Quarantine generated a green thumb plant craze. With people bored at home and nothing to do, they turned to researching and taking care of plants as a hobby. I have also fallen victim to the plant addiction. Luckily, Gainesville has quite a bit of local plant shops, so I am going to show you my favorite ones.
Plantstay, located on 3739 W. University Ave., is a local houseplant shop that also offers workshops. In these workshops, you can learn plant propagation, how to build a terrarium or just helpful information for new plant parents. They are known for carrying rare plants and they restock weekly to keep up their selection. In-store services are also available in case you need help with your new plant. The most popular services are repotting, drilling holes to allow for drainage and custom soil blending to make sure your plant thrives. A unique service they offer is an in-home consultation where an employee will come to your house or apartment and help you find the most aesthetically appealing home for your plants based on the room and the lighting. You can even join the “plant friends club” and receive a new plant monthly for a whole year!
Roots Plant Studio is a small plant shop focused on sustainability. They want to encourage people to “add a little green to their lives.” They have something for everyone from tiny, little succulents to bouquets of flowers; whatever you are looking for, you can find it here. So many unique trinkets are sold such as mugs, keychains and even little accessories for your plant. Little cacti are dressed in witch hats and brooms to fully embrace the upcoming fall weather. One of the main features of this shop is the do-it-yourself terrarium bar. Customers can come in and pick a container and fill it with plants, rocks and whatever they want. The shop carries so many little figurines, so people are able to fully customize their terrarium to fit their style. So go ahead and add fairies, dinosaurs or any other little friend you want.
Tropical Roots Plant Company is a plant nursery only open on Saturdays and Sundays. Their mission is to “provide the power of plants to your mental and physical health.” Owning plants can boost one’s mood by providing an entertaining hobby. They ship nationwide and are even having a rare plant swap coming up on Oct. 3 from 1 – 4 p.m. at 17010 W. Newberry Rd. This nursery is a great place when looking for an eccentric, special plant.
Serpentine Plants and Provisions, in my opinion, was by far the most aesthetically pleasing plant shop. This is where you can fully live out all of your Pinterest dreams. Anything you get from here is for sure going on your Instagram story. The store is full of pinks and greens and the trendiest pots and plants you could ever find. Walking in, it almost felt like an art gallery rather than a plant shop. But it is also a lot more than a plant shop, it is very well known for its natural wine. The store had full shelves of wine and a wine fridge. They also offer a wine club, where someone can choose from two or four bottles of their natural wine each month. This shop is the place to take your friends on a weekend afternoon post-brunch.