Pearson’s Garden & Herb Farm

Cold weather, drizzle, boredom, winter doldrums. I won’t let that keep me down. My solution? A hop in the car to search for yet more, undiscovered magic that our So Cal has to offer. Unilocal taught me there is so much more to discover in my own backyard than just Disneyland, Big Bear, and Venice Beach.
We are the kind of people who love to cook, love to eat not-​so-​ordinary stuff, and hate cleaning up afterwards. But never you mind. That never stops us from experiencing kitchen inspiration, when it hits.
One of my favorite tv chefs, that cutie patootie Jamie Oliver, is my inspiration. When he talks, he speaks volumes about simplicity, flavor, and health. So when one of his recent episodes featured lemon grass, I knew that is what I needed to grow in my own little herbal garden.
Do you know how hard it is to find that stuff? Yes, you can buy it, already rootless in your neighborhood Asian market, but that wasn’t good enough for this lady. I needed to have it tickle my nose as I stepped out my back door, alongside my parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme (hey, Garfunkle, I hear a song coming on…), oh yeah, and oregano, mint, and Thai basil plants.
We love driving the inland freeway that heads south to San Diego, the I15. Not only is it *not* the nasty stop and go, accident laden, coastal Hwy 405, it is scenic, and we can always find an interesting place to eat breakfast or lunch on our way. We then plug in a few other places to score, not to mention throwing in a few stops at the local, roadside fruit stands, and I am good to go. Halfway down is Pearson’s G&HF, our ultimate destination because yes, they not only had those elusive lemon grass plants, but they also had a plethora of other exotic herbs for the adventurous cook. Pearson’s also features some other exotic plants and trees, so if you are looking for things out of the ordinary, this would be a good place to give a jingle.
You will find Pearson’s in somebody’s back yard located in a countrified residential area in the very laid back town of Vista. Vista is a quite hilly, inland locality but with a wonderful ocean influence. Rural roads amble alongside hundreds of acres filled with citrus (not to mention the fragrant citrus blossoms in the winter) and avocados, and many more equally interesting, exotic nurseries.
Our assistant this particular day was Olivia, a lovely, no nonsense young lady who had a major in horticulture and landscape design. A great resource, she kept us entertained and pointed us in the right direction when it came down to the purpose of our trip. We found what we needed, our friendly little lemongrass plants, and more.
So what if It was a 60 mile trip one way? It was a diversionary day trip that allowed me to say, «Mission accomplished», a cheap date, and a tremendous way to lower that blood pressure. Thanks Pearson’s. I appreciate your out of ordinary stock and excellent service, even in the dead of winter. Wow, what will springtime bring?

Love this place. Definitely not the cheapest place around, but the plants are very healthy and the selection is wonderful.
Want to find some less common mint plants? Maybe you want to pick out one of their 15+ varieties of lavender. Need to find some drought tolerant sages?
How about some heirloom lettuce plants?
The first time I walked into this place it was liking walking into heaven – it was spring/​summer and everything was flowering.
I’ve been back about once a month ever since.
Dogs welcomed on leash. Warning, they have caged bunnies (my dog remembers and whines if I don’t let her see them)…

Love, love, love this place! They had 90% of my list of herbs in stock and said they could get the ones they were missing. Very friendly service and decent prices. My new go-​to place for herbs and other plants for my organic garden.

If you like an edible garden, this is the best nursery you can possibly visit in greater San Diego.
It’s a hidden gem and worth a trip from anywhere in the County. Why? Because they are seemingly obsessed with offering up the best possible varieties of plants for those who are obsessed with growing them.
Especially unique/​heirloom varieties of tomatoes, veggies, herbs — they seemingly have multiple versions of things you didn’t know there were options. I walked out tonight with an heirloom red celery plant to grow this winter, not to mention exotic peas, beans and salad greens. Last Spring I loaded up on tomato varieties I’ve never seen in any other nursery. Bottom line: these folks care about and curate really interesting stuff.
If you just want a rose bush or palm tree, skip it. Every box store will sell you the expected. Come here for the unique.

I’m so happy with the veggies and ants I’ve gotten there, it’s become somewhat of an obsession! The salespeople are so knowledgeable, friendly and so great to work with. I brought pictures of my derailing plant and they told me just what to do. So many options! I love my chocolate mint, my all– heal, my veggies, my jasmine plant! Sooo much to choose from!

I am in love with this place! Who doesn’t like rows and rows of homegrown possibilities. Plus you can hear their chicken’s and rosters in the distance. Don’t be deterred by it’s house like appearance. I almost drove away the first time since Pearson’s is located in the middle of a neighborhood (pretty much in someone’s backyard).
I drive all the way from downtown to get my fill of fruits and veggies for my raised bed. I have never seen so many varieties. I mean how many times can you say you have seen Pineapple Mint?
Whether new to gardening or an olé’ timer. You definitely should check this place out. Sign up for their email newsletter too!

They have an excellent selection of top quality herbs and native plants. The customer service is great. Everything we have bought here is healthy and flourishing. We are so happy to have Pearson’s nearby.