Lovely selection of orchids that are not Phalaenopsis species. However, their entire Oncidium collection table is COVERED with mealy bugs. They are small, and I brought one home a few months ago that after a few days I had to toss (after I realized) and also risked all my other plants. I stopped by early January and the tiny white fluffy mealy bugs were still very much visible. Really hope they fix this issue as I would happily spend a lot of money at this place!! Always fun to stop in. Staff don't really acknowledge your presence, but I actually prefer/don't mind that aspect. Please fix the mealy bugs situ so I can bring some orchid babies home!!!! read more

Brookside Orchids - Cymbidium Orchid (fragrant) - Nurseries & Gardening Near Me - Menlo Park, California

Located just south of Stanford, off of Alpine Road and Highway 280 in the South Bay (Portola Valley), Brookside Orchids carries a large inventory of healthy orchids in many varieties. This is not a florist, it is a nursery with a specific focus on orchids. It was a little hard to find the first time I went there, but it was worth it. This place was made for orchid enthusiasts. They always have a huge selection of Phalaenopsis varieties (everyone does) in different sizes (miniatures and giants), but they also regularly carry Oncidium, Miltonia, Cattleya, and Dendrobium orchids. I have also found some gorgeous Paphiopedilum and Vendaeous specimens as well as many others, and the occasional surprisingly exotic and spectacular botanical. You can get beautiful potted gift orchids here, but their main focus is on growing orchids of all types and selling to both wholesale & retail customers and orchidists. If you like orchids, and are looking for rare and unusual finds, this is the place to go. To find them, follow your phone's map and you'll be led to a modest and understated sign with an arrow pointing up a hill. Proceed slowly and carefully up the hill and park to the left. You'll see 4 quonset hut-like buildings (green houses) and need to start in the left-most, which is their retail shop and has a sign on the door welcoming you. The right-most greenhouse is also open to the public, the two in the middle are not (they are growing greenhouses full of orchids that are not yet spiking). Keep in mind this is a working wholesale nursery, with a retail outlet attached (with better gift orchids than any florist), and not a flower shop, and you'll understand why it has a no-frills, utilitarian, green & organic, light-industrial feel to it. Once you get inside, you'll realize what a find this place is, with the best selection of healthy, thriving, beautiful orchids (many of which are unusual and rare) in the Bay Area. Oh, yeah - they're very reasonably priced as well! read more

Beautiful orchids.... They seemed short-staffed, so make sure to do research and have serious inquiries if you have any questions. They also had the most BEAUTIFUL cat ive ever seen in my life there! I would 100% go back just to pet her again read more

Brookside Orchids - Cat - Nurseries & Gardening Near Me - Menlo Park, California

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My plants just recently arrived and I can't wait for my new orchid plants to bud. Shipping was without issue.

Received several obviously diseased plants in recent orders (a Vandaenopsis that quickly rotted from the stem up, and two Bulbophyllum that are tentatively recovering from bacterial spotting). Brookside has not responded to emails asking for a replacement/refund. I am disappointed. Brookside used to be a good supplier, but sending out visibly diseased plants is unacceptable. Quality seems to have gone broadly downhill. I found packing peanuts in one pot, and had to deal with a surprising amount of unhealthy roots/fungal growth in the pots. read more

Absolutely gorgeous orchids! I ordered a couple of orchids online for my Mom as a birthday present. Pick up was easy, save for finding the place. Turn off Alpine Rd into a small parking lot, then follow the signs up a hill on a gravel road, then park to your left. The shop entrance is in one of the buildings next to the parking lot. There's a large sign pointing to it. There were a few people in line before me, so I had a few minutes to browse. The shop was full of healthy, potted orchids in full bloom. Stunning! I'm not an orchid enthusiast, but if I ever needed an orchid to gift, I'd come here. As far as my order goes, picking up the orchids was as easy as giving my name to the lady at the front desk. She brought them out right away, neatly packaged in a box for transportation. They're the pride of my Mom's collection now! read more

Love this place. Great orchids and prices and the rude salesperson has decided to smile and be personable. Good to see. Service of carrying orchids to my car and find the right spot in the car is very much appreciated. read more

