In a heavily built-up city such as Istanbul, green space is at a premium. When I first came here to live, I remember looking at all the green parts on Google Maps to help me decide on a good, central location – near a park, as I thought. Imagine my horror at discovering most of these spaces were cemeteries!
One way to ameliorate this lack of greenery is to create your own little leafy oasis at home, whether indoors, on a balcony, or in a garden (should you be lucky enough to have one). Here’s a summary of all the different places you can stock up on plants and trees to help you forget that you live in a concrete jungle.
Please note: Parents of real or furry children should be aware that many houseplants are toxic. Do your research before bringing them home.
If you have the patience, many plants can be had for free if grown from clippings. Ask friends or neighbors if they can spare a sprig of whatever you fancy (making sure the clipping has nodes on it), then let it take root in water before you plant in a pot. This will also work for many fresh herbs you might buy for cooking, such as basil, mint, and rosemary. A variation on this theme is rescuing plants abandoned on the street. Note that they may have diseases or pest infestations – so check carefully before taking them in.
Grocery Stores & Weekly Street Markets
Both large and small chain grocery stores will occasionally sell potted plants and flowers for fairly reasonable prices; and some larger supermarkets have a dedicated section for these, normally located at the front of the store. When buying from a store that only gets plants in occasionally, you’ll want to pick them up as soon as possible after they arrive, since they are generally not cared for further and will deteriorate in condition.
Your local weekly pazar may host a couple of stalls selling small plants and herbs – but usually only in the warmer months. One benefit of buying from these markets is the possibility of bargaining, if you’re so inclined. (This is most likely to be successful near the end of the day, when the seller wants to shift as much stock as possible.)
Eminönü
The location of the garden stores in Eminönü (Land of Everything) is not far from Yeni Camii. They sell mostly smaller plants, particularly herbs and vegetable seedlings, as well as seeds, pots, and other gardening items, at very reasonable prices. One of this writer’s favorite shops is Atlas Çiçek Evi, which has a huge range of succulents, cacti, and special things like air plants and ferns.
Bahçe Market
These municipality-run garden shops sell a wide variety of plants and trees, with the range changing seasonally. It’s a great place to buy, as the prices are among the most reasonable in town. Check their website for locations.
Home & Garden Chain Stores
The “big-box” stores Koçtaş and Bauhaus are the next option for plant hunters, with a decent variety of plants at fairly good prices – but these can often be jacked up if they’re in a pretty pot. Stock is turned over fairly regularly, so when you’re in the vicinity it’s always a nice idea to pop in and check if they have anything new.
Independent Local Shops
You may be lucky enough to have a good florist or “general store” in your neighborhood, and these days many of them stock live potted plants. At the florists, certainly, you will pay quite a bit more than at the shops mentioned above, but you’ll have the benefit of knowing that your purchases are supporting a small business, as well as not having to carry those plant babies very far to get home (and the store may even deliver them to you if you ask nicely).
In the outer suburbs of the city, you’ll find the gardening and landscaping (peyzaj) centres. Here you will more easily find larger shrubs and trees for outdoor use, but you’ll probably need a vehicle for transport to/from. One on the Asian side that comes highly recommended is Kandilli Botanik in Üsküdar.
Specialty Plant Stores
Some lovely little plant store-cum-cafes have begun to spring up around Istanbul in recent times. There’s no better way to enjoy a cup of tea or coffee than being surrounded by greenery! Of particular note are Müz in the Çukurcuma neighborhood of Beyoğlu, which also does online sales, and on the Asian side, Roots Cafe & Botanique in Kadıköy.
Online
Finally, confirming that you can indeed buy practically anything online, you will find a huge range of plants at various price points on most of the major Turkish online sales sites, such as n11.com, Trendyol and Hepsiburada. Many of the sellers there do have their own separate online stores, but you may find it easier to begin buying on these sites, since you won’t need to create a new account if you already have one, and you’ll have the benefit of being able to read verified feedback. Plants are almost always sent by local kargo companies, so make sure you read the seller’s recent reviews and try to check which company will deliver it, to ensure the plants have the best chance of getting to you unharmed. The stores do normally pack the plants fairly well, in sturdy boxes, but the handling by the delivery firm will also have a bearing on how things go.
Do you have any other suggestions for good places to buy plants in Istanbul? Please share in the comments!
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This article was first published in July 2020 by writer Amber Torralba.
