Yerba Buena Nursery offers more than just native plants
By Tony Tomeo
I have been to just about every nursery in the San Francisco Bay Area and have found few as special as Yerba Buena Nursery, in the Santa Cruz mountains above Woodside. This nursery has specialized almost exclusively in California native plant species and ferns since 1960. Although most of the commonly available species cannot be found here, many of the more rare natives can be.
The Gerda Isenberg Native Plant Garden has been constructed to display many of the species found in the nursery. The surrounding landscape also exhibits distinctive garden sculpture, which is created by local artists, and may be purchased.
Yerba Buena is for garden enthusiasts who enjoy nurseries. It may seem a bit remote, but the drive is very scenic and well worth the trip. Once at the nursery, there is no need to rush. Besides the nursery and demonstration garden, visitors may also enjoy the tea terrace and gift shop. Incidentally, the tea room was very popular with my mother and my niece, Sarah, when I took them there in August. Yerba Buena Nursery is certainly much more than just a place to find plants for the garden.
During the Christmas season, Yerba Buena will serve Christmas Tea Lunches and White Nights Dinners in the Old Farmhouse. The Christmas Tea Lunches will be served at noon on Dec. 7, 8, 9 and 10; and also on Dec. 14. White Nights Christmas Dinners will be served at 7 p.m. on Dec. 15 and 16. Guests are encouraged to dress for visiting the gardens.
Christmas Tea Lunch is $25 per person and the White Nights Dinner is $35 per person. Groups of 10 people may be seated at their own table. Reservations must be prepaid by credit card. Each event is limited to 50 guests. For information or reservations, contact Kathy Crane at 650.851.1668. Information is also available on the Internet at www.yerbabuenanursery.com. Yerba Buena is located at 19500 Skyline Blvd. in Woodside, and is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
With the remaining space in my column, I should mention some items that may still be planted in flower and vegetable gardens now that the weather has become considerably cooler. Annual bedding flowers include Iceland poppy, dianthus (sweet William), nemesia, schizanthus, pansy, viola and the various primroses.
Be aware that primroses may cause a severe allergic reaction similar to that of poison oak. Very few people are allergic to primroses, but those who are may not know the source of the allergen.
Cool season vegetables grown from seed sown directly in the garden include beets, carrots, chard, lettuce, peas, radishes, spinach, turnips and turnip greens. Garlic and onions may also be planted from seed or from "sets," which are small, dormant bulbs grown earlier. Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and collards are very easily grown from seedlings or "cell packs," but they may also be grown from seed.
Remember that cool season vegetables grow slower than warm season vegetables. They should be planted in small amounts at various times so there are always a few nearly mature vegetables.
Tree of the Week: Coast Redwood
The state tree of California, the coast redwood, Sequoia sempervirens, is likely the most popular of the native trees. Unlike most native species, it is very adaptable to, and actually enjoys, landscape irrigation. Coast redwoods grow very fast, from three to five feet a year. They eventually get too large for small gardens and can shade out other plants.
Form is strictly conical with a single, straight central leader. Limbs of healthy trees extend almost horizontally from the trunk. Drooping limbs are an indication of stressful growing conditions. Many cultivars have been developed in recent years. However, "Soquel" remains the most popular and is often the only one available. Other cultivars may exhibit slightly bluer foliar color or lighter foliar density. Trees grown from seed are rarely available and should not be confused with the cultivars.
Although seedlings are a sensible choice for planting within native populations of redwoods, they are not as structurally refined as those grown for landscape use. This is why trees planted prior to the development of modern cultivars are so variable in structure and resemble trees growing wild in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
Horticulturist Tony Tomeo can be contacted at 408.358.2574.
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Los Gatos, California Since 1881
Planted before modern cultivars were developed, this urban coast redwood looks more like its wild cousins in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
