Nursery Spotlight: Shades of Green & Rainbow Gardens

Special thanks to two sweet spots I found since moving to San Antonio, Texas - both adorned with the truly Texan staple of dirt-dusted Radio Flyer red wagons for wheeling flowers around the grounds.

Having a 14-foot long strip of sun-flooded balcony, partnered with the thick southwestern heat known for sustaining a wide variety of plants, I felt a sense of urgency to locate a nearby nursery. My initial search led me to Shades of Green, a shade-covered source for flowers, herbs, succulents and more. Upon entering the bungalow-style large tree, with low, outstretched limbs, rows of orderly perennials rest on wooden shelves, with hanging plants hooked to the pavilion-like roof-tops keeping aisles shaded and cool. To the left, I’ve typically ran into caladiums along a stone-studded pathway that curves into a structure providing greenhouse-y conditions, with tiny plants and indoor specimens on display. Plenty other larger plants sit in the large spaces to either side of the center structure. The pleasant staff offer help and suggestions. On one visit, the staff drilled holes for drainage in a metal piece I purchased. That same trip, a woman gave me invaluable caladium care-taking advice.

The oddly-shaped, round roof-tops of Rainbow Gardens are welcoming, with bright green sweet potato vines billowing out of the entryway. This nursery offered a similarly wide variety but with more sprawling grounds. The space is split between a large covered indoor segment and a larger outdoor component, each lending row after row of unique plants. They seemed to have slightly more selection in southwestern species, and I especially appreciated the unique succulent, cacti and stone arrangements.

Thanks to these two flower-peddling garden centers, I feel my dire sense of balcony-decorating starting to subside. I love what these two places have helped me create in collaboration with my sunny space and eclectic containers.

Shades of Green 334 West Sunset Rd.

Rainbow Gardens 2585 Thousand Oaks; Additional location at 8516 Bandera Rd.

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