Stop in Memorial Day between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. We’ll have free hots dogs and drinks in honor of you, our loyal customers.

By Cathy Hough, general manager and buyer

We’re not sure if this is the same momma hummingbird who made a nest in our store last year or perhaps her offspring who knows about the greenery inside our store, but once again we have a resident momma-to-be hummingbird who has built a nest in one of our indoor plants (below).

Get ready for a tropical summer! As the weather warms up, we’ll be receiving deliveries of all the tropical plants you love, such as Bougainvillea, Hibiscus (below) and Plumeria. 

Cestrum (below), related to the Night Blooming Jasmine, is a showy, sun-loving perennial that attracts hummingbirds. Stop in today to wander through our 2+ acres to see the many colors and textures your garden can have. Steve, Roger and CJ are ready to answer your questions and provide a level of expertise you won’t find anywhere else.

(Below) The Eden Rose on a trellis is a rare find and a classic favorite valued for its large peony-shaped flower. If you don’t see the trellised rose you’d like, ask us for assistance. We can help you select a climbing rose and trellis to grow it on.

Calandrina (below) is a succulent with a showy purple flower. Stop in today to see our succulent collection. We have many in front of our store and many, many more behind it.

Container gardening (below) gives you the opportunity to pair a plant and a pot for specific spots and maximum visual appeal. We continue to receive new shipments of plants and containers so your garden can look its best.

(Below) Here are some new additions to our container selection.

At the Marina del Rey Garden Center, we pride ourselves on offering the finest plants, expert advice and friendly, knowledgeable customer service.

MarinaGardenCen

By Cathy Hough, general manager and buyer

You are buying the best plants when you shop at the Marina del Rey Garden Center, where deliveries are constantly arriving (below). Our network of growers, chosen by us for their quality plants, have the experience to ensure a superior product. Let our staff of experts, Steve, CJ, Roger and Jim help you maintain that excellence with the appropriate soil amendments.

Our roses (below) are in bloom, making now the perfect time to stop in to select the plant that appeals most to you. Our staff can guide you on the proper care of these most amazing plants.

Fields of lavender (below) catch the eye; grow some as a hedge or border or meander them through an existing landscape. I have several in my front yard and they are beautiful, not to mention fragrant. We have many varieties in stock so you can select the ones you like best.

Think tropical now to enjoy colorful blossoms through summer. Hibiscus are stunning shrubs/trees that come in dazzling colors such as orange (below), red, white and pink.

We are famous for our container and water fountain collections. These new fountains will turn any area into a peaceful oasis. Visit today to wander through our 2+ acres of fountains, containers, plants and more.

We’re always looking for creative plant presentations. The one below is one of our custom planted succulent gardens.

The succulent garden below demonstrates another pairing of plant and container–this time resulting in an architectural, contemporary look. Tell us what look you want; we’ll help you achieve it.

(Below) Brighten up your shade garden with these Coral Bells, grown for their bright, bold, colorful leaves.

Whatever plant you’re looking for, we’re sure to have it. (Below) CJ loads some prime vegetable plants onto a customer’s cart. In the background is just part of our huge terra cotta pottery selection.

(Below) Stop in for blueberry bushes. They do best planted in containers. We have several varieties of this anti-oxidant rich fruit. We also have grape vines, all just in time for true summer fun!

The Marina Garden Center is your one-stop spot for gardening. We take great pride in offering the best service and advice, plus in having the best quality plants and products for you to choose from. Visit us today!

By Cathy Hough, general manager and buyer

A little more than a week ago, the Marina del Rey Garden Center lost a dear friend and employee, Al Romo. You may have seen Al’s friendly face in the rose garden (below) tending to our selection. We will miss Al dearly.

Al Romo

Our vegetable and herb section (below) is one of the busiest areas in the garden center and with good reason: our selection is the best in quality and covers everything from tomato plants to lettuce to dill to bell peppers to basil to cat mint in sizes that range from six-packs to four-inch containers to a gallon. And we receive new arrivals of vegetables and herbs nearly daily. Come on in to discover how wonderful and tasty your garden can be!

