Common Ground Garden Supply & Education Center

I remember how wonderful this place was many years ago when they were located on El Camino. And I would have given them 5 stars for many years. I agree that their present location leaves a bit to be desired and that the prices are high, but what really caused me to write was the poor treatment by two staff members, a man and a woman. The man was sitting at the check out working on a lap top and wouldn’t look up so I could check out. Absolutely no warmth when I finally had to interrupt him. Later a woman was sitting here and was not the least bit nice either. This is so very opposite to all the other interactions I’ve had with staff; most have been hard core gardeners very helpful, pleasant and willing to give advice. That’s why the three stars instead of less. I hope they got rid of the two offenders who will surely hurt their business.

I’d actually like to rate Common Ground lower, since I just got home from going there for the first time, but I thought I would moderate my displeasure and settle on a ²⁄₅.
I’ve been gardening for a little over 2 years now and have been to just about all the gardening, garden supply, nurseries and big box stores there are around this area. I was totally underwhelmed by Common Ground.
I read about Common Ground in our city’s online news site so I thought I would check it out. It is very small, I’d say about 20′ deep by 10′ wide. There are a variety of books and tools, plants and curios inside, and then outside there are some plants, amendments, etc in two smaller locations.
I went in and though there was really no one else in the place and two people seeming to be doing nothing, I got no greeting or help until I just stood and stared at the lady behind the counter. She was nice enough and came over and we talked a bit.
Without really listening to what I was saying she picked a book out. As we talked I just felt I was really imposing on her and she had no interest at all in talking to potential customers. Having looked at their website I came with the intention of looking into some classes they held as well as buying some interesting Japanese tools I had seen on the website. They had a nice selection of Japanese gardening implements, but having looked online, Amazon has them all at lower prices.
I never got to ask about any of it. The lady excused herself from our conversation, though there was another lady in the back room. She went off and never came back. I toyed with the idea of buying some books and tools as a gesture of support and goodwill — since she said they were a non-​profit organization — but when I realized she just left me hanging there and had no interest in helping a first time customer I realize this is a place that is not a customer friendly or competent business. Perhaps they are a non-​profit because they treat all their potential customers like this, or maybe it’s just someone’s tax shelter and they do not want to make a profit or have success.
Unless there was just something about me that was off-​putting, if the average customer is treated like that I can see why they are so small and no one has heard of them. The article in the news site and the reviews here, to me just do not seem right.
Even at places I have really disliked I have gotten better service and more polite treatment. At this point I am not interested in being treated rudely and have no interest in coming back or saying anything nice about Common Ground.
My gut feeling tells me that this place is expressly for bored high-​income housewives in this area who have more money than sense and want to dabble in gardening and don’t mind spending lots of money for the feeling they are learning something.
From what I saw the prices on everything were higher than most other places. There was no real customer support or assistance. I’ve gotten more information and dialog at the local Big Box or nursery from guys who do not even hardly speak English.
I just have to say I am completely underwhelmed and cannot recommend that anyone waste their time or spend their money at Common Ground. These people are not polite, do not seem to be interested in their business. I’ve spent thousands of dollars on gardening stuff in the last two years teaching myself gardening. So, I just wondered out confused as to what this place was even doing there. I am interested in gardening and when people strike up a conversation with me about my interesting in gardening I’ll talk their heads off and tell them my experiences.
Like most places in Palo Alto this place is just all about money. Because rents are so high, I guess they have to be, but they can at least be pleasant and helpful about it.

I’m not a big gardener but I keep going back to this place because my kids like to plant flowers and fruits/​veggies. Have to say… this is the kind of place that makes the peninsula special and I want to support them to make sure they stay.
The staff is really into what they do and they really want you to have a good experience. It’s like they want to share it with you. My son wanted to grow Miner’s lettuce because he learned about it in school… I didn’t have a clue what that was but sure enough Common Ground had it in stock and explained exactly how and when it grows well.
Keep it up!

This is a review for the Saving Water/​Growing Edibles class last week. This is a FANTASTIC topic and worth offering, however, it was less of a class/​workshop than a casual fireside chat. The advice given was quite basic (mulch, compost, cover crops, drip irrigation systems) and suitable for a beginner. At the end, I departed craving serious, practical advice that would be of some use in the garden.

I went in to Common Grounds after going to many other garden supply stores, and this place was amazing. They had everything I needed, the people working in there were more than helpful, and they gave me great resources. I really loved it there!

