Weekends are for plant shopping, and in 2020: well every day is for plant shopping. On our end, we’ve been trying our best to support our local plant shops by buying plants, gifts and giftscards for family and friends for the holidays. Of course there may have slipped a little plant for ourselves into our shopping basket too. And when we couldn’t find what we were looking for, we shopped online. It’s been a challenging year for all brick & mortar shops, but so far we’ve been impressed by their agility to adjust and open “click & collect” or call & collect” or “pavement pick-up” or “drive-through” shopping options. Not only have we been highlighting the best plant shops around the world on our Instagram account @urbanjungleblog every weekend, we also included a helpful list of plant shops in the Plant Tribe book. So that, once we get to travel again, you can check if there’s a note-worthy plant shop in the place that you’re visiting. There you have it: one of our wishes for 2021.
One of the plant shops that’s in the book and that we warmly recommend is Jane Jardinerie. Actually it’s two shops, as Jane has boutiques in both Nantes and Angers. Anne and Sophie opened their urban garden centers more than four years ago and focus on the vegetable garden, the balcony and the indoor garden. But they don’t only propose a large selection of plants, tools, pots, soil, fertilizer and accessories, but also organize all kinds of workshop around urban gardening. We can’t wait to see what they cook up for 2021 when we can hopefully meet and participate in workshops and events again. For now, have a virtual look around both Jane boutiques and make sure to visit Jane Jardinerie in Nantes or Angers when you’re in the neighborhood.
Why Jane?
JANE is a tribute to Jeanne Barret, the first female botanist to tour the world. Widely unknown in France, its history has not left us indifferent… We are in the Age of Enlightenment, in 1766. Jeanne Barret embarks on the first French expedition around the world led by Bougainville to accompany the famous naturalist and botanist, Philibert Commerson, her companion. To go “unnoticed” on board, she decides to disguise herself as a man and take on the identity of Jean Baré, Philibert Commerson’s valet. The trick was discovered in Tahiti and Bougainville soon brought them to Ile de France, known today as Mauritius. Jeanne Barret assists Philibert Commerson in his discovery of new botanical species. He died in Mauritius in 1773, leaving Jane behind. She leads a new life in Saint-Louis and meets Jean Dubernat whom she marries. The couple return to France. Jeanne brings back the botanical harvests of Philibert Commerson intended for the “King’s Garden”, ie 30 cases containing some 5,000 species, of which 3,000 are described as new. King Louis XVI recognized her merits as an assistant botanist and commended her for her good behavior, he designated her as an “extraordinary woman” and paid her a pension. Of her adventure, there will remain traces recorded in the logbook of Bougainville, in the writings of Diderot and her important contribution to the knowledge of botany.
Also available at Jane Jardinerie: both our books Urban Jungle and Plant Lovers (Plant Tribe in French):
Jane Jardinerie NANTES
10 rue Mercœur
02 40 77 82 56
Jane Jardinerie ANGERS
21, rue Toussaint
02 41 96 58 36
Ok let’s be frank: New York is always worth a trip! No matter your interests, your likings, your plans. The city that never sleeps offers it all – for everybody. So if you are a plant freak like us, you will enjoy the city to the max too. Just like we did a few weeks ago when we went to New York City for an exciting upcoming plant project (stay tuned). We snapped away with our smartphones and brought back some of our favorite green tips for New York – bookmark these if you plan a visit and love plants. Let’s roll!
Let’s first start with some plant shopping. It’s very easy to find some nice plants in the Big Apple! You can go to the Chelsea Flower Market, or visit one of the cool urban plant shops in town. Our list was long and between meetings & lunches we managed to visit quite a few. Our first stop is at the beautiful Green Fingers Market, by talented Satoshi Kawamoto, the Japanese plant artist and creative director behind Green Fingers also known as Satie San. If you like his signature style of unique vintage treasures and plants, make sure to also check out our post about the Green Fingers plant shop in Milan HERE.
