Tom Courtright and Kathy Courtright Rondini

4010 Mt. Diablo Boulevard

The land Orchard Nursery calls home in Lafayette has a long and varied history. In 1935, it was the Kergan family cattle ranch. In 1946, Jack Schneider, a local chemical engineer, first opened a nursery and garden experience shop but was soon negotiating with the state on its plans for the location of Highway 24 – plans which included a lane right through the center of the old barn! Once the borders of the property were settled, Orchard Nursery became the social hub of the community, hosting fashion shows, creating a seasonal showroom of Christmas magic, bringing in farm animals and entertainment for a robust “Harvest Festival,” and literally seeding thousands of robust and bursting gardens throughout our community.

In 1972, Tom Courtright, whose dad owned a successful nursery in Berkeley, became the general manager and bought the business a year and half later. He even lived in the house on the property that was eventually converted into
“Lazy K”– a boutique gift shop that pays homage to the Kergan family brand on their cattle. Tom and his family have run Orchard Nursery since then, preserving Happy Valley’s rural bona fides while attracting customers from all over the Bay Area because of the diversity and quality of its abundant offerings. The lease on the land was for 50 years–coming due for renewal this August. Many high density housing developers were bidding for the large and coveted location, but just this year Tom bought the land.

“The only constant thing is change,” says Tom, “and we have done pretty well with change.” Fortunately for us in Happy Valley, Orchard Nursery is here to stay. Tom’s daughter, Kathy, knows the business and is bringing her own artistic sensibilities to the delightful natural beauty of walking through the nursery’s row upon row of every imaginable plant, flower, shrub, tree and garden accessory.