Southwest Gardener

This is another one of those little specialty gift stores that stock sets apart. It is truly any plant lover's dream. They don't actually sell plants here except on rare occassion, but they have artisan fountains, organic plant foods, seeds that have been harvested right here (and are therefore pretty likely to flourish with the right care), cards / notebooks, and some of the harder to find gardening tools. All perfect for gift giving or when you feel like treating yourself to a new retracktable rake!

If you have ever tried to seriously grow plants in the Phoenix area, you have already figured out that our region has a unique set of obstablcle..... er, ummm, opportunities. This store is dedicated to providing you with the information and tools that you need to make this process as painless as possible. And while you are at it, why not make your garden feel like it is really an extension of your home with some personal touches.

Now you might think that because they are a specialty shop that the prices would be on the higher side, and although there is the occassional eye-brow lifting price tag, for the most part, items are reasonably marked considering that the majority of things are not mass produced and have been hand crafted by artisans. The staff are always friendly and helpful. If you don't see something, just ask and they will either get it for you or suggest other local options that may be fruitful (pun intended).

Remember to check out the bulletin board and counter by the register for upcoming events. They often host book signings, demonstrations, or lectures on... yeah you guessed it Southwestern Gardening. They also offer several different classes throughout the year that focus on the more artsy side of things, such as fused glass, silk painting, etc.

Southwest Gardener is located on the corner of Thomas and 15th Ave in a little strip mall right next door to the Original Hamburger Works.

http://www.southwestgardener.com/index.php

This little shop is awesome!

We accidentally stumbled upon this shop after lunch at Original Hamburger Works next door.

The store front window looked so inviting I had to go in. I was actually looking for some thank you gifts and cards and found even more than I had hoped.

In addition to gifts, as the store name suggests, there are a gazillion things to make your garden (indoor or out) stand out as stylish and chic. Beautifully hand-created glass herb name stakes, a variety of seeds, wind chimes, garden art, candles, knicknacks, fountains, gardening tools and utensils for the avant garde-ner *tee hee hee*, and they even offer a variety of classes/workshops (which may or may not have to do with gardening). We signed up for their email list because some of the artisan classes sound incredible and fun! Check out their online newsletter for helpful hints about gardening in our...*special* desert conditions.

This is a great shop for gardening for beginners (me) and experts. I have had success since taking their classes. I have grown my own lettuce, squash and tomatoes for the first time this year. Amazingly, I made zucchini bread with my own zucchinis. The classes with Greg are informative and well presented. And they have discounts for students on their gardening supplies.
They are moving! I'll be at the new location when they open.

This is the neatest shop! Southwest Gardener has lots of wonderful gardening products. In addition they have affordable gift ideas. Amy and Lynn own Southwest Gardener and they are both wonderful women. To me it is always great supporting a local business - especially one that is owned by women. My favorite part of Southwest Gardener is the terrific array of classes offered on weekends. So far I have made a clock and a mosaic tile table. I have absolutely no experience in making items such as these however my end products looked like masterpieces thanks to the great instructors! My husband has taken the gardening classes. These include classes on tomatoes, vegetables and composting. I really cannot praise this place enough. It has become one of my favorite spots in Phoenix.

I used to stop in here often when I lived off of 19th Ave. and Osborn [before I became a suburban Indian and moved east. There's lots of neat doodads here by local artists, in addition to implements of gardening, the occasional plant or seed pack, and outdoor fixtures. I love my dragonfly door knocker which I got here!!! They also offer gardening classes. So stop in and get something to beautify your life--or at least your yard.

We can't stop in to Southwest Gardener without discovering something completely new and enticing so naturally we couldn't wait to check out their new location. What's not to like? There seems to be oodles more room for even more delightfully artistic goodies...some for the garden and some for the home. Our house has been touched by a number of handcrafted pieces we found at this unique and special store. Then when we need the most perfect gift, one of the two women owners, Amy or Lynn, are always right there with the perfect suggestions and wrapping. Finally...when they have a sale (we watch for them) THEY HAVE A GREAT SALE! That's when we really stock up on gift items. This is such a cool place that we make a point to take our out of town guests on a field trip to Southwest Gardener. Now that they are in the Newton with Changing Hands Bookstore (another fave of ours) and Southern Rail (absolutely yummy) we couldn't be happier!