My thumbs are black. Plants wilt in my presence. But the New York Botanical Garden’s new shop, housed in a 7,500-square-foot pavilion, is gorgeous enough to get even non-gardeners like me to make the twenty-minute Metro-North trip from Grand Central Terminal to the Bronx River Parkway (at Fordham Road; 718-817-8073 or nybg.org). The walk up the lushly landscaped drive helps. So does the almost-all-glass building—light streams in, casting an incredible glow on everything. And then there’s the diverse product mix: from handmade horn sunglasses by EBX Optics to an impressive antique-book collection. The jewelry selection is surprising—there are antique enamel cloisonné pieces, delicate and modern earrings and necklaces by Melissa Joy Manning, and chunky rock-crystal pieces by Barbara Harris. And there’s a whole section of skin creams, home fragrances, and scented candles. Naturally, the store is also stuffed with practical items like florist’s clay, stem-wrap tape, knee pads, and rubber boots, as well as pots and vases, smooth river stones, twig furniture, and, of course, seeds and plants. It’s all inspired me to rethink my AstroTurfed balcony—and I swear my black thumb is fading to gray.

Related:

• Archive: “Shop Talk”
• Articles by Rima Suqi
• Table of Contents: Apr 12, 2004 issue of New York | Subscribe!