|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Spring is here! And with the world in bloom, you may be getting inspired to add some more greenery to your own home, inside or out. Whether you’re a total newbie or an experienced plant parent, there’s always room for some more botanical buddies to liven up your space. We’ve put together a list of some of our favorite places on the Peninsula to get plants, from quirky coffee shops to historic nurseries.
Ladera Garden and Gifts, Belmont and Portola Valley: Married couple Juan and Mercedes Navarro took over the long-running Ladera Garden and Gifts back in 1981. It’s a nursery, a gift shop and a place for picking up lovely floral arrangements all in one – well, actually, two. In 2016, the Navarros opened a second location in Belmont that recently reopened after some renovations due to flood damage. As the name suggests, the first shop is located in Portola Valley’s Ladera neighborhood.
Ladera Garden and Gifts, 3130 Alpine Road #380, Portola Valley and 2029 Ralston Ave., Belmont; Instagram: @laderagardenandgifts. Open Tuesday-Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Yamagami’s Garden Center, Cupertino: Back in 1948, what’s now Silicon Valley was then known as the “Valley of Heart’s Delight.” Taro Yamagami set up a fruit stand among the local orchards and became one of the first in California to earn a landscape architecture license. Many years later, Yamagami’s Garden Center is going strong as a place to get plants – including bonsai plants – and years of gardening expertise, with classes held often. Keep an eye out for Tigger the striped kitty, Yamagami’s official mascot, who has his own Instagram account!
Yamagami’s Garden Center, 1631 S. De Anza Blvd., Cupertino; Instagram: @yamagamisgardencenter. Spring hours open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
Yerba Buena Nursery, Half Moon Bay: Native plants are crucial to supporting a biodiverse ecosystem, and Yerba Buena Nursery has been supporting the native plants of the Peninsula since 1960, when it was founded at a Woodside ranch. Purportedly the oldest native plant retail business in California, Yerba Buena has been located in Half Moon Bay since 2012, offering native plants representing all parts of the state along with books, seeds and garden art.
Yerba Buena Nursery, 12511 San Mateo Road, Unit C (Highway 92), Half Moon Bay; Instagram: @yerbabuenanursery. Open Tuesday-Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Momstera Lounge, Campbell: Campbell’s Momstera Lounge aims to bring a “fresh, soulful vibe to the plant parent experience,” according to its website. It’s got plants, of course (the name is a play on monstera, a popular houseplant), pots and supplies, plus additional items such as crystals, incense and even plant-themed jewelry. Momstera Lounge also hosts events like monthly craft nights, and patrons can book appointments for repotting help and a variety of workshops.
Momstera Lounge, 428 E. Campbell Ave., Campbell; Instagram: @momsterasj. Open Wednesday-Friday noon-5 p.m., Saturday from noon-6 p.m. and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Golden Nursery, San Mateo: San Mateo’s Golden Nursery has been family owned and operated since 1976 and offers a plant selection that includes roses, rare shrubs, Japanese maples, perennials, herbs and vegetables, succulents, drought-tolerant plants and more, plus an annual citrus-tasting event.
Golden Nursery, 1122 2nd Ave., San Mateo; Instagram: @goldennursery. Open weekdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekends 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (hours can vary depending on weather conditions).
Little Green – A Plant Bar, Redwood City: Regular readers may have noticed mentions of downtown Redwood City’s Little Green – A Plant Bar popping up in our coverage. There’s a good reason for that: Little Green is a hot spot for all sorts of community events and activities, from foodie pop-ups to art workshops to sound baths to free clothing swaps to live music shows – and that’s in addition to its regular stock of cool and quirky gifts, plus its coffee shop. But as its name suggests, at the heart of Little Green is its plants. Specializing in succulents but offering many other types as well, Little Green also has a titular “plant bar” that allows customers to create their own one-of-a-kind succulent arrangement. And recently, Little Green’s Riley Talain even shared some houseplant tips with this publication.
Little Green – A Plant Bar, 1101 Main St., Redwood City; Instagram: @littlegreenaplantbar. Open Tuesday-Friday from 8 a.m.to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Monday from 8 a.m. to noon (special events sometimes held in the evenings).
Shelldance Gardens, Pacifica: Dedicated to the growing of orchids, bromeliads and neotropical plants – with a special dedication to ​​rare and at-risk cool-growing orchids – Shelldance Gardens occupies the historic greenhouses built in 1949 by orchid grower Herb Hager. Shelldance is now a partner and park steward of the National Park Service’s Golden Gate National Recreation Area, located within the Sweeney Ridge Trail Head park boundary. The greenhouses (and gift shop) are open to the public for weekend visits, and the pet-friendly space is also available to rent for special occasions and photo shoots.
Shelldance Gardens, 2000 Highway 1, Pacifica. Open Saturday-Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Bloomsgiving, Redwood City and Mountain View: With locations in downtown Mountain View and Redwood City, Bloomsgiving is the place to grab a potted plant, an elegant bouquet or a delicious beverage (ideally, all three). In addition to elegant floral arrangements and houseplants, the shops offer plant accessories and pots, cards and gifts like scented candles and reed diffusers. And if plant shopping makes you thirsty, Bloomsgiving offers all the standard coffee and tea drinks plus specialties with a botanical twist, such as the Bloomsgiving Espresso Tonic featuring orange juice, sparkling water and rose syrup.
Bloomsgiving, 301 Castro St., Mountain View, 893 Winslow St., Redwood City; Instagram: @bloomsgiving. The Mountain View location is open Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Redwood City location is open every day from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Mountain View residents launch app to help homeowners navigate building permitsMarch 11, 2026 8:29 am