AMAZING DUTCH BULB RETAIL DISPLAY AT TERRAIN
I’ve been wanting to visit the Terrain retail store, located in Glen Mills, PA, just outside of Philadelphia for two years now, ever since I first saw photos of the nursery and retail space on Flickr. The retail concept, created and designed by a very creative team at stylish retailer Urban Outfitters ( parent company of Anthropologie and other brands). As a supporter of design excellence and good horticulture, I had high expectations for Terrain, and I am please to admit that they we’re met. Actually, I was quite blown away, and very impressed as well as inspired by they entire visual experience. In a nutshell, Terrain was amazing, and worth visiting if you love original design, since this is so difficult to find today.
A SHOPPER EXAMINES FRENCH CANNING JARS IN ONE OF TERRAIN’S MANY INTERIOR ROOMS.
If there is one thing that Urban Outfitters/Anthropologie buyers and designers get perfectly right, is style and aesthetics. Terrain ( which was once a classic, old garden center named Styers), is experience cranked on high. The talented designers and buyers who created this place, left nothing un-crafted. Every detail has been considered, and every little nail or stone has been thoughtfully curated. And ‘curated’ is the operative word here, for every object from books, to plant material, to antiques has been curated – and curated perfectly. Terrain is not derivative, rather, it is original and fresh, both rare experiences today. There is just enough commonality to be familiar to the newbie ( sure, there are Paperwhite narcissus, but they were huge), but this is balanced out authentic hand-made pottery and rare plant material to keep even the geekiest of hortiphiles interested. After-all, we are all suckers for design excellence AND horticultural perfection.
A series of galvanized funnels are installed creatively on the exterior wall of the Cafe at Terrain
A SELECTION OF GLASS BELL JARS AND DOMES FOR THE MASTER TERRARIUMIST
TILLANSIA, THE ‘IT’ BROMELLIAD, HERE THERE ARE AT LEAST A DOZEN SPECIES
WOODEN BOX ENDS, FORM PANELING UNDER THE CASH OUT AREA
EVERY DETAIL IS THOUGHTFULLY ARRANGED AND PRESENTED, EVEN THIS
VINTAGE STYERS NURSERY CART
WORKS”
HEIRLOOM SQUASHES AND SMALL CURCURBITS
LOOK. MY MARKET HAS YELLOW MUMS IN POTS WITH WHEAT. AT TERRAIN, AUTUMN MEANS EUCOMIS BICOLOR AND HEBES!!!
INTERIOR VIEW OF ONE OF THE RETAIL SPACES AT TERRAIN
VINTAGE GRAPE CRATES FILLED WITH HEIRLOOM SQUASH AND MINI PUMPKINS
MOSS SPHERES PLANTED WITH SUCCULENTS
COTTON ( YOU CAN GROW IT AT HOME), CAN’T BE CUT AND DRIED, SINCE THE STEM BECOMES BRITTLE, BUT THESE ARE REAL COTTON BUDS, HAND WIRED TO A WIRE STEM. NOW, YOU CAN HAVE A VASE OF COTTON
I BOUGHT A FEW TERRARIUMS LIKE THIS, TO PLAY WITH
INTERIOR VIEW IN ONE OF THE GREENHOUSES
HAND MADE HORTICULTURAL POTTERY SELECTION.
A RED-LEAVED GRAPE, VERY NICE!
VINTAGE GARDENING TOOLS IN A BARREL ( AND I JUST THREW OURS OUT!)
OLD GRAPE HARVEST BOXES, ON SALE AT THE STORE
It certainly looks like a beautiful place, lots of texture and instant style to bring home, but….
Urban Outfitters is notorious about donating money to far right conservative causes that impinge on the social freedoms of many Americans.
Sigh, I can't do it…
Matt, you sent me some nerines last year, and the first bloom has opened, the first I've seen "in the petal." Thank you so very much for your generosity.
I get one day in PA this Sunday and am attempting to squeeze in Longwood and Chanticleer but had to lop Terrain off the intinerary. Regret!
Thanks for the notes about URBN Chairman and his support of a major Republican leader who opposes Gay issues. I'll check it out more, the way I see it, we ALL have the choice in this great country to choose to support, it's what makes America, America. I may not like it, but it's our system.If I choose to address this politically in a public forum, I will do it on a different site like Huffington Post, and not on my hobby plant enthusiast site. There is a place for everything. I choose to make it a policy to not mix politics with my blog, (I mean, I don't even like bumper stickers, but don't get me started!). So unless it directly affect plants, all I ask is that any political issues be addressed on sites dedicated to that). It's just better that way. Thanks for being so passionate! Keep fighting!
Thanks for the tour, now I need to take my suddenly inadequate self back to my garden center and make some changes, but where to start?