The Plant Lover’s Guide to Bed Stuy
Get your dose of nature in at these neighborhood plant shops, nurseries and community gardens.
Plant-loving Brooklynites have so much to explore in Bed Stuy.
A stark contrast to industrial Bushwick, Bed Stuy is one New York City neighborhood with nature built into the landscape — with tree-lined streets of brownstones and over 30 community gardens. It’s no wonder so many nature enthusiasts have planted themselves in the neighborhood, with tons of exciting new floral boutiques, plant shops and plant nurseries popping up over the past few years. For those looking to check out all the green goodness that Bed Stuy has to offer, read on for our Plant Lover’s Guide to Bed Stuy.
Natty Garden is our go-to local plant shop for large or unusual plants, plant care tools, and plant accessories. The laid-back corner shop carries a wide, well-curated selection of houseplants: from String of Bananas in hanging baskets, to Pothos of all different varieties, to covetable Mini Monsteras. My favorite recent score has been a wooden plant stand on wheels, which I use to elevate my Rubber Tree—streamlining my watering routine and keeping my cat away from its toxic leaves. Locals count on Natty Garden for organic products, colorful ceramic plant pots, and plant care advice from experts.
Natty Garden, 383 Marcus Garvey Blvd
Stonefruit Botanical is a local plant shop-coffee shop hybrid with an impressive selection of healthy drinks and plant accessories. Here, you can pick up something warm and healthy like a Golden Milk Latte (turmeric, ginger, pink peppercorn, allspice, lemongrass) along with an easy-going succulent, lush spider plant in a macrame basket or “everlasting bouquet” of dried flowers. The plant shop also carries a curated assortment of botanical beauty products, like a floral blend for botanical face steams and nourishing Bergamot-Lavender body oil.
Stonefruit Botanical, 1058 Bedford Ave
Seasons is a neighborhood nursery founded by Bed Stuy native Deborah Young. During the spring and summer, this plant-filled sanctuary is full of colorful flowers and tropical plants like birds of paradise and fiddle leaf figs, giving way to Christmas trees and wreaths in December before closing its doors for a brief break during the peak of winter. The team here is friendly, knowledgeable, and dedicated to only selling you houseplants that will work for your space. Expect to discuss which direction your home is facing, how many windows you have, and how much effort you want to dedicate to plant parenthood before receiving the perfect plant recommendation.
Seasons, 358 Stuyvesant Ave
Should you be looking to dabble in urban farming or just chill on a bench surrounded by flowers, Bed Stuy is home to over 30 community gardens where you can hang out, learn farming techniques or taste some local produce. Just be sure to check the website of your local community garden before heading over, as many are operating on a limited schedule or may have closed their gates because of Covid.
Community Gardens, various locations
LaParis Phillips, the creative mind behind Brooklyn Blooms, approaches flower arranging the same way that she picks out an outfit: “mixing textures, colors, and silhouettes” to create stunning tailored looks. Brooklyn Blooms offers curated, themed collections of floral arrangements for major flower holidays like Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day. Otherwise, you can always stop by the charming flower shop for a custom flower arrangement or individual stem or two. Philips’ talented team will make sure that you walk away with something that really works for the recipient, making it a neighborhood gem definitely worth checking out.
Brooklyn Blooms, 443 Nostrand Ave
Whether you’re looking to grow your houseplant collection or volunteer at a community garden, Bed Stuy has more to offer nature-lovers than you might think. Some of NYC’s most talented floral designers and enthusiastic plant people call this neighborhood home, and we love exploring the ever-growing list of plant and flower shops it has to offer.