Viny haven gives way to houses

Alicia Robinson

Canyon Drive lost a once-lush jungle of sorts and replaced it with

homes, but it’s a change neighbors don’t mind.

After more than 30 years in Costa Mesa, plant supplier Instant

Jungle International is in the process of moving to more convenient

digs in Santa Ana. In its place, the Planning Commission in 2003

approved plans for a development of small lots with 18 detached,

single-family units on a private street-to-be.

Specializing in tropical plants, Instant Jungle sells wholesale

and retail plants and makes custom silk plants. It also offers

landscape design assistance, maintenance of indoor plants and plant

rental for special occasions and film production.

“It was supposed to be just like an investment, and then things

kind of evolved,” Instant Jungle co-owner Gregory Wallace said.

Richard Moriarty, the plant nursery’s original owner, operated the

nursery from about 1973 until Wallace and business partner Andy

Blanton bought it in 1980, Wallace said. Since then, it’s become so

busy that he’s added or expanded plant-growing facilities in Fontana,

Lake Forest and Northern California, and he ultimately outgrew his

main business center in Costa Mesa.

The location itself wasn’t the most conducive to Wallace’s

business. The steeply sloped, three-acre site is terraced in places

and scattered with seven plant houses, some offices and a building

for storing plant pots and making silk plants.

“It’s one of the few properties in the city that really has

topography,” said Willa Bouwens-Killeen, a senior planner with the

city. “It’s kind of a challenging lot.”

Wallace said the site and the increasing number of trucks he

needed caused difficulties, but he’ll miss Canyon Drive -- and its

cool breezes -- when he moves to Santa Ana.

“Costa Mesa’s been a great situation for us,” he said. “Santa

Ana’s going to be a little bit warmer. It’s more industrial.”

Wallace and Blanton closed the sale of the property last month.

Neighbors are excited because they think a new housing development

may help their property values, but some will miss having a tropical

jungle so close by, Wallace said.

Instant Jungle International was, in a way, a victim of its own

success, Costa Mesa Planning Commissioner Eric Bever said. Bever

lives next to the nursery property.

“They were impacting the neighborhood,” he said. “They were

loading and unloading trucks on Canyon Drive. I think their success

was really the source of the friction.”

The developer on the project has changed since it began, but Bever

said he’s happy with the current plans. More housing is needed, and

it’s in a prime location, he said.

“Most of the people in the vicinity do feel that this is a

positive project,” Bever said. “I think people will be glad to see

the area become more of a residential area.”

Instant Jungle International, 2100 Canyon Drive, Costa Mesa, is

holding a half-off plant sale through Saturday, and the business will

complete its move by the end of the month. For information, call

(949) 645-0567.