Top Garden Centers In Philadelphia
NOTE: Due to the coronavirus pandemic, make sure to call the garden centers below to make sure they are open. This post was originally from 2016.
There are several Gardens Centers in the Philadelphia area to lend a thumb for the growing season. Planting a garden makes good sense, it allows you to have access to fresh vegetables and herbs, gives you possible medicine and is a viable skill if the world suddenly is inundated with the zombie apocalypse. But even without such a dire reason, gardening is a relaxing hobby for many. Here are the top five places to gather up what you need to make your garden grow.
Greensgrow Farms
2501 Cumberland St
Philadelphia, PA 19125
(215)427-2780
www.greensgrow.org
Greensgrow Farms is a 2014 Best Gardening Center winner by Philadelphia Magazine, and the Best Urban Garden Center for 2015. You can take a variety of different classes and participate in regular events here. The center also offers the ability for you to order what you need. Greensgrow Farms can give volunteering community hours and also operates a CSA (community supported agriculture). You can purchase a share of produce from a regional farmer. Container gardening is possible here for those with patio and terrace gardens.
Urban Jungle
1526 Passyunk Ave
Philadelphia, PA 19147
(215)952-0811
www.urbanjunglephila.com
Urban Jungle is a popular destination for people with patios in the city, and a Best Of winner for this niche. This jungle of a store is a massive garage that has much of what you are seeking. They also offer classes in variety of garden activities such as terrarium building. Besides plants, some of their most popular products are fountains, irrigation, green roofs and vertical green walls. Much of what you would need for a true urban jungle is part of what you can find here.
City Planter
814 N 4th St.
Philadelphia, PA 19123
(215)627-6169
www.cityplanter.com
City Planter is located in the Northern Liberties section of Philly. Some of their most popular products to purchase, besides the vegetables, are their unique window boxes and planters. Patrons are very happy with the excellent customer service they receive here. Even if you are an unexperienced gardener with no green thumbs, they can plant it for you and bring it to your home. They are open daily 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Laurel Hill Gardens
8125 Germantown Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19118
(215)247-9490
www.laurelhillgardens.com
Laurel Hill Gardens is in the historic section of Chestnut Hill and opened as a garden center in 1981. It's a beautiful place described as the "gateway to heaven" from customers. Here they offer organic gardening supplies, window boxes, planters, verticals, composting tea and a full landscape and garden shop. Professional but pricey, you get what you pay for, so if you have the money to invest you won't be disappointed. Laurel Hill Gardens is accredited by NOFA (Northeast Organic Farming Association) as an organic land care professional are considered one of the most environmentally friendly garden centers in the city.
Primex Garden Center
435 W. Glenside Ave
Glenside, PA 19038
(215)887-7500
www.primexgardencenter.com
Primex Garden Center is family owned and operated since 1943; they have helpful customer service and are a full garden center with everything you would be looking for (even the chains send people here). The only downside is the parking, which doesn't match the popularity so weekends are very busy. You will need to plan for this most of the time. Primex runs events and workshops every weekend (even in the winter) and some examples of potential classes are raised bed gardening, beekeeping and vegetable planting. The average class cost is $10.
Christina Dagnelli is a freelance writer in Philadelphia and the author of Little Squares with Colors: A Different way to look at autism. Her work on examiner can be found here Examiner.com.