About the Nursery

The Milo Baker Chapter native plant nursery is a joint project with the Laguna Foundation. The nursery was designed by Betty Young, Milo Baker Chapter Nursery Manager, who with the help of many, many volunteers and the wonderful staff of the Laguna Foundation, built the nursery in 2018. Under Betty’s management, it was certified as a clean and disease free nursery by the U.C. Davis Plant Lab in 2021. Disease free nursery management includes pasteurizing all pots and potting mix; plants and water nozzles are elevated off the ground; hands, shoes and tools are disinfected on entry and consistently during the work day, and there is continual monitoring and testing for diseases.

The nursery propagates primarily Sonoma County native plants for sale at the chapter’s annual fund raiser, the second Saturday in October. There may be occasional spring sales if enough plants are propagated. If you would like to volunteer at the plant nursery contact Betty Young, youngb0721@msn.com

plant sale at the Laguna Foundation native plant nursery

Annual plant sale at the nursery

Betty Young — Nursery Manager

Betty Young, nursery managerBetty Young, CNPS Fellow and Milo Baker Nursery Chair, is a major figure in California native plant restoration nursery management. During her distinguished career, Betty worked as Director of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area’s 6 native plant nurseries, growing over 2 million plants from over 400 species of plants native to the parks. That work culminated in the move of the single remaining Franciscan manzanita (rediscovered in the park) and its propagation.

Soon after retiring in 2014, the opportunity to partner with the Laguna Foundation to build and share a nursery presented itself. Working together to find grants and donations, Betty designed and built the nursery in 2018 with hundreds of hours of volunteer support. In addition to restoration projects, the nursery propagates natives to sell to support Milo Baker chapter work. See our Plant Sale page for more information.

Betty has “written the book” on how to start a nursery and has been a major advocate for propagation changes to stop the spread of Phytophthora, the root rot that has been causing plant death in nursery-bought plants. It was not surprising then that in 2021, Betty had the nursery certified as pathogen free by the U.C. Davis Plant Lab, to ensure disease free plants for sale.

Betty holds a BS in Plant Science/Nursery Management from U.C Davis. In addition to seventeen years as Program Director of Nurseries for the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Betty was nursery manager at Sonoma County’s Circuit Rider Nursery, Skylark Wholesale Nursery and FILOLI Gardens. Betty has taught classes in integrated pest management, pest control, disease management, soils, plant nutrition, and nursery planning and management. She also directs community stewardship programs for over 5000 volunteers and 1000 students annually.

In the late 1990’s she was President of the Milo Baker Chapter, and recently updated and revised “The Sonoma County Native Plant Gardener” guide.