Annie’s is a 2.5 acre woman-owned and run nursery/laboratory/mad science experiment based in Richmond, CA (across the bay from San Francisco)! We grow over 2000 varieties of plants EVERY YEAR and our never-ending quest for unusual and gardenworthy plants never fails to surprise, shock and delight us!
We started from humble beginnings as a backyard hobby 20 years ago and have evolved into an urban “growing” nursery. We provide plants to about 60 independent retail nurseries in California and open our doors for retail shopping here at the mothership, 9-5, 7 DAYS a week! For fellow Plant-a-Holics living far away, we also offer our plants by mail order.
We select plants not only for their beauty and/or fragrance, but most often for the natural grace and charm they add to our gardens (so often missing in modern hybrids found at “big box” garden centers).We grow them the old fashioned way – from seed – in the wind, rain and sun (no greenhouses), so they are “hardened off,” healthy and ready to go in the ground.
Located in magical USDA zone 10, Sunset zone 17, we are able to grow a vast number of plant varieties from both warm and cold climates. Along with offering a huge number of old-fashioned cottage garden treasures, we also specialize in Mediterranean climate varieties from around the world, including South Africa, the Canary Islands and South America. During our cool season (November – March) we are thrilled to offer one of the largest selections of California native annual wildflowers and native perennials available anywhere.
blog.anniesannuals.com 
Hi, I live in upstate ny w hot humid summers. I’m looking for annuals that will grow quickly and flower all summer. I have all types of soil from clay to sand and full sun to shade. I love Calandrinia. Scyphanthus for a trellis for example is gorgeous. Will they grow and flower this summer? Please send me a few other recommendations. Thank you, Todd Byington
Howdy Todd! The Scyphanthus is still very new to cultivation, and we haven’t heard reports from anyone in your climate about its performance in muggy summers. It’s from a climate more similar to ours here in the Bay Area, but many Mediterranean plants fare well outside of their usual range, and this quick growing and quick blooming annual might do well for you. If it does, you better let us know! It’s the perfect vine for a small trellis, and will definitely grow and flower this summer. The Calandrinia is much more candidate-able, but make sure to give it good drainage to help counterbalance the mugginess! Here’s our “Hot and Steamy” list – maybe it has a few more ideas for you: http://www.anniesannuals.com/plt_lst/lists/general/lst.gen.asp?catagory=15
I live in San Anselmo and only have a deck — full sun, pointing due west, no shade. I need to know what plants are appropriate for containers only. Do you have a category for that?
Hi Joyce – good news! We are working on a Great in Containers category! I’ll post a link just as soon as it’s up on the website.
Joyce –
Try some of the California native mimulus – Annies has a wide selection in many colors – (I have quite a collection. My favorite: Mimulus aurantiacus “Pamela” – a rich yellow orange with a white margin – large flowers, and will bloom and bloom if you deadhead. Mimulus bifidus white is really pretty with ruffled edges, and Mimulus “Richard’s Red” an exceptional true red. Most will continue to produce blooms for month after month with deadheading.
Carolyn
Hi, this is not a complaint, but a question for Kelly Kirpatrick. I am growing this amazing Costata Romanesco zucchini. it has become a huge robust plant. BUT!! a critter is visiting each night and chewing into the vegetable, so much that there is no growth able to start anymore. i sprinkled hot pepper powder on the place to no avail. it just slowed it down a bit. So here i have leaves and stems, but each time it starts anew, it gets eated off.
i was so looking forward to eating some by now. Next year i will cage it in. Or do you have any ideas for this season? We have 3 eager mouser cats, so maybe this is a racoon or somthing that is not scared of cats.
Marilyn Moyer
Atherton CA 94027
marilynmoyer@comcast.net
Help!!
Raccoons? Deer? Also rats and squirrels, which eat the fruits of our labor in our backyards ALL of the time. We definitely recommend a cage. Is the plant too large for you to cage it now? Unfortunately, these critters find the zucchini as delicious as we do.
Must say that Phytolacca acinose (Pokeberry) is VERY invasive here in Sacramento. I have it coming up EVERYWHERE. Lovely plant in onesies and threesies but in hundredies, not so much.
Just found a beautiful new annual that you should cultivate.
Christa obcordata. Native to the Phillppines. Really neat looking!
Here’s a link to a bit more information about it and, most important, PICTURES.
http://www.tboblogs.com/index.php/life/comments/butterfly-leaf-plant-the-story-plus-happy-photo-intermissions
Hey, Annie!
Loved your catalog, which was a surprise mailing. I live in a Burbank 2nd floor apt. w/ 1/2 sun & 1/2 shade each day. Container gardening is my lot in life. Have you categorized your container-friendly plants yet?
hi lynn! glad you liked the catalog! a “great in containers” category is in the works. better step on it before spring, i suppose!
Do you have a “Top 10” list for plants that attract butterflies?
Hi Doug: We do have a butterfly list on our website – here y’go! This is the full list – you can choose to view only available items in the Plant Finder above the listings: http://www.anniesannuals.com/plt_lst/lists/general/lst.gen.asp?catagory=26
Oh!!!! I am SO excited to be visiting you in Richmond tomorrow!!!!!
Echium Tajinaste is fabulous. Early blooms are about done. More coming. Do I cut back the old blooms? I can’t find info anywhere. Do I cut this back at the end of the season? Is this truly a perennial that will come back every year if I am in zone 8? Thanks so much for this website.