Gardeners are preparing for bumper crops of tomatos! Tomato cages in hand (below), this gardener is pulling a cart loaded with tomato plants. Ask CJ, Steve or Roger for assistance. They can help you select what you’ll need, including the best soil amendment, to give your garden the best start possible!

On Saturday, April 21, noted landscape architect, gardener and author Shelley Sparks will give us an inside look at her holistic approach to gardening. Shelley’s goal is to put harmony, healing and beneficial qualities into gardens. Her latest book, Secrets of the Land, “describes ancient practices that help you express your personality in the garden.” We have her book in stock now and it will be available for her to sign on April 21.

• Watch this recent Shelley Sparks video filmed at the Marina Garden Center:
  Using Color in Your Garden for Fame and Good Relations

(Below) A new delivery of strawberry pots and decorative pots for concealing a hose has just arrived!

The Marina del Rey Garden Center is fully stocked with a huge assortment of shrubs, trees, vines, fruit trees, perennials, succulents, and colorful annuals and are your one-stop resource for all things gardening! Spring is a great time to plant privacy hedges, add perennials to your existing landscape, plant color in flower beds and containers, watch the fruits of your labor and nurturing grow, and simply enjoy the pleasure that gardening is.

(Below) We have an amazing selection of shade plants.

Our 2+ acres is a great place to take a stroll. In addition to the colorful hanging baskets found near our parking lot and entrance to the store, an entire world of plants awaits you behind the building and stretches quite a distance beyond.

(Below) A hummingbird finds the nectar she needs in this salvia. Ask us how you can attract hummingbirds, butterflies and other fun creatures to your garden!

Spring and summer mean fun, fab, bright colors! Our latest and largest shipment of the year for containers (below) is giving our customers countless fun choices for pairing plants with pots.

(Below) Gardens can be quirky, classic, contemporary–you decide! Stop in today to get some ideas and inspiration from our displays!

By Cathy Hough, general manager and buyer

You’ll have the opportunity to learn all about the organic goodness of Dr. Earth fertilizers during a free interactive presentation on Saturday, April 7. Our Dr. Earth expert will be at the garden center from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to talk informally about the benefits of Dr. Earth products. Bring your questions.

Dr. Earth’s 100% organic fertilizers are made in the U.S. without GMOs, sewage sludge and chicken manure.

(Below) Yellow Jasmine is just one of the beautiful vines we have in stock. Generally, vines can be used on structures such as trellises, gazebos and arbors. Ask Steve, Roger or CJ how you can plant vines on structures or in containers to create privacy and beauty.

Rick (below), a member of our operations team, loads bags of Bumper Crop into a customer’s SUV. Stock up now during our Buy 4 Bags, Get the 5th Bag Free sale. You know you’re going to need more Bumper Crop for your spring and summer planting, so take advantage of this once-a-year offer.

On Saturday, April 21, noted landscape architect, gardener and author Shelley Sparks will give us an inside look at her holistic approach to gardening. Shelley’s goal is to put harmony, healing and beneficial qualities into gardens. Her latest book, Secrets of the Land, “describes ancient practices that help you express your personality in the garden.” We have her book in stock now and it will be available for her to sign on April 21.

• Watch this recent Shelley Sparks video filmed at the Marina Garden Center:
  Using Color in Your Garden for Fame and Good Relations

(Above) You can see the buds growing on our more than 500 roses, which includes climbing roses, hybrid teas, floribundas, grandifloras and ground covers. With some 50 different rose varieties in stock, we’re sure you’ll find the rose that captures your fancy. Stop in to stroll through our selection of the best quality plants.

(Above) Marina Garden Center has one of the largest container selections in Los Angeles. Stop in to find the size, shape, color you need.

If you’re looking for glazed pottery in decorator colors in all shapes and sizes, stop in Tuesday when a new shipment, the largest one we’ll get all year, arrives. It’s always rewarding to be able to bring the very latest and best designs to our customers, and that’s what this delivery will bring–more of the unusual and hard-to-find glazed pottery we’re known for. On Friday, I had the pleasure of going to my vendor’s operation to personally select the styles, sizes and colors of these pots. And, I have to say, these glazed beauties are going to be just what you want in your garden this spring and summer.

