Bring the benefits of Shipley’s healthy soil home! Our on-site prepared compost is perfect for use as a top dressing for trees, shrubs, garden beds, and potted plants. It can also be used as a gentle additive when planting to enrich your soil and support root growth.
Shipley’s Own Compost – $5 per 1 cubic foot bag
Looking for a natural fertilizer with an extra boost? Our earthworm castings are rich in nutrients and ideal for vegetables, flowers, and houseplants. Because they release nutrients slowly and efficiently, they can be applied more generously than compost—making them a favorite among home gardeners.
Worm Castings – $10 per 10 lb bag
Looking to create a more sustainable, low-maintenance garden? Shipley Nature Center offers a seasonal selection of California native plants that are not only beautiful but perfectly adapted to our local climate and soil.
These plants support pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, require less water than traditional landscaping, and thrive without the need for chemical fertilizers or pesticides. Many of the varieties available are the same ones you’ll see thriving throughout Shipley’s trails and demonstration gardens—making it easy to see how they grow and what conditions they prefer.
Whether you're just starting to convert your yard or adding to an existing native garden, our knowledgeable staff and volunteers are happy to help you select the right plants for your space. All proceeds directly support Shipley’s mission of habitat restoration and environmental education.
Our plant inventory varies depending on the season. The best time to buy plants from Shipley is at our Fall Plant Sale (with a two-for-one deal offered to Huntington Beach residents) or our Spring Plant Sale. California native plants do best when planted in the late fall/early spring, so our inventory is limited between April-September.
All 1-gallon plants are $15 unless otherwise marked. All of our plants are native to Southern California, unless otherwise stated to be from Baja California (ex. red sage, Baja fairy duster), or horticultural variants of California natives (ex. most ceanothus or iris varieties). We tend to carry garden-friendly, smaller plants such as white sage, California fuchsia, or island alum root. We also sell various seed mixes in our office for $3 a packet.
Pollinators play a vital role in keeping ecosystems healthy, and they need our help. By making intentional choices in your garden, you can provide critical habitat for bees, butterflies, moths, beetles, hummingbirds, and other essential pollinators that are in steep decline across the globe.
One of the most impactful things you can do is plant California native species that naturally thrive in our region. Our region is historically coastal sage scrub and chaparral, an extremely rare and tough ecosystem that is incredibly diverse and beautiful.
Even small spaces like patios or balconies can become havens for pollinators when thoughtfully planted. By doing so, you're not only supporting biodiversity but also contributing to the health of your community’s food systems and natural resources.
A Ghost in the Making: Searching for the Rusty Patched Bumble Bee
This moving short film explores the disappearance of one of North America’s most important native bees and what it means for all of us.
