I don't shop there, but it is always sad to hear about another nursery closing. The two I visit most often always seem busy, but I don't take them for granted, because I don't really know their bottom line.

I was just there last week, it was one of the fewer and fewer real nurseries around that sold a wide variety of plants at reasonable prices. The Armstrong near me is almost more a patio store than a nursery now, tables and chairs and wind chimes where plants used to be. And the prices are too much for me to even consider except for the most exotic and wanted plant. gyr, what are the two you visit most often? I sometimes go to the Green Thumb nursery in Canoga Park although it's out of my way. I used to go to Burkhard's in Pasadena, went there a few weeks ago and it may as well be closed things were in such terrible shape. On the bright side, Lincoln Ave nursery in Pasadena, which used to be almost dead, is now a great place to shop.

kentc, I'm a regular visitor to the Lake Forest Green Thumb and The Plant Depot in San Juan Capistrano. The Green Thumb has better prices, and coupons, and a good selection. The Plant Depot tends to get in a higher percentage of unexpected and rarely-offered stock. But I have learned the hard way, to grab it when you see it--because those dozen plants often all disappear by the time you decide to buy one and get back there, even if it is the next day! Then you may not see those particular plants offered again for years.

I also check out three nearby Armstrong nurseries fairly regularly, but I hardly ever buy anything there that is not on clearance, or isn't the hard-to-find stuff in the economical 1 gal. size, rather than the typical 5 gal. I find a lot of surprising plants at Armstrong that I have never seen offered at the other nurseries, or have been on my search list for a long time. They also more frequently carry stock that have winter chill requirements, that I purchase as gifts for a relative that lives in a colder zone. The red bauhinias, Betula 'Summer Cascade', paperbark maple, Banksia 'Schbapper Point' etc. were from Armstrong Nurseries.

I always buy my heirloom tomato plants there; guess I will be forced to start planting seeds. I've been to the Canoga Park store a few times, but it is further away for me, as is Armstrong.

They're going to build apartments on the site. Sigh...

The area could use some redevelopment, but I'll miss the nursery.

Oh no! No way! I go there a few times a year when my own Green Thumb doesn't have what I want. I'm gonna have to go this week and nurse any plants thru the summer in pots if I find anything interesting. So sad. Very nice people there willing to order for me.

Mmilos, we really don't need more apartments!

Gobluedjm, they already closed! They were having an auction, or already had it, to get rid of supplies like fixtures, shelving, but all plants are gone. Sad.

I agree about the apartments; traffic is already horrible.

This is a picture of the development proposal:

http://yourhopegarden.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/greenarrow.jpg

http://www.evaniskorealty.com/pdf/8857_Sepulveda.pdf

350 Units! Asking price for Green Arrow lot was $19.25 M

whimper...so sad. That's gotta be a fake picture...no traffic on 405...lol.

I feel like I lost a good friend.

Now I see the date first posted on this thread. I was in high Sierras that week that's why I missed this.

Wow, over 19M! One of their employees said the other owners out-voted the one owner that wanted to keep it open.

Green Thumb in CP can't touch Green Arrow for vegetables, herbs, native California plants and especially bareroot fruit trees. I will really miss them!

Those apartments need a roof garden. They look rather bleak with no green space, especially considering how far out they are. Imagine the views you will get from one of those apartments - either an ugly parking lot or someone else's apartment. It looks like it belongs downtown.

More overcrowding means costs go up and quality of living goes down.

Why don't people get this?

Whatever type apartments they build, won't make up for the loss of the nursery and green space it provided.

Parker..., we get it, but can't control what others can do to an area because they have the $$$.

It's not just SFV, Regan nursery is going to be forced to find a new location soon, and it won't be easy. The owner said she may have to scale down the business to focus on the bare-root sales, but that would leave the area without a retail nursery.

http://www.mercurynews.com/60-second-business-break/ci_30023591/fremont-regan-nursery-looking-new-home-after-six

Many nurseries are going out of business due to the high cost of land.

Green Arrow nursery had been in business since 1950, and Regan nursery has been at the same location since 1958.

Hope she is able to find some cheap land that is not in use. I assume Green Arrow was also losing $ because of the drought and also loss of jobs. Some days their parking lot was pretty empty.

Overcrowding is a relative concept. More and more people are choosing to live in far more dense arrangements than they did 30 years ago. The urban flight of the last century was an anomoly that was caused by the huge violence wave that has now almost completely subsided. Because of this people are moving back to urban cores where there are jobs and all sorts of cultural benefits. Not everyone wants to live in the sticks.