Hi Salima: Annie does cut it back to about 2′ tall when it’s done blooming, as it doesn’t seem to like to be cut back all the way. It’s hardy to USDA zone 9 (not 8), but it should self-sow for you. Let us know if it does! And read more about it HERE.
Good Morning Ladies, I rec. your catalog via mail, love it , have watched all videos. I live in Las Vegas, NV I ‘m a widower that has taken over my wifes rose garden of about 25 roses. In LV everyone has rocks instead of grass. I’m forever removing rocks and replacing with compost mat. and mulch. Looking for ideas for periannals mostly to expand frangrance , beauty , butterfly attraction, also open for ideas.Thank you in advance
richard Knox
2559 Anaini Rd
Henderson, NV 89044
kno@61cox.net
Good morning Richard! Sorry it took me a bit of time to reply to your message. We have a list of plants good for hot and dry locations such as yours. Off the top of my head, Anchusas and Asclepias for butterflies, some Salvias and Agastache for fragrance and beauty . but check out the whole list. there is a little bar at the top that will let you choose and sort the list by your USDA zone, perennials, and whether they are available right now:
http://www.anniesannuals.com/plt_lst/lists/general/lst.gen.asp?catagory=11
good luck!
Where can I get a Parish’s Buckwheat? I recently saw one and it is a great dry garden plant.
It is a great plant! Problem is, it looks terrible in a 4″ pot and no one wants to take one home. Once in the ground, it’s an excellent dry garden subject and pollinator attractor! We are taking a break from growing it, but you can occasionally find them for sale at UC Botanical Garden plant sales if you live in the Bay Area. Good luck!
You have a wonderful, colourful blog, very unique and nice. Congrats and thanks for sharing these amazing photos of flowers and other plants.
Wish you all the best in your future endeavours!
Arlen
Thank you so much for the kind words and encouragement Arlen!
Just received my order of Sedum spurium ‘Voodoo’.
The plants look great. I’m very impressed with how well you packaged the order. Everything looks great and is currently under grow lights. To ship plants from west coast to South Carolina with no damage whatever is amazing. I’ll be ordering from you again.
bluesmanjack
So great to hear that your plants arrived safe and sound!
Does the AC Transit bus line have a stop near your nursery?
Yes it does Paula. The 76 line passes right by the nursery. The stop is Sixth and Market.
Can you tell me when a plant, specifically the Kennedia nigricans “Black Coral Pea”
will be available?
hi corinne – they are here and we are waiting for them to reach a shippable size. they should be up to size within the next month. do you have it on a wishlist? if so, you’ll get an automatic email when it becomes available.
I live in SW WA. and would like to plane Carex divulsa under an English Walnut tree. Would the leaves kill this ground cover? The leaves are not to be used in the garden or compost. Thanks.
So many of the plants I just bought from you say that they can reseed themselves. Since I didn’t want to rely on that, I thought I’d like to learn how to harvest and save seeds for planting. I know you have a class on 5/12 for starting a garden from seed but do you ever teach how to save and care for seeds? Thanks.
hi nancy: we have had this question before and so we wrote a post on how to collect seed on our website. you can read it HERE!
hope that helps!
you used Fish Emulsion can you give a particular brand in your video youwere just pouring it, no measuring do you use a concentrate and dilute it??? Please advise on general usage
Dear Annie,
Thanks so much for being awesome. I love to come here when I’m searching for that rare and special California native, bee-friendly flower, or unique gift. I can’t help it, you know what I want before I do, and I’ve never been dissappointed! Thanks so much for the wonderful selection of rare and hard to find plants.
Sincerely,
Rebecca Simpson
Dear Annie,
With all the concerns about pollinators and bees, how do you view Neonicotinoids and do you avoid produces that containt them.? I would like to include you on my list of Bee friendly plant suppliers. I am starting a data base for Portland. Thanks so much!
Hi Constance – we maintain a bee friendly program here at the nursery and use absolutely no Neonicotinoids associated with CCD. please do include us in your list, we love bees!
Thank you so much for Bee Friendly plants. I will put you on the website list so that when people go to the store and see your tag, they will know you do not use Neonics. I may even start giving out Bee Plaques as rewards.
Dear Annie,
I recently came back from a visit to Australia where I got to see Sturtz’s Desert Pea (Swainsonia formosa) and Flannel Flower (Actinotus helianthi).
I was wondering if you might be able to stock these at your nursery?
hello! i will pass these two recommendations on to our propagation department. thanks for the suggestions!
I once purchased Sturtz’s Desert Pea here locally at the Australian Outback Nursery here in Phx. Don’t think they carry it anymore but it would fit nicely with Annie’s repetoire. PLEASE bring back Dalia Pururea !! Thx
Your catalogue says to find my USDA zone on your website, but there isn’t any place that I can find on the wedsite to find this information.
hi glenda – the link is at the very bottom of the home page on the right. it links to this page – which will allow you to enter your zipcode and find your zone. sorry for the confusion! http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/
Where is your How to have a Fabby garden
article please?
So excited to have your Spring catalog
appear in my mailbox on Orcas Island, WA!
Cheers!
hi cindy – you can find all FABBY articles here: http://www.anniesannuals.com/gardening-guides/fabby.php
My daughter lives in Oakland, but I’m on the other coast. If I order plants, could you pot up appropriately? (Do you even sell large pots?) She has grown veggies, but she works long hours and I want to make it simple to start. Thanks.
Hi – I’m not sure of your question. But you can email or call our mailorder department and they can answer any questions about shipping – 1.888.266.4370 or contact@anniesannuals.com