If you love rare, beautiful or otherwise unusual plants, then plan to spend some time at The Bosque in downtown Phoenix.
This small plant boutique showcases the beauty of cacti and succulents, along with a curated selection of rare botanicals.
Pick up a potted cactus, succulent or other plant at The Bosque, a new downtown Phoenix shop — Photo courtesy of The Bosque
The Bosque (whose Spanish name translates to "the woodlands") is housed in a retail space at The MonOrchid, one of downtown Phoenix's most popular gallery and event spaces.
Cacti and succulents have enjoyed a surge of popularity in recent years, and you'll find plenty of options at this charming botanical shop.
Many of the plants sold at The Bosque are hardy and low maintenance, making them suitable for even the gray thumbs of the world.
One of the shop's main specialty is succulents, which are ideal for apartment-dwellers and other people with limited indoor or outdoor space. Most succulents in the store are priced between $5.50 and $15.
Apart from cacti and succulents, the shop also carries an assortment of well-tended ferns and vines. For those seeking something a little offbeat, the shop carries more unusual species, such as Staghorn Ferns; Pitcher Plants; and the infamous, insect-eating Venus Flytraps.
Looking for another low-maintenance way to integrate nature into your daily routine? You'll want to check out The Bosque's selection of terrariums, aquariums and vivariums.
Terrariums are habitats for plants (usually housed in decorative glass containers), while aquariums and vivariums are designed for both plants and small animals like fish, frogs and snakes.
The Bosque's owner is Arizona native Michael Lanier, whose passion for botanicals was planted while growing up in the picturesque deserts of Queen Creek in the southeast Phoenix valley.
Lanier opened the shop with some help from a successful Kickstarter campaign that helped raise more than $3,000 towards a retail lease.
One of the most enjoyable parts of shopping at The Bosque is getting to see the fun, whimsical displays around the shop. Plants are showcased inside the drawers of antique desks and dressers and neatly lined and tagged on store shelves.
Even if you're not in the market for a new houseplant, you may want to stop by The Bosque to check out the eclectic inventory of Arizona-related ephemera.
From nostalgic postcards to vintage books and magazines, the store carries a fun selection of one-of-a-kind Southwestern souvenirs.