About Yerba Buena Nursery
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'Ray Hartman' Ceanothus in our Demonstration Garden | Yerba Buena Nursery is California's oldest retail nursery business specializing in Native Plants and Ferns. This retail nursery was established in 1960 by Gerda Isenberg, a pioneer in the movement to recognize the landscape value of Native Plants. On her family's 3000 acre cattle ranch, Gerda fashioned a nursery dedicated to the propagation of these special plants, many of which are now rare, endangered, or extinct in the wild. |
The plants are grown and displayed in a series of charming lath houses, greenhouses and wide open spaces surrounded by Redwood trees, creeks, and a historic barn and farmhouse dating from 1905. Located in the coastal hills above Woodside, California, over 600 species of plants are grown here from seeds, cuttings and divisions. These plants represent all regions of California from the beaches to the Sierras. |
A greenhouse at the nursery |
Entrance to the Gerda Isenberg Native Plant Garden | Within our 40 acre setting visitors will find unsurpassed natural beauty and a sense of the history of the Woodside area. A walk through our 2 acre Botanical Garden reveals mature specimens of the plants grown here. Plants for sale are well marked with information cards telling the origin of the plants and appropriate use in the garden. |
Yerba Buena's owner, Kathy Crane and her fine staff of nursery professionals are happy to help with appropriate plant selection on an individual basis.
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| We love all animals and have many pets. Our pets roam the grounds as if they own the place (because they do). We can't risk visits by pets who are strangers, and there is no guarantee of shady parking, so please leave yours at home where they are cool and comfortable. Thank you! |
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History
The Origins of Yerba Buena Nursery
| About 40 years ago Gerda Isenberg began what is now Yerba Buena Nursery on her family's cattle ranch. She started by growing a few exotic ferns, and later became interested in the plants growing on the ranch and in the surrounding countryside. One of the first people to recognize these plants' value for the garden, Gerda began propagating them to sell to local nurseries. Ever since that time the nursery has been dedicated to growing California native plants, and providing information about them to the public. |
The meadow behind the farmhouse |
Kathy Crane took over the nursery in 1995 when Gerda retired at the age of 94. Since
that time, Kathy has struck a marvelous balance between maintaining the traditions of
the past and supplying a new energy and some much needed modernization.
 Former Yerba Buena Nursery employee Brent Wilcox has generously lent us many of his photos taken during his time at Yerba Buena. Please click the image above to be treated to a journey through time, complete with candid comments on each slide. |
The old barn |
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