Amsterdam retailer targets urban gardeners

With the rise of urban gardening comes a need for suitable plants, pots and accessories. Interior designer Mark van der Geest recognized a gap in the market and recently opened Urban Green in Amsterdam. While regular garden centers have plenty to offer those with ‘real’ gardens, but not much for those of us limited to tiny plots and shady balconies, Urban Green is entirely focused on the challenges of city gardening. The store sells greenery that thrives in containers, and plenty of shade-loving plants, since building density means that urban gardens get less sun than their suburban counterparts. Also on offer are foldable and stackable chairs and tables to help maximize space. For roof decks, Urban Green offers lightweight containers like the ones we’ve featured, and it also partners with companies that install green roofs and vertical gardens. In addition to its tailormade offerings, the store’s Amsterdam location also saves consumers from having to trek out to big garden centers on the outskirts of the city. Van der Geest hopes he’ll be able to encourage people to make their cities greener and ideally grow their own food on balconies and rooftops. Urban Green aims to open 15 stores in other Dutch cities over the next five years. We think it’s an innovative, on-trend retail concept that should do well around the world. (Related: Five new business ideas for urban gardening — Grocer launches rooftop garden for hyperlocal produce — Triscuit-sponsored site taps urban gardening trend — Urban beekeeping kit for honey lovers — Urban fruit-picking project aims to minimize waste.)