Sprout Home (Chicago Garden Center)

Recently I had the opportunity to stop in and wander around Sprout Home, a little home decor/garden center in the city of Chicago. I'd passed by it a few times this summer but hadn't gone in because it looked like many pretentious shops in Chicago. Just about as soon as I stepped inside I immediately regretted never have gone in before.

When I stepped inside I was warmly greeted by two women who were in the middle of merchandising a section of the shop. We spoke for a couple of seconds about the trouble people who work in retail create for themselves when they take on the task of organizing something during business hours.

Sprout home carries cool modern home furniture and accessories but I couldn't really pay much attention to those items when I couldn't stop drooling at the selections of houseplants. They've done a good job of blending modern furniture and accessories with dramatic houseplants in their store. I couldn't help but drool over the Platycerium angolense I saw sitting inside of a large vase. I had to muster a lot of strength to keep myself from buying it and bringing it home to live next to my staghorn fern. At first I suffered a bit of sticker shock when I looked at the prices but when I took into consideration how many of these plants aren't available at big box garden centers the prices seemed more than reasonable.

When I stepped outside I was once again enthralled by the selection of annuals and perennials. They had everything from ground covers to trees and walking around I came across a few treasures that I have to add to my garden. I have to go back for a couple of toad lilies and a miniature hosta. The plant selection this garden center carries is a great addition to urban gardeners who are looking for plants to make their garden stand out from the rest in the city. Outside I winced a couple of times when I looked at the prices but when I once again realized that I was looking at unusual plants for a garden that you can't find in your local big box garden center the prices didn't seem that bad.

Sprout Home is a great garden center and it seems like it was tailor made for me. I can't remember the last time I came across such an impressive selection of indoor plants, cacti & succulents, annuals, perennials, trees and shrubs in one garden center in Chicago. As if the plant selection weren't enough they also offer free garden design services and participation in an organic co-op. I'm so impressed that such a little garden centers offers so much for urban gardeners in Chicago that I have to give Sprout Home four out of five stars.

Some of the merchandise can be see on their website Sprout Home and if you need directions see their entry on this Google Map.

Sprout Home

745 N Damen Ave
Chicago, IL 60622
312 226-5950

Sprout Home
44 Grand Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211
718 388-4440