Gardeners of all ages are discovering how striking succulent gardens can be. They’re also waterwise, making them particularly appealing as more people want to conserve the water used in their gardens.

Ask Roger, CJ or Steve to help you create a drought-tolerant garden. You’ll be glad you did.

Local Garden Tour Calendar

Windsor-Square Hancock Park Historical Society Garden Tour and Party–Earth Day, Sun., April 22

12 noon – 6 p.m.

Tickets: $65, online at http://wshphs.org. Self-guided tour is noon-4 p.m., lecture at 3 p.m. and reception with light supper 4-6 p.m. at Getty House. Tour begins at Getty House, 605 South Irving Blvd., Los Angeles, 90005.

Please wear flat shoes and bring a hat.

Sponsored by Paramount Pictures and Hancock Park Homeowners Association, est. 1948.

Venice Garden & Home Tour – Sat., May 5

10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Tickets: $60 in advance, $70 day of event. www.venicegardentour.org or call 310-821-1857.

Self-guided walk of some 30 beautiful and avant garde gardens and homes in the Coeur d’Alene neighborhood and on Venice Walk Streets. Start at 804 Broadway at Pleasant View, Venice.

Benefits Neighborhood Youth Association’s Las Doradas Children’s Center, Venice.

By Cathy Hough, general manager and buyer

Our first shipment, 300+ roses, has arrived! All of your favorites are here as well as new varieties. And if you have a special rose in mind, ask us.

Indeed, there’s nothing quite like a rose (above). Some of our bountiful roses have loads of buds, with a few blossoms already.

You wait for this every year, and it’s here now! Our Buy 4 bags of Bumper Crop, get the fifth bag free is here now, so be sure to stop in to snag your bags.

Bumper Crop is our all-organic soil amendment, fortified with kelp meal and worm castings. It’s available exclusively at Master Nursery Garden Centers.

Our annual Japanese Maple Festival on March 10th was a huge success! (Above) Jeff with Monrovia Growers answers questions about these gorgeous specimens. The Japanese Maple he holds will be planted in a container.

(Above) Japanese Maples are things of beauty, each one with their own special foliage and growth habit. Ask Steve, CJ or Roger for help when selecting one of these graceful trees. They can tell you what to use when planting a Japanese Maple as well as what it needs to grow to its fullest potential.

(Above) This plant enthusiast is finding some great succulents.

Our entire garden center is full of brand new home decor and gift items and plants. (Above) Step inside our store to find experience a variety of merchandise that will work magic in your home.

Experience the fun of finding plants that will make your garden look its best! (Above) The joy of finding and personally selecting plants for your home and garden is a fun-filled adventure. Grab a beverage and stroll our 2+ acres. Doing so will bring you peace and inspiration.

(Above) Yes, we’ve got loads of color available right now! Stop in to find the plants that will make your home and garden ever so colorful.

(Above) After helping load their own car with vegetable plants, these young lads returned our garden carts so that another customer could use them.

(Below) We are the place to find ornamental grasses (Papyrus below), perennials, shrubs, trees and the expert advice that will turn your garden into a mecca. Plant now and make your spring and summer beautiful!

By Cathy Hough, general manager and buyer

Spring hours begin Sunday, March 11. We’ll be open daily til 5:30 p.m.

Mark your calendar for our Annual Japanese Maple Festival on Saturday, March 10 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. We’ll be giving away two Japanese Maples, so be sure to stop in to register your entry.

Our Monrovia Growers representative will be on hand to provide information on these beautiful trees.

(Below) Our custom planted containers are one of our most popular items. Ask Steve, CJ or Roger how you can create the containers you want to add to your home and garden.

Japanese Maples (above) offer intriguing foliage that comes in shades of red and green and make good focal points in a landscape. Our selection includes a variety of sizes. Stop in now to select your Japanese Maples.

Bookend an area in your garden with these season terminals (above), replicas of those found on The Biltmore Estate. Majestic, eye-catching and artisan-crafted, terminals represent each of the four seasons.

