Interview with Elliot Goliger, Bernal Heights Resident and Founder of Heron’s Head Nursery
Background: Elliot Goliger has been an active member of the green industry since 1985. He expanded his expertise in 1997 by establishing a local landscaping company. Over the years, Elliot accumulated a collection of plants useful for his landscaping projects. This collection subsequently inspired the opening of Heron’s Head Nursery.
About Heron’s Head Nursery:
- Mission: The nursery’s main objective is to provide plants tailored to the San Francisco climate. The emphasis is on evergreen, perennial plants that thrive in urban environments. Additionally, the nursery offers herbs, fruit trees, and indoor plants.
- Name Origin: ‘Heron’s Head Nursery’ is geographically inspired, as the business is opposite Heron’s Head Park. The park itself is named after a landform resembling a heron’s head.
- Sustainability Practices: Sustainable and eco-friendly practices are at the heart of the nursery’s operations. They boast a variety of low-water and native Californian plants. A staunch advocate for organic methods, the nursery refrains from using chemical pesticides and promotes using organic fertilizers, soil, and worm compost.
Elliot Goliger, with deep roots in the green industry and a clear passion for sustainable practices, has established Heron’s Head Nursery as a beacon for plant enthusiasts in the San Francisco area. The relatively new nursery shows promise to contribute to the local green ecosystem significantly.
Can you describe the journey that led you to become the CEO of Heron’s Head Nursery?
I’ve been in the green industry since 1985. I also own and operated a local landscaping company since 1997, and from the beginning, I have been maintaining a collection of useful plants for my jobs. I have been looking for a good location to open a retail nursery. Finally, the opportunity arrived, and I began the nursery.
For those unfamiliar, can you provide an overview of Heron’s Head Nursery and its primary mission?
We aim to provide plants that work well in our San Francisco climate. We specialize in evergreen, perennial plants useful for our urban environments. We also sell herbs and fruit trees, and indoor plants.
What inspired the name ‘Heron’s Head Nursery’? Does it carry a special significance to the nursery’s philosophy or locale?
We are located across from Heron’s Head Park, which is named after a landform of the park that looks like a heron’s head.
Being in the nursery business inherently has ties with nature. How does Heron’s Head Nursery incorporate sustainability and environmentally friendly practices?
We have many low-water and California-native plants for sale. We don’t sell or spray our plants with chemical pesticides. We sell organic fertilizers, organic soil, and organic worm compost.
You are a Bernal resident. How has living in Bernal influenced or shaped your approach to running the nursery?
Being close to the nursery helps me to manage the nursery better.
Can you share one of the most challenging moments you’ve faced as CEO and how you overcame it?
I’m challenged with creating the descriptions of the plants we sell and entering that into the website. It’s been extremely challenging to develop the website. Finally, the website is running and has comprehensive and detailed information about the plants we sell. We have also created filters to help our customers identify appropriate garden plants.
How do you see the future of the nursery industry evolving, and how is Heron’s Head Nursery positioning itself for these changes?
It’s a hard question to answer. I’m relatively new to this business and unsure about the future. We are trying to focus on supplying the most interesting plants for our unique climate. We are trying to supply plants you cannot find at the big box stores.
Community involvement is key for local businesses. How does Heron’s Head Nursery engage with the local community, and are there any community outreach programs you’re particularly proud of?
We work together with our neighbor, the New Farm, which is a community space. We are still a very small business. We have had some garden talks and events for the community and hope to host more in the coming months.
How has leading Heron’s Head Nursery impacted your personal growth?
And how would you define your leadership style? I have learned a lot of new plants since I began this endeavor. I am trying to help my employees learn about the plants and motivate them by example.
What are your top priorities for Heron’s Head Nursery in the next five years?
Are there any exciting projects or initiatives we should be looking out for? We would like to have more garden talks and seasonal sales. We encourage customers to join our email list at the store or on our website. Eventually, we will do blog posts and videos too. Customers will be notified of events, sales, videos, and blog posts as soon as we coordinate these things.