Ask Ella: The Best Kept Secret Plant Shop In NYC

Ask Ella is a recurring Garden Collage feature where we ask our in-house florist, Ella Stavonsky, about floral design– including the history of, origin, and maintenance that goes into some of the most intriguing flowers on the market today. This column is dedicated exclusively to common and rare varieties of flowers you’re likely to find at your local market. This week, Ella gives us the low-down on her favorite place to shop for plants in all of NYC.

When it comes to flower market in NYC, there really is nothing like The Dutch Flower Line. At times it is outrageously expensive (never before have you picked up a bunch for teeny tiny four stems, only to be informed that those a rare flower imported from Japan and will cost you a steep $40), but it is also beyond compare. The giant warehouse space is filled to brim with buckets of the most exquisite seasonal blooms and more colors of tulips, roses, hydrangeas, and ranunculus than you know what do with.

In short– it’s easy get overwhelmed. But if we have one piece of advice, it’s to look up.

Tucked away on the lofted second floor is a NY Topiary, a small plant shop full of equally dazzling botanical specimens. Whenever the GC office is in need of a another plant (which is always), NY Topiary is always the first place Ella stops. With its view over the flowers below, it’s an ideal Instagram vantage point for the patchwork of florals and below. The shop itself is like a small, verdant forest, full of a mishmash of tall and short plants, crammed onto every possible surface. In short: the perfect tucked away NYC treasure.

But like many “only in New York” spots, The Dutch Flower Line– and by extension NY Topiary– is only open from 5 AM to noon, so if you want to go, you’ll want to make sure to commit to an early morning. For Ella, NY Topiary is the best place to shop for topiaries (duh), orchids, and drought tolerant plants.

“It’s always exciting to see what’s new,” Ella tells us. “Milton is the owner of the shop– and he has the best and the most unique plants. He is also very helpful when making suggestions,” Ella tells us. So don’t be afraid to ask for advice!

Pick up some cool succulents? Try making your own succulent centerpiece.