would have spent more, but couldn't because I ran out of time. read more

I absolutely love this place. Last weekend I went there to look at fruit trees for my porch. The employees were super friendly and very enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the trees that I was buying. They told me proper husbandry and things to watch out for. I'd go here again for sure. It was an overall great experience. I got a look at the other parts of the nursery and they had an incredible selection of plants for every type of house location. read more

I have purchased many times from this nursery. It is one of my favorites. Choices are plenty and plants are healthy. Staff members are really helpful and if they are unsure of something, they will ask someone from their department who can provide more info. If you like unique plants, but the ones which will thrive in our area (East Bay) or if you want some CA natives, whether you want seedlings, well established plants, vines, herbs, vegetables, bushes, trees (flowering, foliage, or fruit of any kind), grasses, succulents, exotic house plants, bulbs (in season) and more...than, this place has it. What is more, you can request plants and if they are able to get it from their vendors, they will. The only thing I like less is...price. The smaller plants (4 inch) or annuals are priced similarly to other nurseries in the area. Larger plants (1 gal) are on average 1 to 2 dollars more than elsewhere, but anything larger than this is notably higher. Sales are rare. They also have a loyalty card. I was told that if I spent $200 then I will get $15 of the next purchase. Well, I have finally gotten there, only to be told, "You need to spend $100 more and you will get your discount of $15." (Hmmmm, really. Then, will I be told...$100 more, etc., etc.). So, other than price tag, everything is above approach. If price is not your concern than this nursery has tons of things to offer. (soil, plant support and more including.) read more

I love coming here, whether I really need something or not -- I end up inventing reasons to come. They have a huge selection of plants, from native plants to fruit trees. Wandering around is always fun, it's like a mini-botanical garden. I'm interested in Japanese maples and their selection is fairly large with a good variety of cultivars. Sometimes they even get rare ones that no one else offers. If selection weren't enough, the staff is awesomely helpful as well. You can pull aside any of them and ask a question and you can really tell that they have a personal passion for horticulture. I'm definitely a novice and the advice I've gotten from various staff has really broadened my knowledge, plus they go out of their way to ensure that you really understand. On several different occasions, a staff member has gone to the back, looked up some information in a reference book and made a copy of the article or jotted down the important parts and given it to me. I come here for anything plant-related, it's truly a Berkeley treat. read more

I discovered this place today and hv such a wonderful experience! My Jade plant became leggy and need to be pruned and repotted. I spoke to two staff there, Tissy (?) and Ivy Eggers. Both of them are very patient,understanding and knowledgeable. Ivy, after gave me a rough idea on how she would trim my plant, was able to complete it in less than an hour, and turn it into a beautiful Jade tree (with few stakes to support it). Moreover, they charged very inexpensive for the service----it is really worth of the trip and many more to anticipate. read more

As soon as the temperature starts to rise, the days begin to get a little longer, and the early bloomers awaken, my heart starts to pit-ter-pat for new additions to my patio garden. If you love things that grow outside, this is a dream spot! The entrance is a wonderland, with garden paths that walk you though a gorgeous array of flowering trees, shrubs, and more. And it's all labeled for those folks like me who are forever, "Oh it's so beautiful. What is it?" The plants are healthy, with lots of organic and native choices, too. And the staff is so knowledgeable and considerate - the cashier warned me when I was purchasing a plant known for aggressive spreading. The only downside is the desperate yearning I feel for a yard of my own where I can plant to my heart's desire. For now, I'll keep visiting the Hort (even if just to stroll around and gaze with adoration), forever looking for new ways to squeeze "one more" beauty onto my porch...and convince my family members to adopt the overflow. I'll see you there, darlings (with a huge, happy grin on my face). read more

The best Place for plant! Have been coming here since childhood and it is still a marvel.

Possibly the best nursery on earth. Certainly the finest I've ever been to. I went to Berkeley Hort on my birthday just to walk around and seek inspiration, I didn't even buy anything! When I first started going there I had trouble finding what I was looking for but eventually I learned the lay of the land. They can provide you with a map should you need it! Everything is well organized, healthy and beautiful. The staff are all helpful and friendly, (sometimes they can get busy though) and happy to talk plants and soil with customers. They let the kids feed the koi fish (if you are there at the right times) and give your dogs treats! There is nothing to dislike here. If I am looking for something particular I usually come here first. I often pop in if I am passing through and have frequently left with plants that I didn't intend to bring home. A fabulous nursery! read more

