Elegy for Annie's Annuals

When one door shuts, the saying goes, another door opens. But sometimes all we get is one door shutting without another one opening. In fact, that one door slams shut so forcefully that chances are it will never open again.

That’s what happened this past Thursday, October 3. With no advance notice, Annie’s Annuals in Richmond ceased to exist. And just like that, the gardening scene in Northern California is changed forever. In fact, the shockwaves will be felt far beyond our area, seeing how Annie’s had loyal mail-order customers all over the country.

The next day, customers received the official email:

“Beloved” is not an adjective typically applied to a business, but in this case, it fits perfectly. Annie’s Annuals – technically Annie’s Annuals & Perennials, but for most of us simply Annie’s – was something as rare as a unicorn: a nursery with a selection so large that there was something for everybody, with all plants grown right on site in the Goldilocks climate of Richmond, California and sold primarily in 4" pots. While plants from Annie’s found a home all over Northern California (and beyond, thanks to a thriving mail-order operation), they were a mainstay in Bay Area gardens. Whenever I visited a garden in, say Oakland or Berkeley, I was sure to encounter plants from Annie’s. If there is ever a book on Bay Area gardening, Annie’s will feature prominently.

In recent years, however, we all noticed that Annie’s was changing. The selection was shrinking, with many oddball plants that made Annie’s so special disappearing from the inventory. The nursery itself, previously a picture of orderliness, was showing subtle signs of neglect, with benches sagging and the ground between aisles becoming uneven. And then a couple of weeks ago, 40% off on all plants. While Annie’s had always had periodic sales, they were 10% or 20% off. Never 40%. In hindsight, it turns out it was a fire sale, culminating in Annie’s gates closing for the final time on Thursday, October 3 at 2:30 pm.

What happened? The current owner, Sarah Hundley, cites health challenges. But according to this article by Bay Area PBS station KQED, “former and current employees are accusing [her] of being a ‘bully’ and driving the business into the ground.” On Reddit, the rumor mill is in overdrive.

Whatever the reason(s), Annie’s closing its doors is a tragedy. First and foremost for its employees, many of whom had been with the nursery for many years. But it’s also a tremendous loss for us customers. Annie’s supplied us with plants that nobody else carried – often plants nobody had even heard of before. More than that, going to Annie’s was a social thing. Many of my Facebook friends said that Annie’s was their happy place. They went there not only for plants, but also for a mental health break. All of that is no more.

Annie Hayes (left) and Sarah Hundley (right) in October 2020. I happened to visit the nursery when they were doing a photoshoot for the following season’s catalog.

The Annie’s Annuals we all loved was created by Annie Hayes, plantswoman extraordinaire and one of the nicest people that ever lived. What started as a backyard hobby in the 1980s eventually became a sprawling 3-acre operation on the other side of the train tracks (literally) in an industrial part of Richmond. In 2021, Annie Hayes retired and sold the business to Sarah Hundley, according to the website Richmondside “an investor and business consultant.” I’m not going to speculate what happened after Hundley took over, but if you’re interested, you can find all kinds of tidbits online. Hundley says she is in discussions with potential buyers even now, but most people don’t hold out much hope. In all likelihood, Annie’s Annuals is gone.

Receiving Annie’s Annuals’ quarterly catalog in the mail was a highlight for thousands of customers near and far

Over the past 10+ years, I’ve written a number of posts about my visits to Annie’s Annuals. Here’s a selection of photos to celebrate the Annie’s we knew and loved – the OG Annie’s.

Annie’s brightly colored plant tags were a familiar sight

Each color corresponded to a specific price

Annie’s remained open even at the height of COVID-19, giving people a much-needed break from life in lockdown

Annie’s was one of the first growers to eliminate neonicotinoids from their operation

The staff at (the original) Annie’s had a great sense of humor:

The display beds near the entrance were ever-changing. Many of the photos in the Annie’s Annuals’ catalogs were taken right there.

Annie’s was well-known for growing plants that no other nursery would have taken a chance on. I bought many of them, even knowing that my chances of success weren’t good because they were from places with a climate far less harsh than mine. Mimetes cucullatus, a rare protea from South Africa, was one of them.

The plant signs in handwritten type were a signature feature at the nursery:

Put the word “RARE” on a sign, and people will buy the plant!

Going through the hundreds of photos I’ve taken at Annie’s over the years and picking the ones you see in this post was both joyous and heartbreaking, like saying farewell to dear friend. 

Excuse me while I shed a few more silent tears.

© Gerhard Bock, 2024. All rights reserved. To receive all new posts by email, please subscribe here.