I shop here for most of my gardening needs and just love the place!
They have some of the best books you can find on gardening with lots of beautifully illustrated pictures. I try to recreate some of the layouts, although it never looks the same as the picture, I try to use the design and bring my own touch to it.
They really know their stuff! No matter what my question or issue is, they always have a solution! I would just be lost without them and have already learned so much from them in the little time I have been coming here.
I love the fact that they offer classes and am hoping to make it to a few more this summer. The Edible Landscaping Tour sounds like it is going to be a lot of fun!
If you are looking for a store that carries everything you need, has wonderful group of people working for them that has a passion for gardening just as much as you do, then this is the place you need to check out!

I came here for potting soil. I was wondering why their soil is so expensive compared to OSH’s or Kellogg’s. The answer is: they’re using bat’s and earth-​worm manures! The soil is well worth the money since my little organic garden is so beautiful and healthy!

Based on one visit, I found the store to be very cute, with some nice offerings for gardeners. The seeds are limited. There are nice gardening tools, planting media, and very friendly staff. Even plants.
I would probably describe it as more of a resource than a store, although if they have what you need, that’s what matters. (Call ahead!) It’s extremely well-​organized, so if you need inspiration in that area, it may be worth a visit just to see how efficiently they utilize their horizontal and vertical space.

What does an organic gardener need? At Common Ground, a well-​established non-​profit organization in Palo Alto, the gardener finds inspiration in the form of well-​selected tools, books, magazines, seeds, plants, soil, a chance to sign up for how-​to-​courses taught by seasoned gardeners, et cetera. Today I was happy to see a 8 foot bamboo pole to use as a curtain rod in my laundry room.
In LA County where I reside now, I can’t think of a place to compete with the offerings at Common Ground.

Very limited supply of products and prices are high. I paid $ 14 for a small packet of stuff and got the same thing for $ 11.50 at Lyngso in Redwood City (which has a great selection of organic fertilizers and compost teas).

Excellent advice and encouragement from organic gardening masters!
Nice variety of plants, seeds, books, equipment, and even a few gift items.
Common Groun is a Bay Area treasure.

I LOVE this place. All their veggies are healthy and organic. Plus they have other great organic supplies like compost tea. Nice selection of seeds, books, and fertilizers. Their soil is a miracle worker. I will never buy soil at Home Depot or OSH again! Sometimes they miss the mark when I ask questions … and sometimes you have to wait a while for help … but it’s NEVER in a rude way. More like, they’re either busy or distracted.

An awesome place to: purchase healthy, beautiful organic plants, seeds by the teaspoon; quality soil; gardening supplies; educational materials – or spend some time in the library – or sign up for one of the many informative classes! Common Ground’s staff is also happy to assist.

This place is not just a store, it’s an amazing resource. The staff took their time helping me, even though I only have potted tomato plants. I ended up spending less than $ 5, and they seemed genuinely happy just to have helped. I plan on taking classes through them and returning over and over.

Small but STURDY! A rare organic gem hidden off El Camino Real on the Peninsula. It really is one of a kind I never know what I’m going to find. it’s like searching through a treasure-​thrift store if you aren’t familiar with what comes out each month of our four seasons. They have an amazing assortment of medicinal herbs. Moderate in price but worth every penny. Support organic growing and organizations, shop Common Grounds! Friendly staff, cute gifts inside, seeds, garden supplies/​tools, awesome classes and a great selection of books and magazines to further assist you. I also love their cute little magnets, bumper stickers and pins. Today I stocked up for spring and got about 15+ plants for $ 90, including a big organic aloe plant and boysenberry bush! I am one happy organic shopper. PS. There is parking in the back and I was able to get help carrying all my garden gifts to the car. They take credit cards but «prefer» cash or checks.

