University City Garden Club plants are available for sale.

Spring is here and the time to shop for outdoor plants, herbs and veggie starters has begun.

This year, there are not as many options to buy outdoor plants in the West Philly area, after Greensgrow closing. But many spring plant sale events have been scheduled in the area this and next month. Here are some spots where you can buy plants and also participate in workshops, tours, and other activities.

• The University City Garden Club Spring Plant Sale is taking place online through April 19, with an order pick-up event scheduled for May 6 at 517 Woodland Terrace. This is a great opportunity for University City residents to shop for plants. To shop for plants, click here. UCGC members will also be at the May Fair at Clark Park (43rd and Chester) on May 13 with more items for sale and some fun plant related activities from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. In addition, UCGC will host a Mother’s Day Pop-up Plant Sale on Sunday, May 14, 12 – 6 p.m., at 519 Woodland Terrace near 40th and Woodland. For more information, visit: https://ucgcshop.square.site/. Continue Reading

Adrienne Williams, owner of Freebird Greenery, and Drew, her son. (Photo by West Philly Local)

It seems like all 10 of Adrienne Williams’ fingers are green; not just her thumb.

Williams has turned her passion for plants, community and self-care into Freebird Greenery, which will officially open this Saturday at 4711 Pine St. The ground floor storefront in the Garden Court Plaza building includes a variety of sizes and species of house plants, pots and even a locally made “propagation wall,” for starting plant cuttings.

“I really wanted a space that felt like community,” Williams said. “I thought, where do I like to spend time? What environment do I find peaceful?,” Williams said. “Plants are a big part of that for me.” The shop’s vibe fits Williams’ “plant care as self-care” philosophy. Continue Reading

A small locally-owned grocery/general store, Spruce Hill Provisions, has recently opened at 4529 Baltimore Ave and already participated in last month’s Baltimore Avenue Stroll.

At the shop, you can buy fresh, locally-sourced foods – produce, meat and poultry, baked goods, coffee, snacks, and other necessities. You can also buy flowers, plants, pottery, soaps and gifts made by local artisans. By the way, there’s a nice selection of frozen goods at the store, in case you have a sudden craving for a sweet treat.

“We are selling local products wherever possible,” says owner Elizabeth Planet who lives just a few blocks away from the shop.

The list of products has been continuously growing since the shop opened at the end of last month. The owners are open to community input on what other items they should add. Continue Reading

Spring is here, so is time to plant summer flowers, veggies and herbs. Here’s some info on local spring plant sales and other opportunities to buy plants and veggie and herb starters in the area. Happy planting!

The University City Garden Club is holding its annual spring plant sale online this year. This is a fundraiser sale, proceeds from which will be used to support greening and civic beautification. The sale features annual flowers for shade and sun locations, herbs, vegetables and plants for gifts, as well as containers and hanging baskets. The shop and order period runs until Thursday, April 15. Contactless curbside pickup of pre-orders will be Saturday, May 1 at 517 Woodland Terrace near the 40th Street Trolley Portal. Go here to browse the plant selection and place your order: ucgcshop.square.site. Continue Reading

Good news for West Philly green thumbs! After being closed to customers since last spring due to the COVID pandemic, Greensgrow Farms is set to reopen its West Philly hub, Greensgrow West this winter.

Greensgrow West, located at 5123 Baltimore Ave., is scheduled to reopen on February 27th with the following hours: Thursday-Sunday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.. Like many other businesses, Greensgrow has been hit hard by the pandemic and after reopening Greensgrow West will first carry limited selection of items.  Continue Reading

April is the month when many folks start visiting local garden centers to buy plants for their gardens. Many plant sales are also held in April or early May. Due to the COVID-19 crisis, all physical plant sales have been cancelled and garden centers have been closed unless they’re a part of a larger store, like Lowe’s. So what can you do? Here are a few options where you can order plants and pick them up locally.

Since the annual Spruce Hill May Fair has been cancelled, the University City Garden Club is holding an online plant sale (until 11 a.m. on Monday, April 20). There is a large selection of annuals and perennials, and herb and vegetable plants. Orders will be available for pickup on Saturday, May 2 on Woodland Terrace near the 40th Street Trolley Portal. Go here for more info and to shop.  Continue Reading