Hosta La Vista, Third Day
According to the Bible, God created plants "and other green stuff" on the third day. But yesterday was a sad day for all green stuff when, as we mentioned earlier, the Post reported that one of the city’s only metropolitan garden shops and 35 year-old Dupont landmark has decided to close its doors in November. Third Day was a corner shop — in both physical location and quaint personality — with a reputation for selling no-fuss plants, ideal for cramped studio apartments. Indoor trees and flowers were arranged in clusters, depending on how much light they demanded. Shoppers left happy and educated with “care cards,” containing vital dirt on watering, sunlight exposure and other personalized tips.
Yet Third Day's green fluorescent sign will only stay lit a few more months, dramatically limiting Washington’s Garden Center Count (at least in Metro-able terms). While the ‘burbs still offer a decent amount, trekking can lead to broken pots, spilt dirt and tears. At Third Day this morning, employee Janet commented that, “as the nation’s capital, we should really have 20 plant stores in the city!” Tragically, we don’t—and there’s little inspiration for new ones to blossom with rent soaring higher than a Titan Arum.
But funky Garden District and all its 14th Street-ness has turned the net into fertile soil. The shop, adding spunk to the serene Mother Earth scene, is developing an online store, set to launch in December. Pottery gift sets of shrubs, cut flowers, trees, annuals and perennials—they recommend lavender—will be shippable anywhere by the holidays. As an urban garden shop, like Third Day, they emphasize easy-to-grow-and-nurture plants with low-maintenance soil. But unlike the more senior Third Day, Garden District likes the contemporary pots. And it wouldn't be 14th Street without garden gnome alternatives and botanic-inspired jewelry.
You may remember in April, when WBJ reported that Garden District was seeking another neighborhood location—possibly on H Street, NE, Georgia Avenue, NW or Hyattsville. With the web store development in full swing, though, plans for an additional boutique are waning—and may not be revaluated until late next year. Owner Joe Carmack, known for planting scores of bright flowers on the once-naked 14th Street, completed a graduate studies in landscape design at GWU, and has been in business the last four years — neighboring our favorite gimmick and greeting card shop Pulp.
Other urban garden shops, without signs of an online store (but still deserving snaps), include: Johnson’s Flowers and Garden Centers—up Wisconsin, near the AU/Tenleytown metro. Teresa’s Garden—big on bonsai trees and bird baths. Ginkgo Gardens—just a handful of blocks from the Eastern Market metro, with many crazy-sounding indoor plants—areca palms, philodendrons , ficus trees (fancy word for fig-bearing) and variegated ivies.
But until November, let’s raise a shovel and pruner to the glory days of Third Day—and hope owner Phil Herbert holds an Everything-Must-Go-Sale soon. Come December, it's time to get our green thumbs in gear to type away and build shopping carts with Garden District.
Photo by Flickr user mag3737.