The nursery begins.
Lincoln Avenue Nursery was established in 1903 and was owned by a German family during its first two decades.
About Lincoln Avenue Nursery
A neighborhood nursery since 1903.
Plants are only part of the reason people come back. The other part is being able to ask a real person who knows the nursery, the plants and the conditions we garden in.
Lincoln Avenue Nursery is family-owned, rooted in Pasadena and proud to serve gardeners throughout neighboring San Gabriel Valley communities and the broader Southern California area.
Since 1903
More than a century of nursery history.
Lincoln Avenue Nursery has been shaped by several families, generations of work, and important chapters of local history.
The Takemura family chapter.
In 1923, a Japanese family purchased the nursery. Mary Takemura’s mother ran the business, and Mary later became its successor. The family’s landscaping work and nursery business became closely connected to the property and the surrounding community.
A difficult chapter — and an act of care.
During World War II, Mary and Henry Takemura were forcibly incarcerated in camps along with thousands of other Japanese Americans. A young couple cared for the nursery while they were away, allowing the Takemuras to return to the business after their release.
Ramon Franco comes to Pasadena.
At age 14, Ramon Franco emigrated from Poncitlán, Jalisco, to the United States. He attended Pasadena High School while also working, and after graduation continued building his landscaping business and serving local customers.
A new family takes the reins.
Ramon and Teresa Franco became friends with the Takemuras through Ramon’s landscaping work. When the opportunity came to purchase Lincoln Avenue Nursery, Ramon realized a long-held dream of owning a nursery. The Franco family purchased the business in 2003.
Still growing.
With the involvement of their children Juan Ramon, Brenda and Alejandro, the Franco family continues improving the nursery while keeping it a hands-on, family-run place where customers can ask questions and get practical help.
A living history
The nursery keeps changing. The neighborhood connection stays.
More than 120 years after its founding, Lincoln Avenue Nursery remains an in-person nursery built around plants, people and useful garden knowledge.
Meet the team
The people behind the plants.
Ramon Franco
Ramon grew up in Jalisco, Mexico, before coming to Pasadena at age 14. Years later, he became a Lincoln Avenue customer and often joked with the previous owner that he would take over when retirement came around. Eventually, that call really came. Ramon loves finding new plants, meeting new people and having a place where he can bring his garden ideas to life.
Brenda Franco
Brenda was born into the nursery life—something she jokes was less of a career choice and more of a family assignment. She grew up in Altadena and brings a creative, artistic eye to Lincoln Avenue. Her favorite part of working here is spending time with her dad and helping keep the family nursery moving forward.
Javier Martinez
Javier joined Lincoln Avenue in 2017 after doing concrete work at the nursery with his dad—and never left. He enjoys working outside, learning about new plants and being part of the day-to-day rhythm of the nursery. Away from work, his interests include horror movies, Dungeons & Dragons and Pokémon, and he is also a skilled electrician.
Chris Livingston
Chris joined the nursery team in January 2017 after a referral from a vendor. A self-described plant nerd, he especially enjoys discovering new species, varieties and intriguing garden products, then introducing customers to them. Outside the nursery, Chris enjoys hiking, camping and kayaking.
Steve Reich
Steve came to Lincoln Avenue through a recommendation from a former nursery employee and has spent years helping customers become more confident gardeners. He especially enjoys teaching planting and growing best practices. Steve also has commercial irrigation experience, and away from work he proudly describes himself as a theme-park addict.
Gerardo Tolentino
Gerardo joined Lincoln Avenue in January 2012 after hearing about the opportunity through Sergio, a former coworker from La Crescenta Nursery. He enjoys working outdoors, being surrounded by plants and meeting other people who share an interest in growing things. When he is not at the nursery, Gerardo enjoys fishing.
Sergio Ureña
Sergio joined Lincoln Avenue in March 2011 after getting to know Ramon while working as a vendor. What he values most about the nursery is the friendly environment and the coworkers he has spent so many years alongside. Outside work, Sergio especially enjoys spending time with his grandchildren and family.
Brian Suarez
Brian joined the nursery team in 2026 and grew up in the Pasadena area. He brings a friendly, creative energy to the crew, with interests that include model building, painting, cosplay, board games and Comic-Con. He also enjoys a wide variety of music and is always open to discovering something new.
Come say hello
Good gardening advice starts with context.
Bring photos, measurements, a plant label or even a leaf sample when you visit. The more our team can see about the space or problem, the more useful the conversation can be.