Space+Reason Properties

Kristina Browning | Realtor

Great Portland Garden stores, shops and greenhouses

March 23, 2016 2 Comments

If you love gardening, plants and green things, then you will love this list of locally owned shops!

  • Pistils Nursery – 3811 N Mississippi Ave, Portland, OR Enjoy a large selection of ferns, terrariums, aerium plants, succulents and more while the resident chickens and rooster survey the grounds.  I love a shop that offers classes and you can sign up for whatever interests you here.  Need some worms harvested?  Call ahead, they can do that.
  • Thicket – 4933 NE 23rd Ave., Portland OR They describe the shop as a “botanical tangle of botanical curiosities, vintage finds and modern craft to inspire life lived in the garden.”  Well written, charming and oh-so true.
  • Bedford Brown – 1825 NW Vaughn Street, Portland OR  On a 2-block stretch of Vaughn Street in the NW Industrial area is an extraordinary amalgamation of high end furniture and stunning (real and faux) plants.  Need a beautiful pot?  Stop in and head back to the rear atrium.
  • Tony’s Garden Center – 10300 SE Holgate Blvd, Portland OR  If you have beans, tomatoes, peppers (a ton of varieties) and cucumbers in mind, go see Tony and his greenhouses.  You will find another location at 10473 SE 172nd Ave., Happy Valley, OR   –  owned by Abe and Barbara along with their grown children, often behind the counter to help you.
  • Pomarius Nursery – 1920 NW 18th Avenue Portland, OR You’ll find art in those gardens…They stock a large variety of English, German and dwarf boxwoods, including variegated specimens and topiaries. If interesting plants excite you, this is your place.
  • Naomi’s Organic Farm Supply – 2615 SE Schiller St., Portland OR A small, quality, organic shop where you can also buy bees, goats, worms and chickens! You’ll also find straw, hay, compost, potting soils, livestock feeds, salts, pet food, beautiful hand tools, herbs, vegetables, flowers, fruit, seeds, chocolates and a lot of books. They also host workshops.
  • The Urban Farm Store – 3454 SE Powell Blvd., Portland, OR the spot to go if keeping chickens interests you.  Naomi’s (above) sells them as well but these guys actually wrote the book “A Chicken in every Yard” so if you’re just starting out, the Urban Farm store is a great place to start.
  • Garden Fever – 3433 NE 24th Ave., Portland OR In addition to a great selection of both indoor and outdoor plants, boots, gloves, hats, planters, fertilizer, fountains, terrarium supplies, how to books and lanterns, they host educational workshops and provide a convenient tool sharpening service (for your kitchen knives too.) The owners have gone to great lengths to inform their customers about which of their plants are free of chemicals that are harmful to bees, and have also begun asking that their plant suppliers take a pledge not to use these chemicals as well.
  • Hammer + Vine – 2190 W Burnside St., Suite B., Portland OR You will find a wide assortment of shells, gems, mosses and other treasures to make your terrarium unique as well as delights like mushroom growing kits and cheese making kits. Need a last minute gift?  You will stumble upon art and jewelry from local crafters as well as unique home decor too.  This is all about indoor plants and treasures.

And because not everyone lives so close in…here’s a bonus for good measure:

  • Serres Greenhouses & Garden Center – 14620 Forsythe Rd., Oregon City 97045  Started in 1902, they carry  spring flowering plants, annuals, vegetable starts, hanging baskets, roses, Christmas Trees, and more.
  • Down to Earth Home and Garden – 532 Olive St, Eugene, OR 97401 More than a garden supply shop because you will find organic plants, seeds, potting soil and fertilizer, as well as goods for the whole home made from sustainable or recycled materials.  It SO OREGON!

This is WORTH THE DRIVE – and it’s REAL!  I went this past Spring and could not believe my eyes.

  • Rare plant research IS A THING – and sort-of a place…they have public events just twice per year in Oregon City on the most incredibly beautiful vineyard covered with rare plants.  You will find a mediocre website here not representative of the goodness you will find when you show up in person.  I promise you will not be disappointed if you want an afternoon of eye candy in the green thumb department.  The grounds are magnificent and you can buy what you see.

If house plants are your jam or greatest desire, I have a crush on this blog post from Gardenista, and you might enjoy it too.