Who we are

Down by the Bay staff are wholeheartedly committed to the remaining native plant populations in the East Bay. We monitor these plant communities closely and spend time in these ecosystems. Our mission is to offer genetically local specimens grown from ethically collected seed.

Where do you come in?

Now more than ever, it is crucial to be bringing nature home. We are experiencing a species die-out that scientists agree resembles the 5th great extinction event our planet has experienced in 4 billion years. Humans rely heavily on the bugs, birds, and other smaller wildlife that compose the food web which trickles up to us. We desperately need to restore pockets of habitat in the spaces we steward, so that wildlife has the plant species it needs to complete its life cycle.

Phytosanitation

We are in the process of receiving our AIR Certification to ensure the plants we grow are pathogen free, a distinction held by only a handful of nurseries in the greater Bay Area. When you visit the nursery, we ask that you enter on the left of the parking lot, use the boot brush, and spray your feet with the provided alcohol bottle. Please do not bring any soil, plants, or pots into the nursery space, as this poses a risk to our plant stock.

Pot Return

We love recycling and reducing our contributions to the waste stream. All of our pots are made of recycled plastic, and most of them are purchased pre-used. We’d love to take back the pots you get from us—all we ask is that you sort them into the appropriate trays near the gift shop so that we can sanitize them easily. Ask about our pot return discount!

A Disclaimer

Pictures don’t do many (if any) of these species justice. We encourage folks to try to see them and appreciate them to the best of their abilities in their natural settings. Then again, why not make your home the natural setting and watch them glow?