I had a negative customer service experience here, which some of the other reviews also mention is a recurring issue here. Only come here if you know your stuff about orchids; it seems that beginners are unwelcome here. My mom enlisted me in helping her find a nursery in the Bay Area that sells fragrant orchids. I had no idea that this was even a thing, but I agreed to help her as her English isn't as good (such is my life as a child of immigrants) and same goes for her researching abilities. This was the first location that came up on search engines. They had a website that was pretty easy to navigate and a whole section of their website was devoted to what I was looking for: fragrant orchids! I had my mom pick out a few that she liked and I proceeded to call them about the availability of the flowers (they state on their website that you need to call to verify their stock is up to date). I didn't get her name but a woman picked up the phone. The beginning of the phone call was cordial, but it quickly turned sour the more questions I asked and the more I took up her time. My mom is the seasoned gardener, not me, so some of the terminology was lost on me. I asked for clarification, but then she just repeating the same thing she already said, just in a slower, frustrated tone. She said told me that whatever was on the website is what they have. Like okay, then you should probably remove that part on your website that says call ahead to verify your inventory... Yeah so she was just super impatient with me and not accommodating to a novice gardener such as myself. She told me that they're super busy, which I can understand, but she could have put me on hold or something if I caught her at a bad time. After I got off the phone with her, I was determined NOT to come here and still fulfill my mom's wish. I got off the phone with her being so relieved that I called them and didn't have my mom call them...not assuming anything here but if she didn't have patience for my questions, she definitely wasn't going to have the patience for my mom's broken English. Anywho, if you're in the market for the niche that is fragrant orchids, there are quite a few in the Bay Area that sell them. I actually called Evergreen Nursery in San Leandro and though they don't grow them, they recommended me other places that do. They actually referred me to Brookside Orchids but after explaining to them that I had a negative experience with them, they happily referred me to 3 nurseries in Berkeley that have fragrant orchids as well. (Brookside Orchids, take notes. Evergreen Nursery talked to me politely even though I wasn't even planning to spend any money on them.) In the spring time, there are nurseries in Half Moon Bay that will have them too. If my mom needs to buy more fragrant orchids years from now, maybe I'll give Brookside Orchids another chance then (hopefully a different person answers the phone lol). read more

I get the impression this nursery is all about making money. If you have purchased from other orchid growers and have had success with their plants, stick with them! I understand you can't always have success with orchids. With every loss you learn something new. I sent an email to Brookside to let them know of my problem, and was hoping to hear back from them. Never got a response, and after reading reviews of their service I understand. There are plenty of quality growers available to supply great plants, and to educate those who want to learn more about orchids. read more

Ordered online for delivery and my orchids arrived today. Exceeded all my expectations. They got to me quickly, and all plants were healthy and vigorous looking. I have ordered many plants online (though never orchids before now) and I have not had any arrive in as good shape as these were. The packaging was done with such care that even the one Phal in bloom did not lose a single petal in transit. Of course like all new arrivals they are in my quarantine area for now, but a close inspection with a magnifying glass (don't mock, I learned the hard way) did not raise any red flags. I will definitely order from these guys again. read more

I live across the bay from Brookside Orchids, and relatively regularly order online for pick up. The orchids they sell are always beautiful and healthy. Sometimes they are even in bloom! Pre-COVID they would always be at the Pacific Orchid Expo in SF, and it's always a pleasure seeing them. Why three stars? (I'm teetering on 2 or 3) There's one lady who I've come across a couple of occasions (who's name rhymes with "boo") who has a stinky attitude and terrible demeanor. I'm sure she's an nice lady outside of work, but I can't tell from the small handful of interactions with her. Not really any eye contact, acknowledgement, or any basic customer service skills of the sort. Super bad vibes. A couple of times my partner and I picked up some plants, some folks walked in without a mask and this individual didn't implement any sort of COVID-19 safety regulations. One maskless gentleman was talking to this employee inside the store! I also work retail in the nursery business, so I get it but my interactions with this individual leaves a very sour taste in my mouth. Unfortunate because I love Brookside, and I always recommend them to my customers at the nursery I work at. If you plan on visiting, I recommend checking out their availability on the website and placing an order for pick up! Regardless of the customer service, their selection of species and hybrids are excellent and I always look forward to what they will sell in the future. read more

