Visiting Berkeley Horticultural Nursery

During my visit to Flowerland I overheard a conversation where Berkeley Hort was mentioned as a good source for particular plant. It was described as though it was a good standard, old-school nursery. Of course this made me want to visit and it was conveniently located on the way back towards our hotel, so I stopped...

It was deceivingly large and abutted a bustling Farmer's Market (which made parking a bit of a challenge).

Fun to see the fruit of Feijoa sellowiana highlighted as a selling point. Not so much an issue back home in Oregon.

Echium candicans 'San Bruno Pink'

Who knew there was a pink blooming E. candicans? (okay probably everyone but me)

Lupinus albifrons

I'd hoped to find a couple more of these while we were in the Bay and here were several, plus all California natives were on sale!

Beautiful foliage right?

Something told me I wasn't going to like the flowers though.

Yep! (Euryops pectinatus)

But these, love the flowers and the foliage, Brachysema celsianum / Brachysema lanceolata / Gastrolobium celsianum...

Whatever they're called they're unfortunately only hardy to 20-25F.

Another echium, E. simplex.

If I'd been there in the spring I would have grabbed one, but $15 was a bit spendy for something I wasn't sure I could overwinter successfully.

Metrosideros collina 'Springfire', I love the white buds and check out what it looks like in bloom.

And of course not hardy in my zone! I did find it very interesting most of their signage was using Sunset Zones rather than USDA Zones. Also if you wanted one of those ubiquitous cardboard flats for carrying home your purchases it would cost you, which I kind of liked. I try to reuse mine throughout the season (always have a couple in my car) but still end up with many more than I need.