NYC's Flower District

Known as the Flower District, the amazing city block of 28th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues is a bustling concentration of stores selling fresh flower blooms, plants, trees and more! With sunlit sidewalks transformed into an incredible lush passage of petals and plants, the picturesque street could quite easily be the happiest and most colorful city block in all of Manhattan. It’s also the perfect place to stop and smell the flowers with your little one. Read on for our favorite flower picks as we explore this colorful urban jungle known as NYC’s Flower District.

Behind the Bouquet – NYC’s Flower District

The century old flower district has a deep rooted history of catering to wholesale accounts, businesses and event planners. Some of the flower shops in this famous district have decades of family ownership and operation. One business in particular, Superior Florist, has been in operation for more than 86 years. The industrial scene of these stores is one of movie magic. An early morning tour will bring images of double parked 3am delivery trucks bringing boxes upon boxes of fresh-cut stems to the many stores crammed on this single city block.

Flowers and petals are traded and purchased under a bustling scene of neon signs, industrial buildings and floors littered with greens and leaves. Keep in mind that the early bird gets the best flower! Stores typically open at 6am for wholesale only, and at 8am they open their doors to the general public (no license required). By 9am the bustle calms down, and it becomes a quaint, beautiful, and transformed Manhattan city street to tour and explore.

Perfectly Priced Petals

In a city of steep rents and high prices, the flower district remains a bouquet bargain! Because you are buying from the source, most flowers cost less than prices you’ll find at a florist or other vendors. Note that prices are not marked on anything, which means they change and are negotiable (you could barter with the store if so inclined). The flower district’s primary customer is wholesale accounts, and typically the flowers are packaged for easy transportation. You’ll find visual treats such as candy colored roses aligned in a rainbow of colors, bunched by corrugated cardboard on metal shelves.

Real and Fabulous

The flowers are fabulous! But don’t be too green with envy at these perfectly beautiful blooms, most are grown in greenhouses outside city limits. Kids will love exploring the sidewalk gardens and marveling at the perfect blooms, grass and shrubbery, and even fruit trees that line the concrete streets. Be sure to venture inside these stores to find specialty roses, orchids, foliage, and more (some stores within the district specialize in specific flowers such as orchids and roses). Looking for orchids? Head over to Holiday Flower and Plant—this store is fun to explore the many species variations and colors.

Your little monkey looking for more of a jungle experience? The flower district has this, too. Head to Foliage Plants Inc. for a wild exploration of palms, trees and all things green!

Faking It

Don’t have a green thumb? Check out Pany Silk for a large selection of “permanent botanicals” such as silk flowers, plants and even trees. Need to fake more than flowers? Children will love exploring the faux fruits, vegetables and more that are found in these stores as well. The lasting power and beauty of these stores is amazing. The aisles of candy colored flowers are an everlasting visual treat.

Vase Case

Now where to put your fresh finds? Head to Jamali Garden Supplies, a go-to for any vase to fit your space. Here you will find aisle upon aisle of hard goods including glass, metal, plastic vases and planters, with most available in an incredible array of shapes and sizes. Floral foam, ribbon and accents are plentiful for your picking as well making this a one-stop shop for accessories for your new flower friends.

Tips for your visit:

• While some stores are wholesale, most will happily accept a purchase from the general public.

• Late morning is best for a visit after the mad rush of wholesale accounts. Note that stores typically close by mid-afternoon, some even close by lunch (closing time often depends on daily business).

• Hold little hands—the hard good stores have many glittery breakables within short arms reach.

• Strollers would be a thorn, and are not recommended due to the narrow aisles in most stores and lack of sidewalk space around the plant displays.

• Bring the green! Sidewalk vendors as well as some stores only accept cash.