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Hard to find. They have a small sign, and the there is a building in front of theirs that looks abandoned. We parked right in front of their main door. From the outside, it appeared that we would have a lot to look at. But the majority of their greenhouse is private and not meant for customers. I asked the person who worked there why customers could not go into the other parts, he said that portion are orchids that belong to other people. They just house them and care for them. Their main showroom was ok. They had some large phal arrangements. A couple of other types of orchids and tropical plants. But I was searching for vandals. No luck. read more

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I ordered 4 orchids from Brookside Orchids to be shipped to me in Carson City, NV and paid extra for air delivery. It took a bit longer than I expected considering we are fairly close, but they finally arrived and one Cattlaya plant had leaves that had turned black and all of the plants were very dry. Another Vanda plant did have some leaf issues but I'm hoping it will be OK. I sent a photo of the black orchid to them immediately and never heard anything from them! I contacted them three different times. I have ordered online orchids from a grower in Sacramento for years and never had any problems. I decided to try Brookside based on the reviews and I'm very sorry I did. If you live close and can visit this nursery and buy your plants, you're probably OK, but if you rely on shipping or expect customer service for a problem forget it. I am very disappointed. read more

I've always wanted to visit Brookside Orchids but never really needed to because they setup shop at the Old Oakland farmers market mostly every Friday. I was in the area and decided to visit. I've been buying their orchids for nearly a decade. They carry unusual orchids and don't charge a lot for them. I've had many over the years and they do bloom again with proper care. Some I brought over half a decade ago are still doing so well. The warehouse/ shop was lovely. It had a fountain and a lot of different rare orchids and mainstream ones. They also carry moss? And some ferns, colorful foliage, palms and air plants. There's a nice sun motif in the back of the store along with a beautiful monstera growing next to a water fountain. They also sell an assortment of pots and fertilizers and have care instructions available to take home. Ps they have a cute Siamese tortie named marshmallow that lay around the office. Overall, I enjoyed my visit. read more

Went there to buy some plants was greeted with contempt and rudeness by the woman that works there. I tried to connect with her by saying hi and asking how she was doing, She did not respond just walk past me. We left without buying anything. I had heard from friends that they considered the staff of Bookside rude. Which I found out for myself this sentiment was true. read more

Super pricy but healthy orchids and super grumpy staff. Tried to go on Christmas Eve as their website says nothing about being closed, drove 2 hours to find them closed, super disappointed! read more

Best service, beautiful orchids. They didn't have what I was looking for upon arrival and without hesitation they started working on what I asked for and had it done in less than 10mins. read more

This place is such a gem! Their website is constantly updated with orchids for sale, new stock, plants in bloom! When you arrive, you have to drive up a hill and park. The orchids are kept in greenhouses and they have a small show room for sales. I typically will order my orchids online from their website and choose "pick up." Then when I get to the sales room, I inevitably get more! The orchids here are very well taken care of. Every one that I ordered for pickup was healthy and way bigger/more blooms then I expected! Non-orchid related, they have some beautiful plants for sale in their show room. They have a huge selection of mounted air plants, mounted ferns and a few mounted orchids too! They a small selection of potted house plants as well (ferns, spider plants, pothos, etc). In their sales room they will have orchids in bloom at the time (some in spike as well). I am always pleasantly surprised to see a unique or rare orchid in bloom when I go in! They always have some beautiful Phalaenopsis/moth orchids for sale as well, if you are just looking for those. I've never had any customer service issues here. Everyone is very willing to help you and excited about orchids and plants too! Sometimes you may not see a sales associate right away if they are grabbing a plant in back, but wait 2 minutes and they'll show up! I'd definitely recommend this place! read more

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I purchased a two year membership with the American Orchid Society which included discount coupons from a number of orchid nurseries, including Brookside. When I attempted to use the coupon for an online purchase, the code didn't work. I called the nursery and was told that they would only honor the coupon if I showed up with it in person. They do most of their sales online, so it's not like they are beginners. This offer was made in bad faith. I've purchased from them before, but in the future and I'll let all my orchid friends know. read more