I'm not much of a gardener, but I inherited a fairly nice garden from a previous resident at my current apartment. Over the winter, the passion vine in the garden started wilting and becoming yellow. It had been raining a lot so I was quite sure it wasn't a water problem, and insects were minor. So I took some leaves from my passion vine into here along with my laptop with pictures on it. The people at Berkeley Horticulture took a look at the leaves, and offered some helpful suggestions. I bought some fish food from them to give to the vine. The vine seems to be doing better and there is some new growth on it now. Thanks for all the help! read more

I was trying to find s nursery open on Monday and found them in Berkeley. I was looking for horsetail plants in 4 inch pots and they had them. When I realized I needed more, I called the nurseries in my area with no luck. I then called Berkeley Horticulture and the guy "TC" answered the phone and remembered me from the day prior. He ordered my horsetail plants with no problem. Seems simple, but 3 other nurseries didn't even know they came in anything other that 1 gallon pots and didn't offer to order them. When I asked to do so, they were reluctant, saying they didn't come in 4 inch pots. Talk to TC. He is very knowledgeable, friendly and can offer creative options for all areas of your garden as well as order the plants you want! I'm glad I found them! This year I returned with the idea to purchase a lot of plants, all of which I had researched, but sadly none of which were in stock. When I asked their advice on plants they did have in stock that were also deer resistant and frost resistant such as those I was seeking, the guy suggested that I consult the Sunset gardening book. Wow, why did I come back here? I thought they were the knowledgeable ones?!! No problem, there are plenty of others nurseries who have staff who really know about plants. read more

This nursery is a beautiful oasis in the midst of city living. What your backyard would look like, if there was such a thing as having so much space in you backyard. I wish they had more of a selection of orchids and orchid pottery. On the bright side, there are a variety of sizes of air plants. The little fish pond and selection of water plants make this place interesting. read more

They carry that flower that you've just about given up looking for! As someone who grew up in the Pacific Northwest, I've lately had a nostalgic craving for the amazing, fragrant spring flowers that I don't see around here. Lilacs, peonies, and violets. Well, they not only had violets (which I had the most trouble finding, I thought I'd have to special order them in March from England), but they had fragrant violets and PARMA VIOLETS. These things are hardly on the market anymore, I don't know why because the scent is otherworldly: delicious. As for lilacs, I can find those elsewhere, I don't mind, and they will be getting herbaceous peonies too. Excited to bring a little joy into my tiny urban yard with these! Staff is really knowledgeable and professional, they directed me exactly to what I was looking for and really hit it home with the Parma violets. Clearly organized plants, incredible hard-to-find variety, and it's so easy to navigate because it's alphabetically organized. When was the last time you weren't confused and scanning madly for way too long at any other garden center? Plus the location is nice (very Portland, I like), and the building very urban-rustic. Across the street from a local grocer and in a nice neighborhood. My new favorite plant nursery, the Britex of Gardening! P.S. I'm sorry I bought like half of the violets. Couldn't resists, sorry! read more

It's just a pleasure to stroll through BHN. The staff is helpful and friendly. The plants are well-cared for and reasonably priced. They always seem to have some very simple but carefully arranged planters that take your breath away with their beauty. The only bummer is that parking sucks! read more

Personally, I've got a thing for nurseries and gardening shops. When I was little and had a fight with my mom, we'd always make up by going to the local garden center. So to me, every single nursery and gardening shop has a warm, fuzzy place in my heart. I stopped by here because I wanted to see if they had any tall, rectangular planters (they did not), but they did have lots of other wonderful things. I decided to get a bunch of herbs for my kitchen, and purchased a large rosemary plant, and some 3" potted sage, lemon verbena, oregano, and thyme. Upon checking out, the clerk advised me that the sage might not do so well with the other plants because it needed more water than usual. He mentioned having killed many sage plants himself because of this issue. I appreciated the advice and took note. At any rate, it's been a month or so. All the plants are doing great. Except the sage. I *did* try! There's no parking lot, and street parking is a bit tight, especially with the overcrowded grocery store nearby. read more

Berkeley Hort has a very deep and wide selection, and some nice unusual specimens. It's far above what you'd normally find in a suburban nursery, but it's damned expensive. They have the highest mark-ups of any nursery I've seen. I've compared some of the prices with the same items (from the same distributor) and BHN is always way more. I think that, in general, you get what you pay for, but why are prices so much higher than Flora Grubb, or even Sloat? Something is rotten in Findhorn. read more

