The Homestead Hobbyist

Originally posted on The Expat Garden(er)

These beautiful plants were for sale at a shop in San Francisco. I remember the shop was in/near The Haight, but I don't remember the name or what street it was on. It had cool knickknacks and jewelry, as well as a bunch of really well-cared-for plants that I always thought were difficult, particularly indoors. There was a very nice metal-framed glass terrarium, as well. I think if I lived in San Francisco, this shop would be a nice special treat to go to and purchase a plant or fancy gardening accessory. Good thing I live on the other side of the world!

This small Clematis was in a pot underneath a table. I can't imagine it spends all of its time there--it's blooming like crazy!


I ran into a whole lot of Fuchsia while in San Francisco. It seems the climate there is pretty amenable to its growth. All were in bloom, and this one seemed quite happy inside the shop.


I was pretty much warned away from Masdevallia at Al's Orchid Greenhouse once--instead, I ended up getting a variegated Dendrobium loddigesii and a Sarcoglottis sceptrodes, among other plants and cuttings at various points. It may have been that particular species available at Al's that was more tricky (rotting out in a few years despite good care--something about temperature issues, I believe), but this one in San Francisco seems to be doing quite well.

I spoke with the shop owner--she says she takes care of all of the plants in the store. I only took photos of these three plants, but there were perhaps 30 or so individual species (mostly single representation, not many duplicate plants), and all looked exceedingly healthy. Most were blooming. Whoever this woman is, she sure knows how to take care of her plants!