Moraga Couple Help Rescue the "Tiffany's of Plants"

Chris and Tim Szybalski, a Moraga couple, have rescued a horticultural treasure, and with it, the hopes of a dedicated corps of volunteers.

Western Hills Nursery, the rare-plant garden begun by Marshal Olbrich and Lester Hawkins over 60 years ago near Occidental, became a dreamland open to the public in the 1970s.  Garden enthusiasts from all over the world visited what The New York Times called "the Tiffany's of plants."  In December 2006, after the original owners died, Robert Stansel and Joseph Gatta bought the 3-acre property, intending to maintain it as a nursery.

The Garden Conservancy, a national organization that works to preserve historically significant gardens, including the Ruth Bancroft Garden in Walnut Creek, breathed a sigh of relief.  Betsy Flack, the organization's West Coast Program Coordinator had been involved with the garden for years and said recently, in an interview, that its preservation was of national importance.

But despite three years of heroic efforts to preserve the nursery, a crumbling economy and the intense demands of the property pushed Stansel and Gatta into foreclosure.  The property was re-sold to E-Trade for $1.029 million and became a red hot issue on The Garden Conservancy's radar.

Luckily, they weren't the only ones on alert.  "We were watching and we had wanted to buy it when it came up four years ago," says Chris Szybalski.  Sitting in her Moraga home, she's a fountain of enthusiasm about the Western Hills Nursery.  "I'd spend my whole life gardening, if there was nothing else to do," she says.

When she's not up in Occidental, Chris, along with Jeff and Cindy Eckart, her brother and sister-in-law, own and operate the Westbrae Nursery in Berkeley.  The shop is stocked with all hand-picked plants; most from Half Moon Bay and Castroville.  "I think it's the special touch that makes Westbrae different than the big-box stores," Chris says.

That "special touch," used to select plants, is now extended to the people who have cared for Western Hills throughout its up-and-down history.  "We signed the papers and paid the money," Chris says, "but it's not our garden."  She insists that the real story is not about the Szybalskis.  It's about Maggie Wych, who mentors the Szybalskis as they stabilize and restore the property; Stacie Miller, who coordinates the volunteer waterers; Dick Miner, who leads the mulching operations; and Paul Duncan, a longtime friend and handyman, who helps in countless ways.

"It's a money pit," Chris admits, "There are infrastructures that need repair."  They have already installed three irrigation controllers and automated valves to replace the 26 aging sprinklers.  ("You had to go out and find them before you could even turn them on!" Chris says.)  They've replaced the pump, trenched and buried wires, removed trees, and have a public muck-raking party scheduled for September 12th.

"Parrot Feather is choking the pond," Chris explains patiently, "it's like having spaghetti in the pond instead of water."  She and her husband are willing to pour their resources into the land for one simple reason: "We want to garden there.  We want to feel proud, to say, 'We cleaned up this little corner.' " 

Without volunteers, their plans for sharing the property with the public would be difficult, if not impossible.  Which is why they are currently seeking an arrangement with The Garden Conservancy. 

"We're in conversations about the possibilities for preservation and stabilization of the garden," says Betsy Flack, program coordinator for the organization's West Coast office.  "For me, it's a very personal connection.  Many of us have come into our careers in horticulture, garden design, or landscape architecture through connections with the garden and its original owners."

Chris, mindful of their dependency on volunteers, says, "We have to gain their trust.  Right now, everyone's waiting for the Garden Conservancy.  Then, (when an agreement is reached) the people will know they're working on the property for a good reason—and not just so Chris and Tim can flip it."

The Szybalski's plan is to partner with a non-profit entity that will allow the garden to host educational programs, docent-led tours on open days, and a volunteer-run nursery to sell its impressive array of plants.  They don't, however, expect to make a gift of the land.

"That could happen," Chris says, "but not immediately."

The Garden Conservancy's hope is "that this would be a garden open for visiting, studying and enjoying by the public," according to Flack.  The agreement between the two parties is as much a work-in-progress as the garden's restoration.

What is certain, is that the legacy of the garden—gentle lessons of life and how it is sustained—is a precious commodity to those who love and care for Western Hills.  "Yes, there are rare plants, but it's not what draws me to the garden," Chris says.  "It's the beauty."