(Above) We’ve also just received a shipment of Boxwood globes, an extremely popular plant. Our 2+ acres are fully stocked with hedge material in the form of shrubs and trees so stop in today to discover how creative and beautiful a hedge can be.

Our container selection (above and below) is extensive and you’re sure to find just what you’re looking for. Ask about our new lighter weight containers (below) for indoor and outdoor use. They’re easy to move and their weight can easily be accommodated on decks and balconies.

When planting, always use the best soil amendments. Selecting the right one for your needs will give your newly planted specimen the head start it needs to ensure its future. Ask Roger, CJ or Steve for advice and guidance. Below is our Master Nursery Acid Planting Mix designed specifically for plants like Japanese Maples.

(Below) Our succulent selection is one of the largest available in Los Angeles. We take great pride in providing what you’re looking for.

(Below) Color can be had in sun and shade! Ask one of of nursery professionals for guidance.

(Below) It’s also time to plant spring and summer vegetables and herbs. We have an excellent assortment of tomatoes and lettuces so you can grow and eat a homegrown salad.

Last December when those gusty winds blew through the Southland, our shade structure was ripped from its anchors but the good news is we’re getting our shade area back (below), and it’s better than ever.

Work crews have been installing a new shade structure (above and below), creating room for us to expand our ever-popular shade plant area.

In addition to having one of the largest succulent and waterwise plant selections (small parts of our selection are in the photos above) in the Greater Los Angeles area, we, as always, offer the best selection of perennials, citrus, trees, shrubs, vegetables and herbs.

Our recent gorgeous summer-like weather has brought with it the opportunity to get your gardening gloves on a tad earlier than you might otherwise have done.

(Below) Colorful Calla Lilies will turn heads and are an inviting way to say that spring is on its way.

Beautiful white Calla Lilies (below) in bloom greet customers s they enter our store. Ask Steve, CJ or Roger for help when shopping. They have expert plant knowledge and can provide guidance with any planting project, small or large.

Love and spring go together so treat the special people in your life to a fun gift from the Marina del rey Garden Center. We’ve just received a shipment of Austrian crystal, wind chimes and other home decor specialties.

(Below) Step inside out store to see fun displays and get ideas for making someone’s day this Valentine’s Day. Jim has been applying his creativity to our displays and will be glad to point out gift ideas.

Do have fun by strolling out grounds and stepping inside our store. We’re constantly receiving new shipments of plants, gifts, home decor items and the like. The wind chimes below are a simple way to add sound, color and light to your garden area.

One of our latest product shipments brought us these large, lightweight, durable containers (below) available in a multitude of sizes.

These containers (above and below) are well made and perfect for decks and balconies due to their light weight. (Below) This little guy demonstrates just how tall these containers can be!

Hyacinth (below) offer a fun way to watch a bulb grow. These darling small plants will add a bright bit of color anywhere you place them. Ask one of our gardening experts for advice and ideas about where you can plant a Hyacinth.

Our on-site fountain selection is one of the best: Our 2+ acres allows us to stock a large variety of fountains and many are on display like this one below.

By Cathy Hough, general manager and buyer

Succulent plants (above and below) have become widely known and planted in sustainable gardens. A reason for this popularity is because succulents require less water than most other plants, even when in containers.

The custom arrangements from the Marina del Rey Garden Center shown in the photos above and below can be seen in downtown Manhattan Beach on Manhattan Avenue. Shop owners came into MDRGC to ask us to help them add appeal to their storefronts and so together we selected containers and succulents that would enhance each respective business.

Succulents do not need full sun and can tolerate light shade. They come in a range of interesting colors and textures, giving gardeners, landscapers and designers a rich opportunity to create visually appealing, one-of-a-kind containers.

The custom designs in Manhattan Beach evoke the colors of the underwater world found in the ocean, literally just yards away. The downtown MB scene is vibrant and these containers add to that feel.

Stop in today to consult one of our nursery experts, Steve, Roger or CJ. They can show you our large selection of succulents and help you make decisions about how and where to plant them.

