The Legacy of Larner Seeds

By Carrie Strohl, Napa Valley Chapter President

“Welcome. Thank you for joining us on the Bolinas mesa on this wonderfully foggy morning.” I had never heard of the term “Bolinas mesa” before trekking out to Larner Seeds a few weeks ago, but that’s how we were greeted when we arrived early on a Sunday morning in late August. 

Three Napa Valley chapter members – Christine, Kristin, and I – were visiting on a Sunday, a special arrangement made with the Marin Chapter of CNPS, who hosted the quarterly Chapter Council meeting in nearby Pt. Reyes. We were met at the garden gate by Twila, mentee and friend of Judith Lowry Larner, after whom the seed company is named.

Twila stepped aside to let us pass through the gate, gently disturbing a patch of Yerba Buena (Clinopodium douglasii); the minty scent wafted to our noses. Before following us, Twila pulled a plant identification sign out of the ground. “Judith hated these signs.‘This is my home garden,’ she said.” There was a detectable sadness in our host’s voice; Judith had just recently passed away. 

Judith Lowry Larner was the sole proprietress of the 41-year establishment known as Larner Seeds. Judith was most well-known for her commitment to native annual seed collecting and saving, carrying up to 200 varieties in her collection. It was too late in the season to see the full display of flowering annuals, but some evidence remained. The skeletal stems of Clarkia unguiculata stood at attention, waiting for an unsuspecting animal to dislodge the seeds inside their inch-long sausage-shaped pods. 

Elegant Clarkia is the plant that first introduced me to Larner Seed. A few years ago, I read about it in Flora magazine and I’ve been seeking it out since. Coincidentally, Gale Giorgi had just planted some around the chapter propagation grounds at Skyline that year. When I asked, she shared that she sourced her seeds from Larner. We dug up a square-foot patch, which I replanted in a school garden. I’ve been harvesting the seeds annually ever since. Just this past summer, I harvested many more Elegant Clarkia seeds from the Martha Walker garden.

This seasonal continuation of native annuals through seed saving and sowing is the legacy for which Judith Lowry Larner was best known. Over the decades, she was featured in both local and broad-reaching publications–from Bay Nature to the National Wildlife Federation. She was remembered fondly by her family and friends, who agreed that she “was a deeply respected expert in her field and shared her profound ecological wisdom through her acclaimed books, including Gardening with a Wild Heart, The Landscaping Ideas of Jays, and California Foraging.”

Christine Waskowiak shared, “We were privileged to hear from those who have worked alongside Judith over the years. The tenderness and respect with which they voiced their memories was incredibly touching. Despite the immense project undertaken which continues as Larner Seeds, Judith is said to have quietly reminded those toiling beside her to slow down, observe and enjoy what is around you.”  

Kristin Belair remarked, “What a special experience to get such personal insight into Judith’s garden and legacy from people who worked so closely with her. Her sense of the world and the interconnectedness that is demonstrated through her garden space and the collecting and sharing of seeds is a gift for all of us.” 

At the conclusion of our tour, fellow chapter members Christine and Kristin carefully selected seeds from the Larner collection for propagation and sale in spring. I bought four varieties of Clarkia. 

We made our way back through the garden gate, where a hand-painted sign was posted telling the hours of operation: Tuesdays and Thursdays 10-4, Saturday, 12-4. I encourage everyone to visit Larner Seeds if you get the chance. I also invite you to take your membership to the next level and join our chapter leadership team. These ‘behind the scenes’ excursions are just one of the many benefits of working alongside the small but mighty group of folks who keep our chapter running. 

For more information, visit: Larner Seeds. To find out how you can contribute to chapter leadership, contact Carrie at cstrohl@cnps.org. Mention this article at the fall plant sale and receive a tiny packet of Clarkia unguiculata seeds (they’re very tiny) from the Martha Walker garden.