Where to go green

Garden District

At the Garden District, they know that gardening is not just a hobby; it’s a way of life. That’s why the owner, Joe Carmack, opened an interior shop three months ago to supplement the exterior shop that has served the D.C. area for seven years. The new shop carries “garden-inspired accents” for the home, such as lotions, candles and pottery. In selecting offerings at both stores, Carmack said he considers the needs of D.C.’s urban gardeners. “We really think about our clientele base in this area,” he said. “We think about plants that are going to work for us here.”

Johnson’s Florist and Garden Center

With locations in D.C. and suburban Maryland, the people at Johnson’s Florist and Garden Centers know the challenges of having an extensive garden center in the city. Baron Faust, general manager of the D.C. location, thinks Johnson’s stands out among other garden centers in the area because “we have as much as we do in an urban setting. We fit an awful lot into a small space.” Johnson’s, which is celebrating its 75th year of business, offers a broad selection of cut flowers, tropical plants and trees. For this summer, Faust recommends picking up a jasmine plant to add fragrance to either an apartment patio in the city or a large back yard in the suburbs.