(Below) In case you don’t know, we do offer delivery, but in this instance, one of our customers decided to take a five-gallon Purple Hopseed on his Vespa.

While we don’t recommend this mode of transportation for plants, we can say that our 2+ acres is full of everything you need for your garden. We have Monrovia’s exclusive Pittosporum golf balls, which make a nice low-growing hedge. For those of you from the Midwest and East who miss your lilacs, we have the  Lavender Lady Lilac which blooms beautifully in our mild winter climate.

This Nagami Kumquat (below) is loaded with fruit, and it’s only  a seven-gallon semi- dwarf! We have a large selection of citrus. And remember, there’s no tax on edible green goods like citrus!

See you at the Marina del Rey Garden Center!

By Cathy Hough, general manager and buyer

With winter comes a sense of newness and renewal. Stop in today to discover the many ways you can put some newness in your garden.

Primroses (below) add fresh, vibrant color to flowerbeds and containers. We have a large selection of single and double Primroses.

Kangaroo Paws (below) are yet another example of color and art in the garden. These Australian natives are known to be hardy in our Southern California gardens, needing little water once established. They come in a variety of colors and are striking additions.

You can also bring color and freshness to your home. Indoor plants (below) and other design touches are a simple way to refresh an area inside your home.

Our Meditating Frog (below) is a great year-round conversation piece. Here he sits peacefully among Japanese Maples and inside a fountain (fountain sold separately).

Stop in to check out our first shipment of Japanese Maples, which come from Monrovia’s Oregon growing grounds. These treasured specimens are sold first-come, first-served so hurry in to see the different varieties available, including one with a weeping, cascading growth habit that looks like a waterfall. We have some of the most popular varieties such as Crimson Jewel and Bloodgood.

(Below) Phormium are extremely popular in the landscape. They come in varying shades of bronze, green and pink. They can be used to create a hedge or placed in other ways to create color and contrast in your garden.

The Marina del Rey Garden Center has everything you need to create a landscape perfect for you. Now is a good time to start thinking about creating privacy hedges (below) for spring and summer entertaining. Topiaries and other nicely shaped plants (mix and match trees, shrubs and smaller plants if you’d like) can create a very useful yet interesting privacy hedge. Ask Steve, CJ or Roger for assistance.

Herbs (below) can be fun to use for smaller hedges or as points of interest in a garden, on a patio, deck or balcony or inside the home.

Stop in today to select from our large selection of vegetables, herbs and fruit trees.

Coprosma (below) is another hardy plant for Southern California gardens. It’s great as an anchor or border and its unusual foliage makes it something people notice. Its leaves come in copper-bronze and creamy whites, greens or yellows, often blended together. It can also be planted in a container.

We’ve just received a huge shipment of containers, so stop in today for the best selection. And remember to ask our expert staff for guidance and help.

By Cathy Hough, general manager and buyer

We’re closed Jan. 1 and 2. Happy New Year!

Hiring Now: Sales & Operations

A new year brings with it the opportunity to start fresh, to begin anew. We, at the Marina del Rey Garden Center are ready to help you explore new possibilities for your garden. We’re also ready to help you tackle the big and small projects that will turn your garden into something new for 2012.

Our nursery professionals, Steve, CJ and Roger, will give you the expert guidance you need to turn your garden into something spectacular, every season this year. Right now, Camellias (below) will turn your landscape into a beautiful wonderland of colorful and delicate blossoms.

Camellias (above and below) are considered the rose of fall and winter. Ask our nursery professionals what products to use to prepare your soil for these special plants.

New, fresh surroundings open the door for inspiration. Stop in today to see all of the wonderful, colorful wintertime bedding plants that are available to brighten up your garden. Primroses (below) add vibrant color.

Iceland Poppies (below) are another fun way to add color to a garden. And, as always, all of our plants come from the best growers. We wouldn’t have it any other way!

Another popular wintertime bedding plant is the Cyclamen (below), which come in white, red, purple and pink. They’re great for creating rows of color.

Citrus (below) does well in winter, too, and the fruit they yield is an added bonus. Citrus can be planted in containers and grown on balconies, decks, patios and the like if you don’t have ground to put them in. We have lemons, oranges, grapefruit and other unusual varieties of citrus and we’re more than happy to help you find the perfect container to grow them in.