This would be a much higher rating if the staff wasn't rude. Considering that I came here for the first time today to cheer myself up after a really rough morning, it's a big disappointment. At least the flowers were lovely although I was hoping for a little more variety. The prices were reasonable. Everyone was masked the whole time too so that was good. I came in during a slow time with few customers and waited until no one else needed attention before asking any questions, and I asked only two simple ones. "Do you have any jewel orchids" and got a very huffy "no" like I was bothering the woman. I was surprised at how annoyed she seemed! Jewel orchids are small and easy to overlook in a crowded space so I wanted to make sure I wasn't missing anything. Later I asked what type an orchid was because I couldn't see the name on the tags and didn't to risk snapping any leaves by digging a tag out of a pot. The same woman literally rolled her eyes, told me the name, and then said "it's on the tag" and turned away like I was just bothering her. When I made my selection and checked out, suddenly she was all smiles. It was just so odd and off-putting. I've never been to a nursery where the staff so clearly did not want to be asked any questions! I bought one little phal and left. read more

Brookside Orchids - Phalaenopsis orchid - Nurseries & Gardening Near Me - Menlo Park, California

The showroom for retail customers is a bit small, not like the shopping in Half Moon Bay. Prices are a little on the high side, however, the selection is pretty decent and the prices are not cheap. I bought two 3" two stem phalaenopsis orchids ($14.50 each) with tons of unopened buds and one 4" two stem phalaenopsis orchid ($22.00) with 8 unopened buds, with sales tax = $55.46. Normally, in HMB, these beauties cost $15-18 each (more bang for your buck and a ginormouse selection to choose from) However, I will wait to see how these do at home to see how long they last. Shop around folks.... read more

Brookside Orchids - Nurseries & Gardening Near Me - Menlo Park, California

I am updating my review with a picture of one of the seedlings that I purchased from Brookside last November (November 2021). It's a warm weather loving phalaenopsis. Over this spring and in particular, this past summer, it really took off (doubled in size and now has multiple blooms)! read more

Brookside Orchids - Aerangis luteoalba v. rhodosticta - Nurseries & Gardening Near Me - Menlo Park, California

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The hunt for a replacement for my mom's lady slipper orchid is over! Thank goodness after driving and calling places all over the Bay. Brookside is right off the 280 North, Alpine Rd exit. Very easy to get to and there is a large sign off the main road so you can't miss it. Once you turn in you must drive up a small hill and there are maybe 10 parking spots total. This is where there sales shop is. The selection they have here at Brookside is amazing I am sure that my mom will be back several times. Not only do they have several different common and rare orchids, they have air plants and other amazing greenery! Lady Slipper Orchid: $18 Air Plant in seashell: $13 (Comes with drainage holes in shell already & wiring to hang somewhere.) Service: Helpful and very knowledgeable but not over bearing. Definitely a good experience overall. read more

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My favorite place to buy orchids . Workers there are always super kind. Prices are fair and plants very healthy.

Placed my order on a Tuesday evening and my Stanhopea Orchid arrive on Thursday morning. Plant is exceptional, very happy with the plant and the quick service. Packaging was exceptional, well wrapped so as no damage would occur. Plant is larger than I anticipated. read more

Summary: don't come here to browse -- healthy orchids but must order online and pick up. Longer version: Good orchids you can buy online and pick up or have shipped. I picked up and it was really quick and easy. All my orchids seemed reasonably healthy so far (haven't repotted yet and pots are not clear so can't see roots). The showroom is a little (or actually, VERY) boring, sadly. I wish they had some interesting orchids out on display, rather than just common houseplants and plain complex hybrid phalaenopsis that you have find at Trader Joe's or Home Depot. It seems this has to do with their online stocking system. I don't think it's connected to their in-stock register, so if they sell a novelty orchid in the showroom, it won't take it off their online inventory count, and thus they may run out (but the online store allows you to order them), so they can't put them out or they'll disappoint online customers when it allows them to order but they can't fulfill the order. If that makes sense. If they can fix that, it would be amazing, because looking through just one of their greenhouses they had some really nice looking healthy orchids! Customer service was okay. Nice man, not sure if the owner, but told me these were new imports and if they didn't do well to let him know and he would make it right, which I appreciated. All my orchids look healthy, so I don't anticipate problems, but the insurance is good, assuming he would follow through (can't say yet). Wish he would have offered to let me look around a little though, but I understand. read more