Green Fingers Market – 5 Rivington street – New York, NY 10002
__________________________
We received so many DMs from friends & Urban Jungle Bloggers that we HAD to visit Sprout in Brooklyn. One of their stores in Grand Street is all about dressing a beautiful table and kitchen ware, paired with beautiful greenery. And just across the street you can find their XXL shop with anything planty and floral.
Houseplants in every size, shape and color, a repotting station, cooled flowers, airplants, a really nice selection of ceramics, glassware, plant pots, plant hangers, tools, soils, stones & gems, terrariums and more at this XXL shop with exposed bricks and bright yellow, pink and black accents. The design of the shop is spacious, clean and makes the plants stand out really well. We loved it and fell hard for the Etch planters by Capra Designs, but also purchased some nice smaller ceramics and citrine stones!
Sprout Home – 59 Grand Street – Brooklyn, NY 11249
__________________________
Coffee and plants are always a good idea! Welcome to Plant Shed where you can sit down for a coffee, treat yourself to a new houseplant, or purchase a freshly picked bouquet for a friend. Or buy one the fun planters, like the Modernica large Mushroom planters:
Plant Shed – 1 Prince St. (at Bowery) – New York, NY 10012
__________________________
More plants, coffee and flowers… different style! You can shop for all of it at one of the locations of Homecoming. They also stock some really nice books and magazines, ceramics, candles, watering cans, glassware, plaids. Everything to make coming home even nicer!
Plants and coffee are nice, but what about really good vintage designs and plants? The spacious shop of Other Times in Brooklyn has a fantastic selection of vintage furniture (like Danish Design sideboards), lamps, mirrors, planters and books, paired with tall Sansevieira, cereus cacti, Stromanthe triostar, fiddle figs, palms and more… Oh and make sure to check out their cool selection of vintage books as well. The titles are hilarious!
Other Times Vintage– 48 Bogart St – Brooklyn, NY 11206
__________________________
If there is one shop that doesn’t need an introduction, it’s The Sill. They are the best in online marketing and make ordering plants online so easy! They propose the most easy going common houseplants, delivered in their own The Sill ceramics. We visited both locations, on in the Upper Westside, the other one in Chinatown. They just opened a shop in Los Angeles as well. Welcome to The Sill jungle!
The Sill – 84 Hester Street – New York, NY 10002 & 448 Amsterdam Ave – New York, NY 10024 (new location in LA: 8125 W 3rd Street)
__________________________
Also in China town: this not very fancy, but oh-so-interesting Plant shop called Dahing Plants where our friend Brian took us one night before a just-as-fancy meal (Mac & Cheese spring rolls anyone?!). At Dahing Plants they have a surprising selection of bigger plants, like the XL blooming Jade plants you see in the picture below, for hard-to-beat prices. Definitely worth a visit when you’re looking for something big and affordable in New York:
Plant shopping makes you hungry! Time for a break and indulge in a green café, like at Stonefruit Espresso in Brooklyn. Yummy food and drinks that you can enjoy at the large communal table in the back where you can create your own bouquet of dried flowers, buy a new houseplant, find nice planty accessories, like the pins and keyrings by our friend Samantha from Hemleva.
In the back of the Williamsburg location of Juice Generation you’ll find a huge glass window that gives you a peek into a large urban jungle with real tropical plants. A good idea they put all plants behind glass, because you could get tempted to snap a cutting of one of these 😉
The best freshly roasted coffee, with a large vertical garden with as a backdrop? Go to Devoción Coffee. They roast their own coffee blends, their vertical garden features 150 Colombian native coffee plants and their granola bar is to die for!
Devocíon – 69 Grand St. (at Wythe) – Brooklyn, NY 11249
__________________________
At Little Park restaurant, in the heart of TriBeCa, they serve seasonal food that highlights local farmers, anglers, vintners, ranchers and foragers. From farm to table, in a nice setting with lush Golden Pothos that create a green curtain in front of the windows:
If you are looking for a fun place to stay in Brooklyn, consider renting a room in The Funky Loft. We met with owner Marcella in her spacious loft in the heart of Bushwick, Brooklyn that looks like a quirky and funky home where you can feel at home, play some funky tunes on the piano, admire the many thriving plants, hang out with other guests, pin your hometown on the custom map, or just relax in your own private room. Funky and good vibes guaranteed!