The Japanese Maple (below) is highly prized.We’ll receive our first shipment of the year early this month, so be sure to stop in early for the best selection.

Known for their delicate beauty, the Japanese Maple is revered in landscapes worldwide, known for their graceful foliage. While you’re here, ask one of our experts for advice on where to plant one of these gorgeous trees.

Japanese Maples come in red and green foliage (above and below).

Stop in to say “Hi,” and wander our grounds. Happy New Year to all of you, and let us help you start fresh and begin anew in 2012!

By Cathy Hough, general manager & buyer

Share the splendor of the season with Poinsettias (above) mixed with other living green plants. We at the Marina del Rey Garden Center wish you and yours a Happy Chanukah, Merry Christmas and all the best, all the time. We have everything you need for last-minute gifts and stocking stuffers!

Deck the halls with a Marina Garden Center gift card! It never expires and you know it will be put to good use.

Our meditating animal/figure collection (above) has been a huge hit! Each animal comes with an attached note card that tells you what the animal/figure represents. (Above) In this case, a dog represents “Loyalty.”

Ask CJ, Steve or Roger how to create a custom planted container (above). Custom planted containers make great gifts that can be put to use right away!

Stained glass candle holders and cute small stockings (above) make a thoughtful hostess gift. Or incorporate them into your  holiday decorations!

(Below) A meditating cat represents “Independence.”

(Below) Create a peaceful place in your home with one of our indoor fountains. Our selection ranges from wall to free-standing fountains, in varying shapes and sizes.

(Below) Another indoor fountain

(Below) Amarylis make a great hostess, holiday or New Year’s gift!

Create an instant and easy-to-care for garden. Select from our many unique arrangements.

Cool-season color is here!

Wind chimes make a great gift that can be used year-round, rain or shine. Ours are hand-crafted and tuned to melodic notes. Stop in today to listen to our collection.

xxx

xxx

By Cathy Hough, general manager & buyer

The holiday spirit is in the air at the Marina del Rey Garden Center, where you can wander our forest of fresh-cut Oregon Noble and Grand firs to find your Christmas tree. We’ve got everything you need to dress up the holidays, from fresh-cut greens (below) to a bounty of beautiful Poinsettias.

If you’re looking for the best Poinsettias in a variety of colors, stop in. Our Poinsettias range from Visions of Grandeur (below) to Cinnamon Star to Ice Crystal to Silver Marble among others. Selection on certain varieties is very limited, so don’t be disappointed. Shop early. Poinsettias help make the holidays merry and bright.

(Below) Silver Marble Poinsettia

(Below) Ice Crystal Poinsettia

Our Christmas Trees (below) bring magic to the season. Ours come from Windy Acres Farm in Oregon and are the freshest around. Be sure to stroll our forest of Noble and Grand firs to find the one that will make your home all the prettier.

Our expert staff (below) is ready to assist you with any purchase. We’ll help you load your goods into or on top of your vehicle so you can get them home for the holidays. We also offer delivery, so ask Steve, Roger or CJ for help.

Grab a hot chocolate or cup of coffee, and stroll the garden center. Experiencing the smell, look and atmosphere of the nursery at this time of year is a delight. Our living and fresh-cut Christmas trees (below), fresh-cut greens and Poinsettias are just the thing to bring out the holiday spirit.

Welcome the season and bring magic and light to all who visit you and your home. Stop in today to find gifts for gardeners, including the Marina del Rey Garden Center gift card, which never expires and has no fees associated with it. You spend $20, your gift card recipient has $20 to spend at MDRGC.

This year, we have Talavera ornaments (below). The special and much-sought-after Talavera pottery has no equal, so add a one-of-a-kind Talavera ornament to your tree. It would also make a great hostess gift or stocking stuffer.

An indoor plant makes a great gift. Our Orchids (below) are exquisite.

So no matter what your holiday plans are, be sure to stop in to visit us for that something special to help make your season merry and bright.

Season’s Greetings!