I just got my first order from Brookside Orchid. (My husband bought for me :) ) It's pretty good quality and healthy ( oncidium with 6 or 7 spikes ) I'm so happy and can not wait until they blooms. I highly recommend this place to everybody who love the orchid like me :) read more

Brookside Orchids - Nurseries & Gardening Near Me - Menlo Park, California

After over a year I see a new leaf, but no flowers. So disappointing. I've had better luck with the orchids I bought from Menards. Customer service last year just responded by telling me to fertilize. Done. Still no flowers read more

Brookside Orchids - One year and still waiting for a bloom. Yes I water with orchid food. They don't promise blooms. - Nurseries & Gardening Near Me - Menlo Park, California

I live in SC. I called Brookside Orchids and ordered a custom made orchid arrangement to be sent to dear friends in San Francisco on June 20, 2019. The arrangement was breathtaking and they were speechless! I was absolutely amazed at how beautiful it was when they sent a picture. Fast forward three months to September 20, they sent me an updated picture to show me how the arrangement has lasted. I cannot say enough about it! To give a gift that lasts for so long and brings joy to anyone that sees it is a wonderful feeling. Thank you Brookside Orchids for a job well done! read more

Brookside Orchids - Delivery day! June 20, 2019 - Nurseries & Gardening Near Me - Menlo Park, California

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Very Strong plants! Mine have been re-blooming for years without repotting. I've not found better elsewhere. Well worth a trip.

Love love love this place!!! Beautiful orchids, a big selection of different colors and species. I drive here from the east bay twice a year just for new orchids. Most recent acquisition is a fragrant Milt. that smells like honeysuckle! The place is not fancy, but is super well priced. read more

Pretty flowers for my pretty soul my beautiful girlfriend saw this blush pink one with light flowers in a stone box. I didn't get them for her but if you see them they're mine don't f#!@g take them. read more

Yes, the phal orchids were mostly generic ones but I did manage to find two unique ones and they had nice Sharry Babies. I bought one of those too. The prices were very reasonable and the staff very friendly. For those of you who have never seen a greenhouse before, this place is really eye-opening. Most of the area is not open to non-employees but I was able to get into one of the growing ones to pick out a Sharry Baby and it was pretty cool inside. Then entire property is covered in stones so wear comfortable shoes. read more

5-star for the orchids, 2-star for the customer service. I have bought several orchid varieties from Brookside. You can tell they use high quality material, orchids are well cared for. The orchids for sale/gifts showroom does not do justice the wide variety they actually carry. The showroom is mainly Phals, Oncidiums, some Miltonia and Dendrobiums. The greenhouses at the back/to the sides are off limits, unless you ask really nicely and promise not to touch anything. Tip: if you are curious about a particular orchid that is not in the showroom, you can ask to see it and many times, the employees have obliged me. If you are looking for generic phals, you would do better (and cheaper) at your local Trader Joe's. But if you are looking for not-so-common orchids that you do not find at the grocery store, explore their website and you can order for pick up. A good option if you are in the area. The employees are knowledgeable about their orchids, but somewhat hard to converse with. They have a stall at the Sunday Menlo Park downtown farmers' market, and the people at the stall are usually friendlier. They also carry decorative planters, good quality bark media, sphagnum moss etc... Bottomline is: Come for the orchids, not the customer service. read more

I ordered for the first time and I'm very impressed. The packing was exceptional. Both oncidiums have spikes and the spikes were packaged with care. The quality of the plants is exceptional. Roots in perfect condition and pseudobulbs with no wrinkles or blemished. I'll be ordering again! Thank you!!! read more

Brookside Orchids - Nurseries & Gardening Near Me - Menlo Park, California

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Not a lot of variety. There's more online and for shipping. horrible customer service, very unfriendly staff, no one knew anything about what they have in stock. read more

