Overview
If there's one thing that doesn't seem to have suffered much during pandemic times, it's our obsession with indoor plants. But with many bricks-and-mortar shops closed, you might have found it a little tougher adding any new greenery to your collection. Thankfully, lots of local plant-slingers have adapted with the times, creating online stores and offering home-delivery to see you happily through any retail restrictions. Browse a hefty range of leafy delights from the comfort of your couch, to then pick up in-store (if its within five kilometres, of course) or have home-delivered. With fiddle leaf figs, cute ceramic planters and gardening guidebooks all at your fingertips, you can stay home, stay safe and stay green. Check out these ten Melbourne plant stores now delivering to your door.
VINE BOY, ONLINE
Born in response to pandemic restrictions and frustrations, new online plant and gift retailer Vine Boy is out to offer locals some fresh gifting options, without the exxy price tags. Alongside a range of Aussie-made pressies, it's stocked with an affordable curation of potted indoor plants and accessories, with prices starting from an easy $39. The collection features best-selling varieties like Monstera deliciosa and Bird of Paradise, available in different sizes and with chic pots as standard inclusions. Orders over $75 will score free delivery, otherwise you're looking at a $10 flat-rate fee. Home drop-offs are available to all suburbs within 25 kilometres of Melbourne CBD, and if you order before 11am you can even expect same-day delivery.
GLASSHAUS, CREMORNE
Cremorne plant store Glasshaus is so darn pretty it normally doubles as an events space and wedding venue. And while you can't really check out those leafy green looks during lockdown, you can take solace in the online store, stocked with a sprawling assortment of indoor plants, designer pots and floral arrangements. There's big appreciation here for the rare and unusual, so it's a solid choice if you're hunting something a little bit different to add to your collection. Local shoppers can opt for contactless pick-up from the Glasshaus Florist at 101 Swan Street, Richmond, otherwise there's delivery available for addresses all across Melbourne. Perhaps now's the time to buy that tall green beauty that won't fit in your car…
Arianna Leggiero
BOTANICAH, PRAHRAN
Botanicah's sprawling greenery-filled warehouse clocks in at a whopping 350 square metres, stocked to the brim with a grand assortment of plants, pots and accessories. And while IRL visits are off limits, you can still get your greenery fix with a trip to the venue's virtual store. The website features a wide range of leafy delights that have been carefully chosen by the owners from local nurseries. Throw in a huge selection of ceramics and you'll find yourself totally spoilt for choice. To get your haul home, there's a trusty delivery service for addresses within ten kilometres of Prahran, with a minimum order of $50. And if you're local, free click-and-collect is available from the warehouse on Fridays and Saturdays.
FOLIA HOUSE, CBD
With a healthy appreciation for the greener things in life, Folia House has long been a go-to for plant-aholics, slinging a mammoth range of seasonal and indoor varieties. And while the doors are closed, that lush assortment of hanging plants, cacti, succulents, ferns and other greenery is available to shop online. There's also a neat collection of pots, planters and accessories to help keep those plant babies looking tip-top. Once you've stocked up your online cart, click-and-collect is available from both the CBD store or the West Footscray warehouse, for orders over $30. And for orders over $50, there's home delivery servicing suburbs across metropolitan Melbourne, with fees starting from an easy $9.99.
THE PLANT EXCHANGE, COLLINGWOOD
Tucked away within Collingwood's Schoolhouse Studios, The Plant Exchange is only tiny, but it's working a downright hefty range of greenery. Owners, horticulturalists Jane Lloyd and Michael Chester, offer a regularly changing lineup of plants, with a special focus on rare, unusual and collector varieties. These days, you can get your fix via the team's online store, which is stocked with a tidy array of indoor plants, pots and extras. Locals can collect their orders in-store on Saturdays, or there's a handy $10 delivery service for suburbs located within ten kilometres of the shop. Further out? An express post option is also on offer, for a flat-rate shipping fee of $15.
PLANTSMITH, PRESTON
Foliage-filled haven Plantsmith is the brainchild of horticulturist and landscape designer Liz Turner. It's stocked not just with a sprawling array of plant life, but scores of pots, planters, books, stands, gardening tools and treatments to help really cultivate your green thumb. And right now, that impressive edit is available to browse and buy online, divided into categories like 'pet-friendly' and 'low-maintenance' for easy navigation. The team's offering free in-store pick-up every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, as well as a $15 delivery service to most suburbs within 15 kilometres of Plantsmith's Preston HQ. And while the usual workshop program is on hold, you can email through any burning plant health questions to hello@plantsmith.net.au in the meantime.
Virginia Cummins
LYGON ST NURSERY, BRUNSWICK EAST
Indoor plant shop and outdoor nursery in one, this cheery Brunswick East spot is a plant-lover's dream. Owner Michael Khalil is a huge advocate for the positive effects of indoor plants on mental health and anyone who's stepped through his jungle-like shopfront would have a hard time disagreeing. Now available via an online store, you'll find plants and pots to suit all shades of green thumb, every budget and any kind of house setting. Plus, there's a range of treatments, tools, potting mixes, guidebooks and ceramics to have those plant babies looking their best. Get your fix even during lockdown, with free local delivery for orders over $50 and in-store pick-up also on offer.
FITZROY NURSERY, FITZROY
An oldie, but definitely a goodie, Fitzroy Nursery is proof that plant obsessions aren't anything new. With three decades under its belt, the Brunswick Street icon has been selling greenery since before most of you were even born and it's still a much-loved plant pit-stop today. And even during lockdown, its famously expansive selection continues to grow, with more rare and unusual plants added weekly to the online store. Right now, staff are hand-delivering orders within five kilometres of the store for a $15 flat-rate fee, or you can opt for the click-and-collect service. Expect to find an eclectic assortment of greenery, along with a solid range of outdoor pals primed for apartment living.
CERES NURSERY, BRUNSWICK EAST
Part of the not-for-profit sustainability reserve on Merri Creek, CERES Nursery is a favourite for anyone stocking up on herbs and edible plants. These guys are all about encouraging backyard food production, no matter how big or small your patch of turf. And right now, they've pulled together an extensive selection of those indoor and outdoor plants, natives, seeds and organic gardening products for you to shop online. Pick-ups are available on all orders, plus there's a delivery service kicking off in the coming days. Reached internet overload? The team's also doing sales and giving advice over the phone — give them a call on (03) 9389 0111.
THE PLANT SOCIETY, COLLINGWOOD
A celebration of all things green, The Plant Society is the work of architect and interior designer Jason Chongue, who's passionate about getting younger generations hooked on the joy of indoor gardening. Alongside its Collingwood flagship store, and a handful of outposts in Melbourne and Sydney, you'll find an expansive online offering featuring a considered curation of indoor plants, books, accessories and homewares. Those living within five kilometres of any store (Collingwood or South Yarra) can enjoy free delivery on orders over $50, otherwise there's the option of contactless click-and-collect. Need a little extra guidance in the greenery department? The Plant Society is also running virtual shopping experiences — book in for a 15-minute phone call or video chat, show them your space and they'll help you choose the best plants to fill it.