New nursery setting roots

Barbara Diamond

The calla lilies may bloom again at “Pete’s Place.”

Cristin Fusano’s Nursery will be the third attempt in four years

for a nursery operation to try and take root where Pete Kawaratani’s

Laguna nursery once catered to local gardeners.

Fusano will host a “soft opening” Saturday to introduce folks to

the new nursery and its staff. “This is just a preview, but we will

have a guest book so people can get on the mailing list,” Fusano

said. A grand opening will be held at a later date.

Fusano is a veteran of the nursery business. She taught classes at

Rogers Gardens, had her own landscape consulting business and served

as staff horticulturist for Haster Grove, the most recent nursery on

the site.

“My experience with Haster Grove really was really helpful,”

Fusano said. “Laguna’s shoppers really told us what they wanted.”

The nursery will specialize in unusual flowering plants, olive

trees, a large selection of orchids, home decor, antiques, gifts,

fountains, Christina e Christina-designed patio furniture and an

homage to one of Fusano’s favorite memories.

“One of my favorite stores when I was growing up here was the

House of a 1,000 Shells, where Jon Madison’s place [Madison Square

and Garden Cafe] is now,” said Fusano, whose family first came to

Laguna Beach in 1953. “One room in our building will be our House of

1,000 Shells. It will also have books and candles.”

All color plants will be displayed on the South Coast Highway

frontage, which has had some refurbishing.

“It was underused by Haster Grove,” Fusano said.

Fusano said she has a secret source for olive trees, and customers

can order any size from five gallons to old grove.

“There are four olive trees on the site, so people can see how

beautiful they are,” Fusano said.

In fact, the nursery will special order any plant and deliver to

customers.

“Just bring a plant list,” Fusano said. “Everyone on the staff is

capable of giving advice.”

The staff will include Laguna Beach residents Marge Smith and

Stephanie Nelson, and Christine Salmela, all of whom worked at Haster

Grove. Fusano will focus on teaching classes.

Customer parking will be ample. The nursery will be confined to

the highway parcel, while the back parcel across the alley where

plants once shared space with vehicles will be for parking only,

Fusano said.

The parcels are owned by Charlie Kinstler, a resident of Downey,

whose family has owned property in Laguna since 1967.

There has been a nursery on the site since Takashi “Pete”

Kawaratani bought the raw land while serving in the U.S. Army, during

World War II. He was helped by Merle Ramsey -- author of “The First

100 Years in Laguna” -- and his wife Mabel.

“People were reluctant to sell to Japanese right then,” said son

Steve Kawaratani, a landscape designer, Coastline Pilot gardening

columnist and Design Review board member.

The nursery opened in February 1948. Bessie Kawaratani, who was

interred during the war, kept the books for her husband. Almost to

the very end of his life, “Pete” could be found at the nursery. When

he died in 2001, the family sold the property to Kinstler.

A Laguna Beach friend of Kinstler’s opened -- and very shortly

after, closed -- “Secret Garden.”

Rogers Gardens then took over the property under the name of

Haster Grove, with the motto, “Begin a life well-lived.” The end came

sooner than expected.

The closing was mourned by local gardeners, staff and the property

owner.