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Longtime Marin Organic members Margaret Graham and Walter Earle have owned and operated Mostly Natives Nursery in Tomales since 1984. Before that, Margaret was a commercial fisherman and Walter did this and that, but when they began having children, they decided to go into the nursery business. So, they bought the 1/4+ acre plot that their nursery now stands on and began cultivating organic vegetable starts and a diverse palette of both native and non-native plants. Although neither of them is a native Californian themselves, their knowledge of, and appreciation for plants that tolerate seven months of drought each year, is impressive and infectious. Posted at the nursery are lists of plants that do well in various situations such as near the ocean, in the shade, or in containers. In addition, their website provides a wealth of information on all sorts of things including gardening to attract hummingbirds or how to choose deer-resistant plants.
People come from all over the Bay Area to buy starts here, mostly from the East Bay and the Peninsula, because, "It's hard to find natives," says Margaret. One of only three "natives" nurseries in the wider Bay Area, they were pioneer grower-retailers, which means they propagate the plants themselves and sell directly to the public instead of to wholesalers.
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