A story of friendship, resilience, and a dream that bloomed from tragedy — welcome to LA’s newest independent garden center.
Los Angeles has always been a city of reinvention. Of people who arrive with a dream, get knocked down by something they never saw coming, and find a way — somehow, beautifully, stubbornly — to rise. Monarch Nursery, which just opened its doors on Lincoln Boulevard in Santa Monica, is one of the most moving examples of that spirit I have come across in a very long time. And I think this city needs to know about it.
The Story Behind Monarch Nursery
Monarch Nursery is the passion project of two best friends — Jasper Watts and Anton van der Woude — a pair of Brits who have called Los Angeles home for the last two decades and whose shared journey to this moment is equal parts heartbreaking and deeply inspiring.
Anton is no stranger to building something from scratch in this city. His earlier venture, Our/Los Angeles vodka, became a beloved staple in hotels and bars across LA — a genuinely thriving business that had carved out a real place in the city’s hospitality landscape. Then the pandemic hit, and like so many small businesses that couldn’t withstand the economic devastation that followed, the downtown distillery didn’t survive. It was a loss that would have stopped many people entirely.
Jasper’s story is equally compelling — and even more personal. From his Altadena home, he ran a beloved community garden and operated Biocat Solutions LLC, a soil amendment technology company that supplied commercial farms with microbial products to support plant health and increase yields. It was meaningful, purposeful work rooted — literally — in the earth. Then came the Altadena fires last year. The garden. The business. The home. All of it, gone.
Two men. Two devastating losses. One remarkable friendship. And out of all of it — Monarch Nursery.
What Is Monarch Nursery?
Monarch Nursery is Santa Monica’s premier independent garden center, specializing in pollinators, indoor exotic plants, high-quality soils, and amendments — carrying everything the Westside gardener needs, whether you’re a first-time plant parent or a seasoned landscaper.
The exotic plants selection alone is worth the trip. If you’ve been searching for something beyond the standard nursery fare — something rare, striking, and conversation-worthy — Monarch is already delivering. The indoor exotic plant collection is curated with a genuine eye for the unusual and the beautiful, and it reflects Jasper’s deep, lifelong connection to the natural world and his expertise in plant health and soil science.
The Opening Party: Sip, Shop, and Support
On May 2nd, Monarch Nursery celebrated its grand opening with a gorgeous event alongside fashion designer Kitty Cooper, inviting guests to sip, shop, and show up for this beautiful new addition to the Santa Monica community. It was exactly the kind of gathering that Monarch deserves — warm, creative, community-driven, and rooted in the belief that beautiful things can grow from even the hardest ground.
Why LA Needs to Support Monarch Nursery
Here’s the thing about Monarch Nursery that goes beyond the exotic plants and the gorgeous indoor selections and the expertly curated soils and amendments — though all of that is genuinely excellent. This nursery represents something this city needs right now: proof that resilience is real. That friendship sustains. That dreams don’t die just because circumstances force them underground for a while.
The Altadena fires took so much from so many people. Monarch Nursery is one of the most beautiful answers to that loss that I have seen — a living, growing, blooming rebirth that invites the entire community to be part of something meaningful.
Go visit. Buy a plant. Bring a friend. Support Jasper and Anton as they build something extraordinary on Lincoln Boulevard.
This is Los Angeles at its most resilient — and its most beautiful.
Monarch Nursery is open Tuesdays – Saturdays, 10:00 am – 6:00 pm and Sundays, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm. Consider this your standing weekend plans. Find Monarch Nursery at 3280 Lincoln Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90405. Follow them on Instagram @monarchnursery and shop online at monarch-nursery.com
