Joe Cordova, an Encinitas resident, has been in the nursery business since the '70s. He opened Cordova Gardens in 1998. Today the nursery offers one of the largest inventories of fountains, pottery and succulent and tropical plants in the county. Most of the plants are grown at a local greenhouse also located in Encinitas, just a few blocks away from the gardens. Cordova Gardens provides an outdoor shopping experience with a few large greenhouse structures that shade plants from the sun. Some of the fountains also flow with water, adding to the calm and quiet atmosphere.