5 New York City must-visits for plant and flower lovers

Image credit: MeganandKenneth

Walk on a trail surrounded by seasonal grasses and blooms, build your own arrangement at one of the world’s most famous flower markets, or swing away the afternoon at a biophilic design store. It may be called the concrete jungle, but there are plenty of green adventures to be had around New York City—if you know where to look. Good thing you will. Start here: with our five NYC must-visits for plant and flower enthusiasts, from Chelsea to Bushwick.

Build a Bouquet at the NYC Flower Market

Starting with the most capital-M Musts of the must-visits: the New York City Flower Market. It’s found on 28th St. in Manhattan's Chelsea neighbourhood—for non-locals, Chelsea is the area that stretches from 14th to 34th St & 6th Avenue to the Hudson River. While the Market used to be much, much larger, with over 65 vendors setting up shop daily to cater to the city’s florists, it has since shrunk to a fraction of the size. Luckily, there are still plenty of places to buy tropical plants, dried flowers, or bunches of your favourite blooms from local and international purveyors. The best time to stop by? Bright and early on a weekday.

Walk the Highline

When you’ve had your fill of the Flower Market, head downtown to the Highline: a public park designed by renowned landscape architects and built on an old freight rail line over the streets of Manhattan’s West Side. Sound lovely? It really is. The Highline opened in 2009 as a space for visitors to immerse themselves in nature and art, after being saved from demolition through the hard work of local residents. We love seeing how the landscape architects and gardeners incorporate seasonal grasses and flowers into an ever-evolving landscape. Take it from us: there’s no prettier way to get from Chelsea to the Meatpacking District.

Stop by the World’s First Biophilic Design Store

Location: 91 West Street, Brooklyn NY 11222

Greenpoint saw the opening of the world’s first biophilic design store back in 2019, and it’s well worth stopping by—whether you’re in the market for a towering plant, green wall, or heart-eyes-worthy Instagram story. It’s called Greenery Unlimited, and it’s a lush oasis full of plants, tech-y plant maintenance tools, and swings surrounded by succulents. Behind the registers, you’ll see a huge wall covered in living plants that are watered by a built-in system: that’s one of their specialties, bringing air-purifying plants to offices, yoga studios, and homes around the city.

Visit Stems, Bushwick’s Leading Eco-Florist

Location: 96 Knickerbocker Ave #109, Brooklyn, NY 11237

Bushwick is just about as industrial of a neighborhood as they come, so the recent surge in plant shops and floral boutiques offer a much-needed escape for locals and visitors to the area. We love Stems for their dry flower bar and curated selection of natural beauty products, as well as their plant accessories like pots and macrame hanging baskets. Their designers take a more whimsical approach to flower arrangements, incorporating locally-sourced blooms into unusual shapes and forms. “Designer’s choice” is always an option, or you can request a specific colour or vibe to bring a vision of your own to life. What's more, Stems pride themselves on being community-minded and eco-conscious; sourcing local florals, recycling/upcycling, excluding floral foams, chemical dyes & bleach, and composting their organic floral waste!

Support Local Artisans at Little Shop of Soil

Location: 279 Starr St, Brooklyn, NY 11237

Another Brooklyn favourite of ours is found nearby, and it’s a plant store called Little Shop of Soil. Their team obsessively sources work from local makers and artisans, curating one of the best selections of ceramic containers and plant accessories in the city. From ribbed pots in pastel shades to sculptural planters covered in playful painted patterns, you’re in luck if you’re looking for an unusual, eye-catching container. In addition to rare plants and lovely ceramics, they’ve also got a soil bar where you can re-pot a new or growing plant—plus an extensive gift area with books, candles, and art.

Getting your daily dose of nature is important anywhere, but especially in bustling cities like New York. Stop by one (or all) of our favourite picks for plant and flower lovers on your next trip to the city for a little green respite.