(L-R) Buyer/Designer Regan Fitch, shop buyer Kelli Schley and shop owner Jeannie Fitch are surrounded by greenery at GardenNest, a local floral and garden shop opened in early October in Orinda Village. The cozy selection of plants, garden supplies and gifts, plus the inviting garden sitting area out back, make the shop a relaxing stop for residents.
For longtime Orinda resident Jeannie Fitch, the gardening and gift shop she opened in early October represents the culmination of a dream for the landscape designer, who, according to her daughter, is artistically inclined and skilled in drawing.
“She’s very detail-oriented,” said Regan Fitch of her mother.
Regan is a professional residential stylist and handles the administrative, media and organization work for the Garden Nest shop. The mother and daughter team, along with shop buyer Kelli Schley, represent a good mix of demographics, said Jeannie. All three have design backgrounds, with Schley also bringing her horticultural experience to the team.
The seeds for Jeannie’s eventual career in landscape design were planted by her mother’s fondness for gardening, as well as some of her own gardening while she was in college. After studying graphic design, she moved to the San Francisco Bay Area from San Diego following college and spent more than 15 years managing the catalog for kitchen and home furnishing company Williams-Sonoma.
When her job required frequent traveling to the East Coast, while simultaneously parenting small children, Jeannie decided to move in a new direction and began to study landscaping. She enrolled in a program with Merritt College and worked for design firms and contractors, eventually launching her own landscape design company in 2005. Soon after, she obtained her landscape contractors
license.
Jeannie’s award-winning Garden Nest Residential Landscape design-build company’s installation crew members have more than 25 years of combined experience.
Jeannie admired the brickwork of a building in Lafayette, and almost secured it as a shop location when she noticed a salon at 105 Orinda Way was vacant. Its backyard was neglected and underutilized, and the building itself needed a lot of work, but Jeannie decided to take on the task.
“I love this part of Orinda,” she said. “The charm of the buildings in this area of the city sets Garden Nest apart.”
“It was a lot of blood, sweat and tears,” said Jeannie.
They installed planters and shelving for a variety of potted plants in the backyard, which also features bistro-style tables and chairs, windchimes, tree canopy shade and the quiet bubbling of a pot fountain.
On the Garden Nest’s first floor, a selection of woven baskets, sage smudge sticks, hand creams, candles and more greet visitors. A trip up the staircase leads to a display of books and an inviting couch to curl up on, in front of a window looking down on Orinda Way.
Outdoor and house plants, vegetable starts and heirloom seeds round out the wide selection in the cozy location. The shop also offers floral centerpieces for special occasions. Fresh bouquets are available to purchase or made to order.
Gift items, including books, candles and tea towels, have been a big draw, according to Schley.
The ladies of Garden Nest look forward to hosting various craft and gardening classes and workshops as the holiday gift-giving season gets underway.
The shop’s neighbors have been very supportive, and community members would often peek into the windows ahead of the official Oct. 7 opening and offer encouragement.
The women running the shop agree that more community-based events, such as music circles and tarot readings, are on the horizon: “Our hope is it will be a place where you want to hang out.”
Garden Nest is located at 105 Orinda Way or visit www.gardennest.com.
