Organic Plant Nursery and Educational Center in Novato
Home Ground Habitats is located in Indian Valley, the ‘horse country’ area of Marin; large old ranchettes, open spaces, and networks of horseback and hiking trails all close by. On our nearly one acre we have gardens that are vibrantly alive and beautiful. Butterflies, bees, and birds abound, bringing the natural world to a landscape that also provides sustenance for humans. Our Education Center offers Plant Propagation Classes.
The demonstration gardens at Home Ground showcase a sustainable, organic approach to creating a truly California-friendly landscape using native plants and drought-tolerant Mediterranean species to increase the bio-diversity. Winding gravel pathways lead to hedgerows, wildflower meadows, a small fruit orchard, a vegetable garden, edible and medicinal California natives, pollinator plants, a ‘Monarch Way Station, and numerous larval host plants for other common garden butterflies. The whole property is a ‘pesticide free zone’. Our garden and nursery sells seeds and seedlings and is Wednesdays 1-4PM or by appointment.
Creating Habitat
Why Habitat Matters
Plant Sourcing
Growing Plants from Seed
Annual Fall Celebration and Plant Sale
Save the date: Saturday, Oct 26th, 2024 10am - 3pm Join us in the garden to celebrate the harvest of the Fall Season. You can sample treats made from fresh garden produce, visit our guests from Our Water Our World, Marin Monarch, and more on our redwood deck, and...
October 19, 2024 Plant Propagation Workshop
NEW for 2024!! *To get the most from this workshop it is recommended that the student take the individual plant propagation classes first. Join us for a day of fulfilling and productive plant propagation! We will utilize all the possibilities of gardens full of...
It’s Blue Elderberry Season
Blue Elderberry Sambucus nigra var. caerulea Before the berries, there are flowers; beautiful umbels, three to four inches wide, of hundreds of individual tiny white flowers that attract a host of pollinators. Once the flowers are pollinated by a variety of insects...
PLANT OF THE MONTH
Iris douglasiana – Douglas Iris
Douglas Iris are very special to California - with flowers that are not just beautiful but also easy in garden culture, and totally deer-proof. Iris douglasiana prefer part shade and once established, need nothing but rainwater. In the wild they grow in woodlands,...
Baccharis pilularis var. consanguineum – Coyote Bush
This California native shrub grows in all sorts of plant communities in our wild lands and is also a valuable shrub in a habitat garden sanctuary. Studies have shown that this plant provides resources for more than 400 species of insects! In late summer, when the...
Epilobium (Zauschernia) canum – California Fuchsia: Haven for Pollinators & Garden Beauty
Epilobium (Zauschernia) canum California Fuchsias are both beautiful and tough plants! There are many species and named cultivars available; all are drought tolerant, and as a spreading herbaceous perennial plant they can cover a lot of ground. These plants thrive in...
Our Mission
Our mission is to be the North Bay Area’s leading habitat-focused landscaping resource. We are a nonprofit, volunteer run growing grounds and educational center, committed to engaging, promoting, and supporting sustainable, California-appropriate landscaping.
