I checked the American Bamboo Society web site for member nurseries in California listed as carrying rhizome barrier. The best I could do was Vista, CA: Pura Vida Tropicals (760-726-4038), or Bamboo Headquarters (760-758-6181)

If you are looking for unusual plants for your balcony, don't restrict yourself to only local nurseries. Check out on-line nurseries as well. My favorite local nurseries, including two Internet nurseries, in ranking order are: AnnieÂs Annuals I love Annie's. Located in Richmond, CA (northern California). Some of her plants can be purchased at Rogers Gardens or you can order on-line. She has a great catalog! Annie's Annuals Buena Creek Gardens They have some plants in the ground so that you can see what they look like as mature plants. Fantastic nursery and worth the drive. 418 Buena Creek Road San Marcos (760) 744-2810 Buena Creek Gardens Brita's Old Town Gardens 225 Main St. Seal Beach (562) 430-5019 Brita's Old Town Gardens RogerÂs Gardens They have all the big-box store plants and much, much more. They cater to Newport's wealthy and thus their prices are little higher. 2301 San Joaquin Hills Rd Corona Del Mar (949) 640-5800 Roger's Gardens World Wide Exotics Located out in the middle of no-where and they do business beneath a shade tent. They have many interesting plants. 11157 Orcas Ave Lake View Terrace (818) 890-1915 Open Wed-Sat 9:30-4:00 H&H Nursery They will have all your big-box store plants and much more. 6220 Lakewood Blvd Lakewood (562) 804-2513 H&H Nursery Epies By Pat This is a local on-line nursery. Epiphyllum are wonderful balcony plants. I've included a photo of one of mine. Epies By Pat Epiphyllum do well in hanging pots in a shaded area.

The nursery mentioned in MDR is evidently very overpriced - I've never been but had no less than 5 people tell me that. I also like to stay away from chain stores... So with those as my stated preferenes :-) There are two nurseries on Sepulveda, just south of Venice Blvd on the east side of the street (between the car wash and the motel). I always go to the more southern one. They have *very* good prices, and most of the common basics that are used by landscapers in the area. Also if you know exactly what you want they can order for you. I go there when I want lots or basics or have only basic questions. There is a series of nurseries on Sawtelle, two to three blocks north of Olympic. My favorite is Tabuchi Nursery, at 2001 Sawtelle Blvd. Very knowledgeable, has more unusual plants. Some beautiful slow growing "design" plants as well as more common things. I go here when I want something special or I want to ask lots of questions (I'm ordering my espaliere citrus through him, partly because he has answered a thousand questions at least twice for me). The next nursery north, on the west side of the street (in the middle of the block) - they have a nice selection, but regularly tell you anything you want to hear about a plant, and sell plants that probably won't do well around here. I buy only things that I have researched elsewhere. Then there are two more farther north on the block, one on each corner. On the west side of the street, again, I find that they have some different things (lots of bonsais) and are knowledgeable. I've never been to the place on the east side of the street, but it looks great from the outside. I just run out of steam before getting there. One last nursery - in Culver City. On Washinton at National, on the NW corner. They have lots of large plants and a huge space. However, the city wants to break their lease, so they aren't stocking up much. However if your friends / clients will be purchasing alot, and they have it in stock, there might be quite a bit of room for negotiation.

I second Bay Laurel Nursery, Another further North is Hometown Nursery in Paso Robles on Spring St, then there is Treeman in Templeton, If you're into herbs, on 46 west there is Sycamore Farms in Paso Robles, I don't know what they have, their barn burned down a couple years ago. On 1 there is Grow Nursery, on the north end of Cambria. Which if you took 1 down to 46 across, you could hit all the nurseries in Paso Robles, Templeton, then Atascadero, Santa Margarita, and sweep down to SLO and further south. Over the Grade there is Ron's Nursery In Arroyo Grande, it's got the quality of plants you'd find in a floral shop. It's on thirteenth street. There is also Oceano Nursery, which is more interesting, it has lots of stuff to look at, but it is more junk yard retro, than upscale.