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Best plant shops in London

By CW Contributor on 22/3/2019

Looking to buy some new plants? London is full of experiential plant shops that offer coffee, food or simply a green refuge in the city.
As spring rolls around, it seems that a universal desire takes over to inject colour into all aspects of our lives, from wardrobes, to food, to our urban interiors.
Gone are the days where you had to trek to vast, impersonal garden centres. London's best plant shops offer inviting verdant spaces where you can not only get your green fix, but also take a much-needed pause. These Instagrammable locales are the perfect way to combat the symptoms of concrete overload and escape the urban sprawl – as well as the chance to pick up some new leafy companions.

Conservatory Archives, Hackney

This glorious ramshackle indoor jungle in East London has been attracting a trendy crowd since opening in 2015. Owner Jin Ahn left her job in Seoul as a fashion designer and moved to the UK to study horticulture. In a mission to introduce more greenery into urban lifestyles, she opened Conservatory Archives, and has been supplying stylish Hackneyites with new green friends and a fertile ground for Instagrams ever since. Be warned: this place is packed to the rafters with plants. Expect to have a banana leaf protruding in your face as soon as you enter and to stoop under curtains of Devil’s ivy.

WHERE

493-495 Hackney Road, London, E2 9ED

Battersea Flower Station, Battersea

We like this one for its pun-tastic name and its adorable ‘down the rabbit hole’ vibes. If you take a peek behind a florist stand on Battersea Park Road, you’ll discover a quaint pathway lined with fresh blooms and bunting. This space is oozing with charm, with a starry constellation of fairy lights, rusty wheelbarrows, and a wooden sign advertising ‘free garden advice’ to the less-green-fingered of us – all making you momentarily forget that you’re in the city.

WHERE

16 Winders Road, London, SW11 3HE

Petersham Nurseries, Richmond and Covent Garden

Admittedly Petersham Nurseries is hardly an undiscovered gem, with its mini empire of restaurants and sleek pop-ups at prestigious art fairs, but the original green emporium in Richmond has led the way in creating a tranquil 'third place' and offering an experiential alternative to traditional garden centres. We love its natural gravel floor, its cornucopia of artisanal homewares and picturesque vistas of Richmond’s meadows. It’s also home to a cosy indoor cafe and a Michelin-starred restaurant, making it a destinations for foodies and plant aficionados alike.

WHERE

Church Lane, Richmond, London, TW10 7AB. 31 King Street, Covent Garden, London WC2E 8JD.

Clifton Nurseries, Maida Vale

Is there a better combination than plants and patisseries? Clifton Nurseries is not only home to London's oldest garden centre – having supplied plants to Victorian nature-lovers in the 19th century – but within this lush enclosure wedged between two townhouses, you'll also find the Quince Tree Cafe which offers delicious breakfasts, lunch and afternoon tea. So after perusing its plethora of perennials and laurels of lemon trees, you can fork down a slice of spiced apple cake.

WHERE

5A Clifton Villas, Little Venice, London, W9 2PH

The Chelsea Gardener, Chelsea

Truly the grande dame of garden centres, this elegant orangery is packed with classical sculptures, zen bonsais and impeccable hedges. And, in typical Chelsea fashion, this store takes something as simple as plant shopping to the next, opulent level. An attached cafe and cocktail bar, offers parched plant fiends botanical-themed beverages such as Gardener’s Iced Tea, made with Earl Grey-infused vodka, kombucha and homemade vanilla bourbon. It's a setting so gorgeous that you'll definitely make time for a tipple amongst the topiaries.

WHERE

125 Sydney St, Chelsea, London, SW3 6NR

The Palace Gardener, Fulham

Bypass Nurseries Ltd, who own The Chelsea Gardener, bought up another South-West gem and relaunched the dormant nursery into a vibrant space in 2017. Its format is definitely on the larger side, fulfilling all your practical gardening needs and stocking everything from beguiling terrariums to lilliputian shrubs. If shopping starts to take its toll, take a seat in the centre's bright and spacious Glasshouse Cafe run by the Massarella family, who serve up homemade focaccias and healthy salads.

WHERE

Bishop's Avenue, Fulham, London SW6 6EE

Twigs, Hackney

This is more a cafe than a plant shop, but with original Asian-inspired brunch and lunch fare like rice waffles with salmon, egg and yuzu mayo, and maple soy smoked tofu noodles, we don't mind. This irresistible cafe just off the bustling hipster culinary haunt, Broadway Market, draws you in with its brick exterior and chalkboard menus. Inside is a stylish minimal interior with plenty of warm wood finishes and shelves lined with healthy plants. Stop by to pick up some of their famous chilli oil, a macaroon ice cream sandwich or a cactus nestled in one of their charming ceramic pots.

WHERE

2 Broadway Market Mews, London E8 4TS

Best plant shops in London

Conservatory Archives, Hackney

Battersea Flower Station, Battersea

Petersham Nurseries, Richmond and Covent Garden

Clifton Nurseries, Maida Vale

The Chelsea Gardener, Chelsea

The Palace Gardener, Fulham

Twigs, Hackney

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