As California’s longest operating wholesale nursery, 2019 marked a very special milestone for Pacific Nurseries. And to celebrate 150 years of serving Bay Area Landscape Pros, we hosted a memorable day filled with friends, family, good food, games, and lots of fun.
It was a special time to show our thanks, share, and reflect on what we’ve grown into after 150 years.
It was a special time to show our thanks, share, and reflect on what we’ve grown into after 150 years.
A day of celebration in Belmont
Pacific Nurseries customers, staff, families, and friends joined 150 Anniversary Hosts, Julie + Don Baldocchi at the beautiful Twin Pines Park in Belmont.
We all enjoyed a tasty BBQ Lunch and good times with High Striker, a giant Bouncy House for kids, an amazing Caricature Artist, Giant Jenga, Corn Hole, Foos Ball, Connect 4 and lots more fun.
Pacific Nurseries 150 Anniversary in pictures
Check out the gallery of festivities below to see familiar friends from Pacific Nurseries, grower partners, and members of our Bay Area landscape community.
If you want to share these good times with your social media community, just click on the social icon of your choice in the sidebar on the left.
Serving Landscape Professionals Since 1869.
If want to learn more about our history and see a timeline of how we’ve become a trusted resource for Bay Area Landscape Professionals, just click on the + below.
Pacific Nurseries | 150 Year History Timeline
1869 | Pacific Nurseries opens for business on Chestnut Street in San Francisco as a small, retail nursery
1906 | Pacific Nurseries survives the San Francisco earthquake and fire
1912-1919 | Henry Von Kempf leads Pacific Nurseries
1920 | Pacific Nurseries relocates to Colma to better serve the growing community of customers in the South Bay
1920—1944 | Henry Von Kempf sustains leadership of Pacific Nurseries to become a leading supplier of plant material to Landscape Professionals
1945-1976 | Henry Von Kempf’s son, Paul, owns and operate Pacific Nurseries while expanding to meet the needs of customers throughout the entire Bay Area
1965—1967 | Demand for flowers and plants blossoms and a supplemental eight-acre growing ground was established in Mountain View
1967 | Lady Bird Johnson + Pat Nixon present Lou Schenone with the National Beautification Award in Washington D.C.
1972 | Facilities expansion continues to include the Sunol Yard
1972—1996 | Lead by Louis D. Schenone, and aided by Don Schenone, Dean L. Schenone, Anthony Tarlock, and Ed Le Vesconte, Pacific Nurseries incorporates in California and reaches new revenue heights
1980 | Pope John Paul II plants a Pacific Nurseries Redwood Tree | Sequoia sempervirens in the North American College of the Vatican on George Washington’s birthday
1997 | Don and Julie Baldocchi become owners of the nursery and make significant investments to improve facilities, expand plant selection, and integrate new technologies to improve customer service
2004 | Pacific Nurseries acquires the Saratoga Horticultural Foundation property in San Martin and names it Gabilan Growers to serve as a primary propagation facility + growing grounds for many CA native plants
2005 | With the closure of the Mountain View yard, Pacific Nurseries acquires King Island Growers in Stockton as a large facility optimized for growing more unusual, large trees in less typical sizes that are optimized for a wider climate range
Today | What began as a tiny retail nursery has now grown into the oldest operating wholesale nursery in California serving Bay Area Landscape Professionals with personalized service, expert advice, competitive prices and an ever-expanding selection of plants
1906 | Pacific Nurseries survives the San Francisco earthquake and fire
1912-1919 | Henry Von Kempf leads Pacific Nurseries
1920 | Pacific Nurseries relocates to Colma to better serve the growing community of customers in the South Bay
1920—1944 | Henry Von Kempf sustains leadership of Pacific Nurseries to become a leading supplier of plant material to Landscape Professionals
1945-1976 | Henry Von Kempf’s son, Paul, owns and operate Pacific Nurseries while expanding to meet the needs of customers throughout the entire Bay Area
1965—1967 | Demand for flowers and plants blossoms and a supplemental eight-acre growing ground was established in Mountain View
1967 | Lady Bird Johnson + Pat Nixon present Lou Schenone with the National Beautification Award in Washington D.C.
1972 | Facilities expansion continues to include the Sunol Yard
1972—1996 | Lead by Louis D. Schenone, and aided by Don Schenone, Dean L. Schenone, Anthony Tarlock, and Ed Le Vesconte, Pacific Nurseries incorporates in California and reaches new revenue heights
1980 | Pope John Paul II plants a Pacific Nurseries Redwood Tree | Sequoia sempervirens in the North American College of the Vatican on George Washington’s birthday
1997 | Don and Julie Baldocchi become owners of the nursery and make significant investments to improve facilities, expand plant selection, and integrate new technologies to improve customer service
2004 | Pacific Nurseries acquires the Saratoga Horticultural Foundation property in San Martin and names it Gabilan Growers to serve as a primary propagation facility + growing grounds for many CA native plants
2005 | With the closure of the Mountain View yard, Pacific Nurseries acquires King Island Growers in Stockton as a large facility optimized for growing more unusual, large trees in less typical sizes that are optimized for a wider climate range
Today | What began as a tiny retail nursery has now grown into the oldest operating wholesale nursery in California serving Bay Area Landscape Professionals with personalized service, expert advice, competitive prices and an ever-expanding selection of plants
Wholesale, local and here to help you succeed
After 150 years, we’ve learned a thing or two about what it takes to help Bay Area Landscape Pros succeed. While we never take our relationship with this diverse community for granted, we’ve also never stopped learning and experimenting on how we can do better to help our valued community of customers and friends.If you’re looking for some great, plant solutions for your next project, we’ve got you covered.
As both a grower and a plant broker, we’re ready to work with you to provide just the right trees, native, water-wise plants, ground covers and special soil blends that will make your project a success.
It’s one of the many qualities that has made us different from just an ordinary nursery for over 150 years. To get a plant material Estimate or to place an order, just click on over to use our convenient ONLINE ESTIMATE | ORDER FORM.
Did you have a good time at the party?
Tell us about your experience and what you enjoyed most by sharing a comment. We look forward to hearing from you!
As Co-Founder of Pacific Nurseries, Julie Baldocchi focuses on sharpening Pacific Nurseries’ marketing strategy and website to help Pacific Nurseries deliver more value to Bay Area landscape professionals. To connect with Julie online, just send her an email.
