Some things about Berkeley Horticultural Nursery
that you might have wanted to know but never asked.

Q. Who owns Berkeley Hort?
A. The Budgen-Doty family.

Q. What is their background?
A. George Budgen started BHN in 1922 with the help of his father Arthur. His daughter Constance married Ken Doty, the son of Oregon nurseryman Paul Doty. The business passed to Ken and Connie in the 1970’s. Their son (also named Paul Doty) took over the operation in 1983.

Q. How is the staff selected?
A. The Berkeley Hort staff of 28 workers is selected to ensure that customers receive courteous service and honest answers to their questions. Diversity is a key consideration in choosing our workforce, and we strive to find associates who complement one another in skills and temperament. While you might not find the ultimate authority on a given subject here, we hope to provide a balance between knowledge and character in order to make your visit both worthwhile and enjoyable.

Q. How are your employees compensated?
A. As you are well aware, the cost of living in the S.F. Bay Area makes the minimum wage seem absurd. BHN starts out with a modest living wage and room to grow, offers medical and dental insurance, has profit sharing and 401(k) plans, and gives unannounced bonuses for exceptional performance. Hopefully the staff likes their work, and can balance it with a healthy family and social life.

Q. Why is your place well stocked on some visits, but less so on others?
A. Ouch…you’ve hit on a sore point…one we are currently assessing. There are a few things going on here; not necessarily excusable. Working with a perishable inventory means turnover is critical to freshness and in this case the health of plants. Toward the end of each month we go through an ebb of new plants which gives us the opportunity to cull out or transplant items deemed either below grade or too large for their containers. Then during the first two weeks of the month we see a flood of new merchandise coming in to fill the gaps in our yard. The bigger problem arises once each year (at the end of September) when we perform our physical inventory. During a traditional ‘housecleaning’ at that time, and before new merchandise arrives, some customers are surprised by a lower selection at BHN. We’re looking into ways to smooth out these bumps in our inventory, thereby making your visit more rewarding at any time of the month or year.

Q. How much land do you occupy?
A. Just under two acres.

Q. Why are you better than any other garden center? I mean why not just go to a chain store for my plants? I’d save a bundle.
A. You’ve probably heard the adage “you can always find it cheaper…”; and it’s true. We are a local community-based business supporting local concerns, selling plants and garden supplies for a fair price. Contrary to what their PR people would have you believe, this is not the way the “big box” chains operate. True cost to a community goes beyond short-term growth or gentrification. We believe that there are people out there who appreciate the vast array of different types of plants, and the personal service offered at Berkeley Hort, and…we’re in this for the long haul.

Q. What is the average length of employment?
A. About eight years.

Q. Who makes the big decisions?
A. Paul Doty. And he’ll accept the bad with the good when it comes to accountability. While not a democracy per se, we try to share ideas so that we are working toward a common goal.

Q. What’s in the future for Berkeley Hort?
A. Over the course of the next year we expect to see a few changes. You might notice some lower prices on easy-to-propagate plants as we negotiate better deals with some of our vendors. We’re also excited to be installing a photovoltaic array for less dependence on our friends at PG&E. Off-street parking is still in the works for 3 to 5 years from now as we don’t want to rush into this project. Some things that will stay the same are: a wide selection of plants for your garden projects year-round, a staff well-versed in horticulture, and a pleasant and relaxing atmosphere for gardeners and non-gardeners alike.