Confession time: I have only a slightly green thumb and next to no actual gardening experience. I do, however, have a couple successful Spider and Wandering Jew plants. The Wandering Jew that sits behind the kitchen sink got a little jostle the other day when my Superhero Dog figured out how to jump from the floor onto the kitchen counter. I took the opportunity to do some pruning to save the healthiest parts of the plant. This left me with so many little cuttings that I decided to plant them in a new pot with new soil.
Enter Common Ground.
I was in the neighborhood, so I thought I’d give Common Ground a try for potting soil. I thought it would be really pricey, considering the Palo Alto location and organic nature of the store, but I was pleasantly surprised that a small bag of all organic potting soil wasn’t that much more expensive than a bag of Miracle Grow that I would get at Home Depot.
The place seemed to have a large selection of seeds and gardening tools. Prices seemed a bit high for the tools and pots.
In theory, Common Ground is small enough for some personalized attention, but I felt like I was being a bit of a bother to the lone employee. I got the feeling that I wasn’t being taken seriously, since I was obviously a gardening novice.
It took awhile for her to ring me up, so this really isn’t a place to visit if you’re in a hurry.
Then again, it was a subtle reminder that it’s ok to slow down and smell the roses.
Not sure if I would go out of my way to replenish my potting soil supply here, but if I’m in need and I’m in the area, this was definitely better than a visit to Home Depot.

Great little garden supply store and nursery with very knowledgeable and friendly staff that are a great resource for organic gardening. They are not only a place to buy gardening supplies and plants, but a genuine education center to learn sustainable gardening practices.

Given how excited I was to visit this place, and all the positive press it gets, I was quite disappointed. In general I found they didn’t live up to the hype. Their prices were high (I could find most of the same items at Wegman’s in RC for less) and their selection not particularly impressive.
Beware when buying seeds here — while the concept of seeds-​by-​the-​teaspoon is wonderful, the seeds I purchased had a very low germination rate, less than 50%. I can only assume they weren’t stored correctly or were not fresh. I grow almost everything from seeds, and I’ve had much better luck with seed packets ordered online or purchased from Wegman’s.
Finally, and worst of all, the staff was preachy and uninspiring. I expected to find a group of like-​minded passionate gardeners… instead, they only seemed interested in reciting basic gardening tips I already know. I am baffled by the other rave reviews — maybe I visited on an off-​day? In any case, I doubt I’ll make the trip again.

5 stars because this is the flag ship nursery of the biointensive movement in the south bay– arguably much of the nation (The true epicenter of Biointensive gardening would be in Alan Chadwick’s own Santa Cruz or Common Ground’s parent organization Ecology Action in Willits).
THIS IS THE PLACE if you want info on:
— Getting STARTED (plants, seeds, dirt, gardening, etc)
— BioIntensive Gardening
— Growing enough food to feed a family of four with limitted space
— sustainable, organic practices
— composting
— open-​pollination
— hierloom varieties
— propogation
— planting following the phases of the moon
— solar power & cookers
— creating a habitat in your garden/​yard/​space
— using chickens/​frogs/​toads to control pests & establish ecological balance in your garden/​yard/​space
— local edible plants
— Native species
— companion planting
— basics on propogation, soil preparation, pruning, etc.
Their focus is to serve the community and everyone there is guided by this one mission: to encourage those who stumble across their doorstop to take whatever small steps they are comfortable with to improve their corner of the planet– to live sustainably– whether that means being able to provide your own regular supply of stinging nettle tea or digging into a bio-​intensive farming project in your yard, school or community. The sincerity of this cause makes for the unique experience you see described here.
As for myself– perhaps it was because I had read about bio-​intensive methods before coming and was suprised to realize that this little dot on the map was in my backyard… perhaps it was because I had visited their dated, but very informative website before I ever went to their store… perhaps it was because I had most of the answers, but lacked the direction and focus… but I had actually somehow expected more. I expected some grand presence– some extensive garden commune– an all-​knowing guide who knew just what I needed to do next and why. In retrospect, my expectations were probably unrealistic and come from a fundamental confusion of how something so simple (plant it & it grows) can become so complicated (when & where to plant and why & how & next to whatever and so on…) and why we can’t just have all the answers. Like baking– it just takes a certain amount of trial & error, practice, patience, and personal preferrence.
How can such a small place feel so overwhelming? :-D I will most certainly be back, but when I have a better idea of my questions… and I encourage anyone to go who is thinking about gardening, so they can feel extra fantastic about what they are doing– whether it’s for a single stinging nettle plant or a mini-​farm.

This place is a mix of education and garden supply for sustainable landscaping. These guys have great classes all year round — I took the home farming one, then pulled out my front lawn and planted vegetables. My hubby was a little surprised but then got on board.
They also sell organic plants and gardening tools as well books focused on sustainable gardening. They are a non-​profit so the staff is doing this out of love. And it shows. They are happy to answer questions and point you in the right direction.