The Monstera flagship opened on June 1 and is an indoor plant shop located at City Works Depot in Auckland City.
They specialise in indoor greenery, succulents and cactus, bonsai, and orchids.
The shop resides in the dramatic architectural setting of “the hoppers,” with an extended terrarium-like structure that glows with light.
The online branch that operates alongside their three stores is a dedicated blog where plant lovers can comment and share tips about plants.
As of August 2016, Auckland City alone had over 97 independent plant stores. Not including big box retailers like Palmers or Kings Plant Barn.
Plant & Pot, an Auckland-based company, lets users buy plants online and have them delivered to their house.
So where has the houseplant obsession risen from?
Long work hours, small living spaces and no pet rules have moved many to exercise their green thumbs. The change is mostly pegged down to millennials, who are opting to have plant-babies as opposed to regular babies.
Small apartments and flats with little-to-no green spaces are encouraging young people to build their own urban jungles inside their houses.
Lack of time and limited space can also explain millennials growing interested in houseplants.
This segment of the population is working longer hours and a higher proportion is living in condos that often regulate pet ownership, making plants a cheaper, easier alternative.
Given the circumstances, a nursery for plants rather than for human or “fur” babies sounds perfectly logical.
I myself cannot be trusted with plants, or rather, my cat who insists on sleeping on them and rubbing up against cacti cannot be trusted.
Sometimes the two do not mix.
Pantone dubbed “Greenery” the color of 2017, which is more than fitting. Their statement explaining the choice says, “Illustrative of flourishing foliage and the lushness of the great outdoors, the fortifying attributes of Greenery signal us to take a deep breath and oxygenate, leaving us feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.”
Although it might seem like Monstera deliciosa is everywhere right now, the love affair creatives have with this trendy plant certainly isn’t a new thing – Henri Matisse was a fan in the 50s.
A standard house plant will set you back around NZD$30 for a small, and up to $200 for the larger indoor plants. Not including pot and soil.