If there is a garden shop in heaven it looks just like Berkeley Hort. They have a huge selection of plants - roses, trees, annuals, perennials, herbs, veggies, orchids, and water plants. All in a peaceful, easy environment. The best part is the staff - all of them are helpful and very informed. I am told they have to have an advanced degree is horticulture to work there. This isn't the hoity-doity Smith & Hawken place, this is for real gardeners. read more

Luckily I'm not lactose-intolerant because I definitely went to town on their ice cream, sorbet, and gelato tasting during their 90th anniversary. There were tons of vendors positioned all around the nursery so we browsed, admiring the beautiful plants and listening to the harpist. My friend was looking for some plants and I just stared at all the edible ones. They looked and smelled delicious. I asked about some special lemon trees, asking to taste some and the staff pointed me across to Gilman's where they supply their fruits. I was quite impressed with how knowledgable the staff was, and if they weren't familiar with a certain type of plant, they were quick to find another staff member who was. Also, they had a free drawing and my friend won a basket of neat gardening tools and supplies. Great time! read more

Very lovely nursery with a lot of variety. + Lots of different types of plants -- including veggies and fruits + Very big! Lots of areas to walk around + Plants are put into sections, so it's easy to see where you want to go - Street parking, but there's a lot of neighborhood to get a spot. This is definitely one of the best nurseries in the Bay. read more

This place is yet another perk of living in Berkeley. After going here, the gardening department at Home Depot will suck the soul out of you. Ok.. maybe not to that extreme. They equip you with this little cart and you can spend a good part of your day idling through rows and rows of botanicals. I went there on a whim one day and they guy did a green thumb transplant on me. We spent a good hour (?) talking about what I wanted to do with the space I had to plant, the level of difficulty of some plants, what I needed to get... EVERYTHING. He was like the Bob Villa of backyards. And yes, my begonias are doing quite well thank you. read more

An amazing spot, I just want to camp out here whenever I visit. Oh, and they sell plants. Beautiful, diverse, healthy plants.

I have as much land as I have height to spare, and yet I love coming here to browse, walk around, ask questions (one of our clematis plants isn't flowering - what should I do?), and shop for new greenery. The staff here offers friendly and intelligent help, and will answer all your horticultural questions. They have a great selection of healthy and happy plants of all kinds - water plants, indoor, herbs, veggies, etc... The nursery is very well organized and the space, which is somewhat small as nurseries go, is well designed. There isn't a parking lot, and parking can be very difficult on weekends, especially because Monterey market is right across the street. Try to come during off-hours! read more

Staff is friendly not preachy like some other places in the area. No I will not put organic rocks in a garden. They are rocks. Wash them off. Prices seem standard. Selection is unbelievable. Nursery is well organized and plant types are easy to locate. Having to choose out of the myriad of choices here...that's a whole different story. Tree sizes vary by age and are priced accordingly. read more

My go to nursery when I'm looking for plants, trees or vegetables. I can walk around here for days!

Huge Wide Expansive Selection!!!! This place is amazing. Wish I would have had more time to look around. About 20 different kind of maples, 10 different basils, nice cactus variety, seriously they have it all! I didn't even get to check out the indoor area! Prices are probably a little higher than your average Home Depot or OSH but it's worth it because the selection is so interesting and you might pick something up you would normally never find at a chain store. read more

It's a lovely place if you can find a place to park and get past how rude other customers are. The house plants aren't labeled which is very frustrating. read more

My dad has a giant green thumb; he's constantly in the garden tending to his babies and can't leave the house for vacation b/c he'll freak out and shriek "what about my plants?!" I'm not as obsessed, but would like a living plant here and there to fill my place and balcony and just thought the green thumb gene was passed to me. Unfortunately, I got the recessive gene for the black thumb of death and have killed far too many plants. Thank goodness for Berkeley Horticultural Nursery! They don't judge and welcome all thumbs. The staff is knowledgeable and patient when it comes to all my endless simpleton questions; I ask if the plant I picked is healthy or if another one looks better (better to start with the healthiest if I'm going to be the caretaker), how much water/how often/how to test when to water, what size pot, what fertilizer/frequency etc. I get all my answers with a smile! I have successfully taken care of a kumquat tree for the past six months and it's thriving and growing the largest kumquats I've ever seen! So, with new found confidence, I went to the Nursery today to branch out and get some succulents in my life. They had a beautiful and diverse selection of large and small ones. I went in and planned to only buy one, but left with 4 larger succulents and cactus soil. Overall, great people, reasonable prices, awesome selection of any type of herbs, veggies, fruit, indoor/outdoor plants, pots and organic fertilizers and soil. read more