I really want to love this place (well I do really love this place) but wow the people working here really don't want to be there and it shows. Went to 4 nurseries today and even though this one is by far my favorite- I almost get anxiety coming in. Per usual I walk in and am ignored by a particularly unfriendly woman.. It sucks because I love this place and I don't want to be difficult but its seriously discouraging to the point where I just buy things online and if I have an ocasional question I call to ask (which can still be a bit off). Not sure what the deal is but its pretty odd and uncomfortable at times. If you want orchids these guys are seriously the best- just know the service can be a little intimidating. I get that sometimes places like this are over worked and understaffed so I try to keep that in mind as well. read more

I can't decide how many stars to give this place. Here's why. On one hand, unlike a lot of plant or pet businesses, where the places are run by and for people that are truly interested in the plants and will stay and talk shop for hours after they close, this place begins to push you out the door several minutes before closing time and when they close, they get everyone out like its on fire. I get that people want to get home, but its the only orchid nursery or independent pet shop Ive seen like that. In addition, the cashiers can be brusque and not too helpful. On the other hand, they have huge greenhouses with a lot of orchids, many of which are pretty uncommon in the trade. On yet another hand or foot, you arent allowed to go into most of these greenhouses. If you ask some of the other people, one might take you back to look for something specific, but thats it. And again, they always seem busy and not overly friendly. I once was looking for something specific and was taken back to a tray of them and given the price of one. I said ok, and he picked it up by the plant and not the pot, breaking 1/3rd of the pseudobulbs off. He just jammed them back into the pot and sold it at the same price even though he had broken a significant amount of the plant off. And that was the part with the spike, which of course died. Thats why I am conflicted. Ive seen a lot of the collection that many never get to see and its a shame people cant look around, even if they are not for sale. And the prevailing attitude leaves a lot to be desired. Five stars for the entire collection of orchids (the most important thing). Two stars for the inability to walk around and even look at them. Three and a half or four stars for the orchids that are in the for sale areas. Three stars for the attitude. So Ill call it a 4. Just go early. read more

I am torn here. They have a great website, so I was drooling to go to their physical location to see all that and then some. Retail room is sad and nobody will allow you in the back. I would have easily - I say EASILY - left hundreds here. But if you don't stock your retail room well and don't allow buyers to go where the goodies are, then you are missing out on sales. I can buy a phal anywhere. Most of the offerings in retail room were really generic. Some were not orchids. Seems like if I want something interesting (I was looking for a mounted orchid) I need to order online sight unseen and accept to get what I get when picking up at Menlo Park farmers market or wherever... Please, please rethink your retail strategy. read more

An excellent place to buy orchids in bud or in bloom. This business has three types of customers and therefore it's size is deceiving (not a bad thing). First, they have a retail greenhouse. It's not huge but they tend to only display/sell orchids that are in spike or in bloom, so what you see is dependent on the time of year that you go. The prices are great considering the quality, variety and health of the plants. There are surcharges on plants that are put in 'pretty' planters for a "ready to go" look for home display. Personally, since I'm more interested in the flower and the plant, I don't need an expensive glazed terra cotta pot. But that's just me. Then they have a wholesale orchid business which is not open to the public. I have no problem with this. It mean that their retail space always has some interesting orchids, particularly if your interested in more than just the usual Cymbidiums, Phaleonopsis, and Dendrobiums you see in the local grocery stores. Here you can find things like Masdevalias, Cattleyas, Encyclia, Phaphiopedilums, Phragmipediums, Lycaste, Stanhopea, Vandas, Miltonias and so on. Then they have a sort of rental/care service. This is where you rent greenhouse space that you keep your non-blooming orchids and they will care for them throughout the year and then deliver them to your home around blooming time, and then pick them up again afterwards. You essentially buy your own orchids and then rent predetermined palette spaces for your orchids to be housed. The monthly rental fee is determined by how much space you rent and I'm not sure if the delivery/pickup fee is included. (I believe that it used to be but I'm not sure now.) So if your an amateur collector and not looking for one particular varietal, but rather just generally growing a collection, I would highly recommend this place. Otherwise, stick to some of the better catalog/online places. read more