The Secret Garden

09/06/2026

Welcome back to where we share a story from 24 years of growing our family run nursery here in Elk Grove.

Today we’re remembering the transition that took place outside the nursery fence. When we moved the business here in 2010 the area outside the fence was filled with nothing but tall weeds. So we mowed them down and then weeded, watered, and seeded until we had a decent grassy hill out there.

Then in 2017, as we were establishing ourselves as a destination nursery for succulents, cacti and drought tolerant plants, we redid the area. The idea was to showcase how to transition a manicured lawn into a drought tolerant landscape. (Pay attention to how far apart the plants are as they are being planted.)

Since then all of the plants have grown and filled in beautifully. They offer a stunning example of how well suited drought tolerant plants are in our Sacramento climate. The area draws a bevy of pollinators, uses very little water and offers us a diverse tapestry of seasonal colors and textures.

Have you been considering reducing your garden’s water needs and transitioning to a drought tolerant garden? Or maybe you have a certain spot in your garden where you’ve had trouble getting something to thrive. Autumn is the perfect time to plant perennials here in Sacramento and we’re here to help you. Stop in soon and let us show you around.💚🌵🌼
❤️

09/05/2026

Our Labor Day Weekend Sale is not to be missed! Such a great time to refresh spent summer containers, add some fall color and spruce up the garden! 20% off Fountains and Aquatic plants & 15% off Succulents, Cacti and Pottery! 🚩🚩🚩

09/04/2026

Labor Weekend Sale starts today! 🥳 We’re celebrating the end of summer with savings all weekend! 15% off succulents, cactus and pottery PLUS 20% off fountains and aquatic plants!

09/03/2026

Huge plant deliveries coming in this week! CA Native Milkweed is BACK! Plus tons of other pollinator favorites just in time for our biggest party of the year: Butterfly Fest!

Sept 12/13 & 19/20
10a-2pm

09/01/2026

You don’t want to miss our annual Labor Day Weekend Sale! Huge savings on plants, fountains and pottery start Friday🥳

08/30/2026

During this morning’s Pressing Botanicals Workshop, I was speaking about this international exhibit that features enormous topiary forms. (I showed one in a post last Sunday.)
Thought I’d share this video that tells all about the exhibit when it was in Montreal in 2013.

Across the Fence is the longest-running locally-produced program in...

08/30/2026

Welcome to our series , where we share memories and moments from the past 24 years of owning our small, family run, nursery business.

We’ve been holding workshops at The Secret Garden since the winter of 2012. In the beginning we’d clear off one of our retail display tables in the gift shop and host 6 people to come craft with us after hours. That next summer we expanded outside and the number of people interested kept growing and growing.

By the following winter we didn’t fit in the gift shop any more so we moved out to a work-shed and shared the space with my husband’s projects. We used the bookcases to divide the room in half and that worked for a while. As the years progressed and the workshop series continued to grow, he conceded that he was losing his shed 😉 and in 2017 graciously installed donated counters and a sink (thank you Dani), insulated the building, and added split units to help make us more comfortable!

Now we comfortably host workshops in our classroom every weekend and are even back to holding larger group gatherings out in the nursery during the summer months as well.

Did you know that we host private craft parties too? Whether for a gathering of friends or an office team building activity, we always have a great time! If you’re interested in discussing private party options, we’d love to speak with you!

Be sure to check out the link in our bio for upcoming workshops. New classes launch the first Wednesday of every month.
❤️

08/29/2026

Saturdays are for strolling the Nursery😍 It’s such a gorgeous day for some late summer planting. Fall color is starting to come in too!

08/28/2026

Happy Friday! We’re open 10-5, come see what’s new!

08/27/2026

Look at that busy butterfly! If you watch closely you can see this female Gulf Fritillary butterfly deposit a tiny yellow egg.

The countdown to Butterfly Fest starts now! Visit our website for details 🦋

Butterfly Fest Sept 12/13 & 19/20