This place is where I go whether I need plants or not. If I'm stressed, hurting, or anxious, I drive here and just walk among the plants and hummingbirds for an hour and I'm healed. As a nursery, their stuff isn't as cheap as Long's plant offerings -- but you don't get plants with root damage from lack of water, either, which is a permanent injury. *NO CONTEST* They have Annie's Annuals! They have almost everything. I adore them. I will be spending lots of money here since we just bought a house.....I'll have to be restrained from spending all the grocery, PG&E, and EBMUD money on their green babies! One of my favorite places of any kind. (Even better than Half Moon Bay Nursery, IMO.) read more

I can imagine all the plants and trees happily growing for decades throughout the Bay Area that originally got their start from this longtime Berkeley institution. One of the best nurseries around. I could probably camp out here for weeks just enjoying their garden and the enormous selection of plants. If you're an experienced horticulturist or just a simple noob to all things green, you'll find yourself at home here. There's usually a good choice of California natives, as well as some unique species rarely found anyplace else. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. Parking can be a pain on weekends, but it's worth the hassle. Plan on spending at least a couple of hours if it's your first time. read more

If you need a cheap vacation or an hour-long recharge, just stop by Berkeley Hort and drift from the 'Rose Garden' to the 'Tropics' from the 'Grassy Meadow' to the 'Orchard'. It's so relaxing / inspiring to just wander around reading the write-ups and basking in all that beauty, that it really does feel like a get-away. Unless, of course, you actually want to buy something. If you can get ahold of one of the knowledgeable staffmembers (weekends are tough), they will assist you in finding that perfect feature plant or help you determine which Japanese Maple (soooo many varieties) would do well in your specific conditions. In January, the bare root rose selection is a required visit. I don't trust roses from anywhere but here. I could go on and on with praise, but others have gone before me. The 4-star rating is for the only downside at BH - Price. (Well, OK, parking is a nightmare on weekends) I can't get away from the fact that the price is more than double the same plant at, say, Payless on 51st in Oakland. I would overlook a 15% overage, maybe 20%, but 100% - or more! That hurts, guys! Still, there's that great service and some items you really can't seem to find anywhere else. Unfortunately for me, I seem to find those plants more often than not... read more

Great selection and incredibly knowledgeable staff (if you can flag someone down for long enough). I got a handful of potted plants for my no-sun-getting deck about a month ago and so far so good! read more

This place has some great stuff - it always gives me lots of ideas, but the BEST bargain is the pile of used nursery pots at the back of the shop. I go there to stock up and to drop off... not so much for buying of expensive plants. :) read more

I am certainly a novice gardener but I found this place to be far above all of my other nursery experiences. They have beautiful paths that wind through gardens with some quite amazing specimens. The staff is also very courteous and friendly. Their prices seemed reasonable to me though again, I have little experience in this sort of thing. read more

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I never had a green thumb until I moved to Berkeley, bought a house, and was blessed with a huge backyard (and a front yard too!). And, the truth is, I would have just hired gardeners but for the fact that the hubby and I were going to get married in our backyard and wanted to plant our own flowers. It just felt right, picking the plants that would grow in our backyard...That's when Berkeley horticultural came into the picture...and that's when I decided that I would like gardening. Going to Berkeley Hort is like strolling through a beautiful garden. It's downright inspiring. And, it's that type of inspiration that allowed us to imagine what our backyard could look like. See picture (yes, I've decided to attach a picture b/c the Berkeley Hort helped us to create our beautiful backyard, where we recited our wedding vows)... Fast forward two years later...today I returned to the Berkeley Hort to buy some perennials for my planters in my front yard. I found some beautiful deer resistant perennials (for those of us in N. Berkeley, deer come by every once in a while to chomp on our flowers!), and after 2 hours of backbreaking labor, voila! My frontyard is a masterpiece. I love this place. Yes, you are going to pay a lot more than at other nurseries (e.g., Home Depot), but the employees are knowledgeable, will help you carry your plants to your car, and the experience is always a good one. I think it's worth the extra bucks just to have people around who know how to help you when you ask = e.g., when there were aphids on my roses, the employees knew what to do; when I spoke of my deer problem, the employees suggested at least 4 different ways to keep them away; and on and on and on...5 stars for the service, wide selection of plants, and terrific location. read more

Berkeley Horticultural Nursery - My garden, where we got married (full of plants and flowers from Berkeley Hort.!) - Nurseries & Gardening Near Me - Berkeley, California