Alta Tingle is a trendsetter who, unless you’re in the know, you might never have heard of. She opened The Gardener in Berkeley in 1984, pairing plants with elegant yet practical merchandise before this became all the rage in home decor. In 1994, she bought a 0.84-acre lot in Healdsburg at a time when this in vogue destination was still a sleepy country town.
With the help of a creative team, Tingle transformed the property, which was previously home to the Warm Springs Station Deli and Biker Bar, into a weekend getaway (in the main building), as well as a gallery (in a former barn) and a communal area (in the garden), which became the retail space for The Gardener store in Healdsburg when it opened in 1998. The popular store closed in 2022. Now, the two-parcel property (the main home and the former retail space) at 516-520 Dry Creek Road is listed for $1,650,000.
The main home, which was built in 1961, has an open living space and one bedroom, but additional nooks off the living space have been cleverly outfitted as sleeping areas. The bathroom has stone elements, and the chef’s kitchen has walnut cabinets and a wood-burning stove. The living space leads to an expansive deck. Rumor has it that many farm-to-table feasts took place here — Tingle is a close friend of slow-food pioneer and Chez Panisse owner Alice Waters.
Poppies, dahlias, chamomile and thyme grow in the gardens, which have a pergola and persimmon tree. The barn — The Gardener’s former retail space — is now being used by a nonprofit for yoga classes.
Click through the above gallery for a peek at the property.
Note: The Gardener enthusiasts can still shop Tingle’s stores in Berkeley and the San Francisco Ferry Building.
For more information on this home at 516-520 Dry Creek Road, contact listing agent Sophia Rosenberg, sophia.rosenberg@compass.com, 503-936-7499, compass.com