When you think of visiting your dentist, you probably don’t think of cool plants, stylish design, a home-y feel or staff that makes you feel like friends, Yet, it is exactly what you’ll get when your dentist is called Dr Jennifer Plotnick. Her state-of-the-art practice on Grand Street (neighboring Sprout Plant Shop), called Grand Street Dental makes you want to hang out at your dentist every day. Their selection of plants by the famous Putnam Flowers, are just gorgeous.
And one thing that is on our list wherever we go: to visit the local botanical garden. The NYC Botanical Garden requires some time to get there, but a visit to the Brooklyn Botanical Garden was easier to fit into our schedule. The park outside was in full hibernation mode, but inside the greenhouses it was green and lush, humid and dry. Very inspiring and very Instagrammable too!
– The High Line – An elevated freight rail line transformed into a public park on Manhattan’s West Side. It wasn’t very green when we visited this February, but we were told it’s really nice in Spring and Summer.
– Rooted – 81 Quay St – Brooklyn, NY 11222, USA – The guys that deliver a curated collection of pre-potted plants delivered straight to your door, now also have a brick & mortar shop!
– Greenery NYC – 91 West Street – Brooklyn, NY 11222 – Freshly opened, just days after we left NYC: the world’s first biophilic design store in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.
Photography by Urban Jungle Bloggers This blogpost was not sponsored, we genuinely enjoyed all these green spots!
Believe it or not – it is roughly four weeks to Christmas (for those celebrating) and we have to admit we like the festive season! A mug of mulled wine, spicy ginger bread, and friends and family gathering. And if you have plant loving people among your family and friends, it is such a pleasure to hunt for green gifts. Just to be clear: Don’t forget to spoil yourself too, plant friend! After all we all deserve a little green treat every now and then. Like last year we compiled a Green Gift Guide for you that is totally Urban Jungle Bloggers approved! Cool new plant pots, a stylish watering can, botanical bedlinen or even ‘planty’ chocolate – we have a few ideas if you are on the hunt for some green presents.
Of course we just had to include the Urban Jungle Book in the gift guide too – after all we believe it is a fantastic addition to any plant loving home. And it’s available in ten languages now (English, German, French, Dutch, Czech, Swedish, Norwegian, Russian, Korean and Chinese), There is no excuse to not start your green gift hunt! Here is a fantastic list of 20 green gifts for plant lovers at your service! Happy gift shopping!
1 —Water resistant paper pot covers by Papier Tigre 2 —Stromanthe sanguinea ‘Triostar’ keychain by Hemleva 3 —Hanging planter HALO (100% emission-free!) by Wildernis Amsterdam 4 —Our Urban Jungle Book, available in English – Deutsch – Français – Nederlands – Český – Russian – Swedish – Norwegian – Korean – Chinese 5 —Deep milk chocolate bar by Compartes x Beverly Hills Hotel
6 — Fig tree scented candle by Diptyque 7 —Palm Beach eco-friendly water bottle by Swell 8 —Sandstone Plant Pots by Angus and Celeste 9 —Indoor table top Grow House Trystan by MADE.com 10 —Natural linen Leaf play mat by Omoloko on Etsy 11 —Barbican Conservatory print by Jacqueline Colley 12 —Copper watering can by Haws 13 —TriPot set of 3 artisanal terracotta pots by Livingthings 14 —Plant Stand Tondo by Bujnie 15 —Rattlesnake Calathea in Dolores planter by The Sill 16 —Hanging planters duvet cover set by Urban Outfitters 17 —Leaflike decorative metal leaves by Lucie Kaas 18 — Deluxe Sprout Gift Set by Sprout 19 —Handmade Sansevieria rug by GUR 20 —Glowing Roots shelves with light by Spruitje
Jane Jardinerie NANTES 
