Overview:
Whether you're a chronic plant killer or have a green thumb, we've got you covered with our guide to the best plant stores in Denver.
Hi! My name is Madison Lauterbach and I’m the former editor of Bucket List Community Cafe. Before the onset of COVID-19, I had a minimal collection of house plants that looked sad and neglected. I could barely keep any alive, even those deemed unkillable.
But when my now-husband and I moved in together at our first apartment and the pandemic hit full swing, I was among the millions who collectively spent $1.67 billion on the hobby that year. I dove headfirst into curating my own little indoor jungle, bringing the outside in during a very difficult time. Four years later, I’ve amassed over 70 common and rare house plants, with my eyes set on some unicorns for the future.
Denver has an amazing variety of plant stores and nurseries that carry just about any type of leafy friend you’re looking for, from tropicals to cacti and low-care to high-maintenance. Below is my guide to five favorite plant stores for beginner, intermediate and advanced collectors.
Beginner: Green Lady Gardens
Green Lady Gardens is great for beginners, as the shop mostly carries myriad commons like hoyas, peperomias, begonias, spider plants, fiddle leaf figs, pothos and other trailing plants. The shelves are also plenty stocked with easy-to-care-for succulents like jade and snake plants for those who are more desert-minded.
If you’re just dipping your toes in and looking for something even lower maintenance, Green Lady stocks many fabulous air plants. Make sure to check out the awesome plant pots made by Denver artists and row upon row of Mexican Talavera.
Owner Jessica Schutz is also a great resource for beginners, as she has a massive amount of knowledge to share and hands out care cards for each plant that leaves the shop. Schutz has had a tough year after her previous landlord suddenly broke her lease. She wants people to know the shop is still open; it’s just moved across Santa Fe Drive from the old location. She recently put the store up for sale, so if you’re in the market for your own plant store, check out the details here.
What I’ve bought: Staghorn Fern, Philodendron Brasil, Chinese Money Plant and Philodendron Micans, all of which have thrived! I’ve had several Micans, all of which have gone to the trash after several sad months. This time around, she’s as happy as can be.
Green Lady Gardens, 744 Santa Fe Drive, Denver. Hours: Wednesday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Learn more at www.greenladygardens.com.
Beginner: Plant Garage
On the other side of town, Plant Garage offers much of the same as Green Lady Gardens regarding indoor commons. They’ve got an assortment of hanging plants and sizes to fill every corner of your home, some fun carnivorous guys and the occasional uncommon.
But what sets them apart is their killer team of outdoor plant scapers. Store manager and master gardener Meg Moody said their landscapers have done projects at Union Station and several Starbucks locations throughout the city.
That said, they truly love working to create dream residential yards. Employees at the store aim to make the Plant Garage a part of the community, fostering tight connections with neighbors and dolling out daily treats to their dogs.
Plant Garage’s highly knowledgeable team is ready to tackle any issues with both indoor and outdoor species and offers repotting services. Tip for established collectors: Plant Garage has some great large decorative pots, which we all know can be hard to find.
What I’ve bought: Neon and golden pothos, which are happily married in the same hanging pot.
Plant Garage, 1000 Acoma Street, Denver. Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Learn more at plantgaragedenver.com.
Intermediate: The Plant Room
This is an excellent place to start stepping up your game and venturing into uncommons and rares. This is where I got started with my first “big girl” plant in 2021. The Plant Room has been named Westword’s Readers’ Choice Best Plant Shop for the last three years, so obviously they’re doing something right.
Owner Victor Sosa-Meza curates an incredible assortment of colorful, flashy plants like variegated cacti, succulents, monsteras, philodendrons and ferns. He also carries a variety of African violets, caladiums, begonias and alocasias. But it doesn’t stop at plants—it’s a great place to get useful accessories including moss poles, large nursery pots, pesticides, fertilizers, potting mixes, trellises and pottery.
Sosa-Meza has created a fantastic place to get acquainted with pickier plants that enjoy high humidity and grow lights, as the shop has a humid room housing rare plants, hybrids, and recently, the hitchhiking frogs that make their way to the shop from the grow houses.
What I’ve bought: Philodendron Painted Lady, Philodendron Florida Green, Philodendron Florida Ghost, Philodendron Ring of Fire, Burro’s Tail succulent and a variegated aloe vera. Also, countless bags of specialized aroid soil, pottery, nursery pots and Arber bioinsecticide concentrate.
The Plant Room, 1937 Federal Boulevard, Denver. Hours: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Learn more at https://www.theplantroomdenver.com/.
Intermediate: Bronze Petal
Step into the Bronze Petal, and you’ll be transported to a tropical rainforest. Customers are immediately greeted by a five-foot-tall Monstera Thai Constellation—a rare find. There’s barely a single square foot in this shop that is not covered in lush greenery.
Many of the usual suspects are sold here, but venture to the back of the store and you’ll find some “holy grail” plants. They also have a great stock of accessories and offer terrarium building and paint and sip classes.
The shop has 30 years of experience behind it, with managing partner Todd Lucero, who started off his career as a horticulturist for the Cheyenne Botanical Gardens. He and his team are passionate about plant education and conservation.
What I’ve bought: Philodendron tortum, Black Pagoda Lipstick Plant, Moonshine Shivereana ficus and, most recently, Hoya densifolia, which is on the verge of flowering!
Bronze Petal, 290 South Logan Street, Denver. Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Learn more at www.thebronzepetal.com.
Advanced: Flora Foundry
Nick Ho operates Flora Foundry out of the front room of a house converted into a large greenhouse. This is where you find the unicorns and unique hybrids, hand-raised by Ho himself.
The plants here carry a “Zero Mile promise,” in which none are flipped or resold before they end up in his shop. That means your plant will arrive back at your home healthier and healthier. It also means you’ll get rare plants for a fantastic price, and when available, he offers exchanges for failing plants.
Ho not only makes these plants more accessible when it comes to cost, but he also acclimates them to lower humidity for those who don’t have a climate-controlled cabinet setup. The Flora Foundry owner is one of the most beloved members of the Colorado plant community, frequently posting in the Denver House Plant Facebook group to offer advice on struggling plants.
All of that said, this store can be a bit intimidating for those without experience. Seeing a $200 price tag on a houseplant for the first time can be a bit jarring, but rest assured, you’re getting the best the Denver metro area offers.
What I’ve bought: Philodendron Joepii, variegated heart leaf philodendron and one of my dream plants, an Anthurium warocqueanum.
Flora Foundry, 8307 Conifer Road, Denver. Hours: Thursday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Learn more at www.florafoundry.co.
When I started my plant journey, I never imagined it would grow (pun intended) into the thriving jungle I care for today. Denver’s plant scene has been my constant companion through every stage of that growth. Along the way, I’ve met passionate shop owners and plant lovers who’ve taught me that cultivating greenery is about more than just filling your space—it’s about nurturing a living connection to the world around you.
Whether you’re starting small with a snake plant from Green Lady Gardens, leveling up with a Philodendron Painted Lady from the Plant Room or chasing your dream plants at Flora Foundry, Denver has a shop for you. So grab your watering can, check your light levels and make room for one more leafy friend—you won’t regret it. Happy planting!
