Leaf & Petal Is The Best Garden Shop In Alabama

What is the recipe that Southern Living magazine readers voted the best garden store in Alabama? Start with a carefully selected mix of plants and sustainable materials to meet the needs of your customers. Join the friendly staff who are familiar faces to the people who shop there. Add a spacious and comfortable storage space that can be used as an event space. Extend your visit by persuading two restaurants to set up shop nearby. Finally, choose a suitable location. Voila - leaf and leaf.

In fact, Leaf & Petal has three large stores in the Birmingham area, each with their own personality tailored to their customers. The first store, located on Kabba Road in Mountain Brook Village, opened in 1974 and focused on houseplants, said Jamie Purcell, manager of Leaf & Petal. The family bought it in 2005 and expanded it to include outdoor plants, seasonal flowers, pottery, gifts, found objects and books. In the year In 2007, Leaf & Petal opened a gift shop at the Birmingham Botanic Gardens. "Most of the plants we sell are collectibles like Japanese maples, exotic conifers and topiaries," says Purcell. This is logical, because people who see a certain plant in the garden may want to take it home with them. The store also sells antiques, jewelry, books, antiques, and furniture.

The Summit's new flagship store in Cahaba Heights is the pride of Purcell. Among the neat rows and banks of annuals, perennials, vegetables, herbs, shrubs, roses and trees is a 4,000 square foot greenhouse with a beautiful old world feel, created with reclaimed wood, antique doors and glass. It was inspired by visiting London's Petersham Children's, which was a favorite teahouse of the royal family. "You have a cup of tea and a little cake and you sit among the plants, it's quite an experience," he recalls. Back home, he convinced Crestline Bagel Co. and El Zunzun, a Hispanic-style restaurant, to open next door. Leaf & Petal invites guests to stroll the plant-lined walkways with a bag in hand, a cup of coffee or an adult beverage.

Above all, Purcell said, the company's success is due to its long-serving and experienced employees, one of which is a culture and knowledge base that has been at the company since the 1970s. "Some employees are so close to their customers that they give each other Christmas gifts."

It is also important to explain the simplicity of gardening to beginners. "A lot of people think they have black fingers, but if you cut it all down, plant care comes down to two things, providing the right amount of light and water. That's what we tell clients, because they'll be more successful. They'll do more. When someone spends $200 and all the plants die. , lose the customer forever.

leafnpetal.com, 205-871-3832, 2817 Cahaba Road #2322, Mountain Brook, AL 35223 (various locations)

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