Houseplants have increasingly become a fresh and trendy necessity in a well decorated home, adding a feeling of warmth and vitality wherever they are. If you want to catch up on this exciting trend or just expand your collection, then look no further as we list some of the best places they can be found in Norwich.
1. Warings Lifestore
Having appeared in the top 1000 companies that inspire Britain, Warings specialises in a range of inspiring furniture and home accessories.
A selection of houseplants can be found outside their welcoming cafe along Westlegate, which they get from a local supplier in Norwich.
The assortment of succulents that they sell include Sanseviera (snake plants) and Echeviera, which are famously known for putting up with most conditions and therefore being very easy to look after.
Warings has been selling these plants since it was first established, an important part of their decorative and interior store that that they feel 'makes a room more alive and comfortable'.
2. Cary's Flowers
Stephen Cary, who now operates the floral business established over 100 years ago, always has time to talk to customers and has plenty of advice to give about the alluring assortment of indoor plants and flowers they have on offer on the far corner of the Norwich Market.
The houseplants available here include a selection of cacti, succulents such as aloe vera and the popular Monstera cheese plants, of which 95% are Dutch.
While it can be difficult to keep the plants outside during the winter, Stephen says that now is a popular time for people buying houseplants, especially university students going away in September who want to decorate their new rooms.
However, there doesn't have to be a special occasion, as these spectacular plants will liven up anyone's home.
3. Margaret Emms Florist
Established in 1962, this florist focuses mostly, as you'd imagine, on flowered plants, yet still has a fulfilling selection of houseplants on offer.
This includes large green foliage, aloe vera, palm, kalanchoe (widow's thrill) and spider plants, though they specialise in bespoke funeral tributes and wedding flowers.
They can be found on St Stephens Street and as the main shop in Norwich working with Interflora, they deliver all over the world.
Like most indoor plant sellers, they source them mostly from Holland, although they try to stock them from local growers where they can and have a large walk-in cooler which keeps all the plants at their optimum.
They moved down the road from a different spot on St Stephens Street in August 2017.
4. Billy's Plants
Despite mostly selling outdoor plants, at this time of the year Gail Block likes to keep a small selection of indoor plants in stock due to increased popularity during the summer.
Her selection of glamorous cyclamen flowering plants, ferns and indoor coleus, among her selection of other outdoor plants, are locally grown around Harleston and Attleborough as well as being sourced from the Norfolk Herbs company, and she assures that she is open to requests of other variations of indoor plants.
Just situated on the pavement outside Clarks on Brigg Street, she works alongside her husband who sells sweets at a stall a few metres down the street.
However, plants haven't always been a part of Gail's life.
Twelve years before, she and her husband were making china decorations before having to diversify which led her to a friend working with plants at the Norwich Market.
This grew into a passion for garden growing and since then, she says 'I've never looked back' and that growing and selling plants is a 'dream come true'.
5. The Plant Den (on Jarrolds Lower Floor)
Since opening in spring 2018, owners Roscoe Gibson-Denney and Michelle Clingen have been 'overwhelmed' by the response of customers in their small shop dedicated to selling houseplants exclusively.
Found on the lower floor of Jarrolds, their setup may just be the size of a garden shed, but you'll be amazed by their 'weird and whacky' assortment of indoor plants that span from micro-cacti to two metre tall Bird of Paradise plants. The duo are committed to providing customers with plants that can't be bought elsewhere and that suit different age groups, while ensuring they are as fresh as possible with two deliveries a week.
Since their horticultural interest started after buying a cactus for £1 at a car boot sale, the business has come as far as winning the silver medal for Show Garden at the Royal Norfolk Show after only being open for ten weeks!
They are very thankful to Jarrolds store for giving them the opportunity to live out their passion.
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