When Urban Earth Nursery closed its Fremont location in October, it marked the end of an era for the neighborhood. But for owner Tan Gleason and several former staff members, it was also a beginning.
“The magic of Urban Earth is still in the air,” Gleason said. “It’s just kind of like now we bring it to you.”
A new chapter
Urban Earth Gardens launched as a full-service landscaping business, offering design, installation, and maintenance throughout the Seattle area. The transition has its predictable challenges but the response has been encouraging.
“We’re getting a lot of really good work,” Gleason said. The company recently hired two experienced gardeners, bringing the team to six workers committed to the same values that defined the nursery.
Finding their people
Urban Earth Gardens isn’t trying to serve everyone. Instead, the company seeks clients who share their commitment to conservation, land stewardship, native plants, and pollinators.
“We’re looking for people who are interested in open communication and a shared collective vision for their gardens,” Gleason explained. “Not everyone wants that collaborative relationship.”
The approach stands in contrast to the typical landscaping industry model, where gardeners are often viewed as “the help” rather than partners. Urban Earth Gardens prioritizes clients who want genuine engagement with their gardening team.
Safety and values first
For Gleason, a trans person leading a team that includes other queer and neurodivergent workers, creating a safe work environment is paramount.
“Safety is top priority above people over profit always,” Gleason said. “All of us have been taken advantage of and our bodies have been broken and our minds have been poisoned into thinking that we know less than we do just because of who we are.”
This commitment shapes everything from client selection to team structure. The company operates without hierarchy; expertise is shared, and questioning is encouraged.
“We’re always fluid,” Gleason said. “I don’t see a world in which I would be that person” who leads through top-down command. Instead, team members bring individual knowledge to a collaborative process.
Education as core mission
Accessibility to gardening knowledge remains central to Urban Earth’s identity. The company offers coaching services for homeowners who want to learn proper pruning, successful edible gardening, or general plant care.
“Nothing is proprietary,” Gleason emphasized. “We’ll share anything and everything. You don’t have to—we don’t have to come out and make sure that everything is a transaction.”
This educational approach helps clients of all budget levels. Whether someone has a single planter or an acre of land, Gleason believes they deserve green space and the knowledge to maintain it.
Continuous learning
The landscaping field changes rapidly, driven by climate change and evolving horticultural knowledge. Urban Earth Gardens maintains expertise through constant education.
Team members read scientific texts, attend workshops through organizations like Plant Amnesty, and utilize resources like the Elisabeth C. Miller Library at the Washington Park Arboretum. Recent team certifications include the ISA arborist exam, which brought new insights about tree care and planting techniques.
“You have to be continually educating yourself, always,” Gleason said, “because nothing is static in nature.”
A different business model
Rather than the industry standard of cycling through workers, Urban Earth Gardens builds around its team members’ individual interests and desired projects.
“I’m trying to do the literal opposite of everything that I had to experience,” Gleason said, referring to oppressive work environments common in landscaping. “If I’m going to do this business, I’m going to do it exactly how I want to and not fall into these dysfunctional traps.”
The approach resonates with clients. Word-of-mouth referrals are growing, and neighbors often approach the team during work sites.
Missing Fremont
Although now based in Burien, the team continues meeting weekly at Café Ladro in Fremont, until that location closes in March.
“It’s really sad to not be able to be based in Fremont,” Gleason said. “The grief was just so palpable and real and openly shared with us as we were closing.”
The team processed that collective grief through art installations at the nursery before its closure, creating a space for staff and community members to acknowledge the loss together.
Looking ahead
For Fremont residents interested in working with Urban Earth Gardens, the best approach is through their website’s contact form, email, or Instagram. The company welcomes clients throughout the greater Seattle area, with special consideration for particularly exciting projects.
“We’re really looking for our people versus just trying to get everyone,” Gleason said. “Those people are like our best clients, our best community partners, our best friends and collaborators.”
The connections forged during the nursery years continue giving gifts, Gleason reflected. “I’m not taking one of them for granted. I’m so thankful and grateful for the time with Urban Earth Nursery and everything that has branched out and provided these pathways to do this new thing and create something beautiful.”
Want to hear Tan in their own words? We sat down with Gleason for a conversation about Urban Earth’s next chapter. Watch the clips below.
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