Minu

Minu is a shop where you can go to look around and enjoy a cup of coffee with a slice of delicious red velvet cake or, if you see something you like, even buy something. It is a living store that integrates nature, art, design and gastronomy. 

The shop’s name is inspired by the English word “minutiae,” meaning “the small details of something,” notably those that we focus on in our daily lives. The owner, George Syrmas, believes that Athens is not doing everything it should with respect to nature, so he felt the need to bring green as close as possible to the grey that envelops the city.

At Minu you will find plants from all over the world, utilitarian or non-utilitarian objects of a Scandinavian design, magazines and books, artwork by various artists and a unique menu that has been prepared by Athinagoras Kostakos. The most popular plant you’ll find at Minu is the monstera and especially the variegate, but it is difficult to find the same plants for long periods of time because Minu constantly renews its variety of plants. A favorite plant among the shop’s customers is the licuala cordata (an exotic fan palm from Sarawak, Malaysia), even though nothing compares to a beautifully blossomed magnolia.

Are there easy or difficult plants? Definitely not. The more we want to be involved with living things, the better and the more we will coexist with them.

Papigion Project

At Papigion Project you will find second-hand plants, even though Achilleas Chariskos, the store’s owner, prefers the term “second-chance plants.” He finds it more interesting to save an existing plant than buying a new plant. Before devoting himself to the world of plants, Achilleas would adopt the plants that his friends no longer wanted because they seemed to be on their last legs and breathed new life into them. This gave him tranquility, focus and respite. Eventually, he turned his passion into a full-time job.

At Papigion Project you will mainly find Achilleas himself, who knows how to garden so well that he adds character to every foliage, flower and root and who is eager to give you advice and instructions on how to save your own plants. He even comes to your home if he thinks it’s necessary.

Today, more and more people are adding greenery to their homes. There is a general tendency towards plants that are resilient and don’t require much in terms of maintenance, those that are generous in relation to what you give them.

Mrs Dalloway’s

Named after the heroine of Virginia Woolf’s namesake novel, Mrs Dalloway’s flower shop sells dried plants and other derivatives, filling this little corner of central Athens with sweet fragrances and beautiful colors. The interior appears as though it has been forgotten by time, taking you on a journey to the past with the nostalgic melodies of Attik – a Greek composer, singer and songwriter – playing the in the background.

Why dried flowers? Because they have their own particular charm! If you don’t have the time to maintain live plants or if the conditions of your spaces are not ideal for live plants, dried plants are a good solution and, of course, they are the perfect gift that symbolizes “perpetuity.”

Mrs Dalloway’s was the result of an impulsive decision Katerina Aggelitsa took to help her get through a long melancholic period she experienced during the Covid-19 lockdowns. At the shop, you will find a variety of dried flowers and bouquets (painted flowers contain water soluble colors), scent diffusers, pillow mists, natural soaps, edible flowers, vases, candlesticks, scented soy candles, flower dehydrators (a more developed version of the popular herbarium), books, pots, and baskets.

The most popular items at Mrs Dalloway’s are the hollyhock (which looks like a daisy) and the “Midnight Sex on the Terrace” scent diffuser.

Rizom

The way plants are arranged in Rizom is similar to the way works of art are arranged in an art gallery: the way they’re accentuated, the lighting, the pairings. The curation is a ritual that is performed anew every week creating a unique visual experience. 

The shop got its name from “rhizome” … whose horizontal movement withstands time and organization. The shop’s owners, Vincent and Thaleia, following the end of the quarantine and at a time of uncertainty, decided to do something different to what they were doing at the time.

At Rizom you will find unusual and rare plants (such as air plants and plants of the Japanese technique “kokedama”), books on botany, plant accessories, organic fertilizer, sprayer bottles, watering cans and pruning shears. Among the shop’s tropical plants, you’ll also find handcrafted creations of Greek artists, paintings, ceramic objects, Moroccan scent blocks, Palo Santo, copal incense and handmade sage smudges. At the end of the corridor, a refrigerator preserves rare flowers from Africa and Australia, while the back wall is dotted with dried plants.

The most popular items at Rizom are the exotic laceleaf and plants with a dark foliage and velvety texture, such as the devil’s ivy. Another popular family of plants is the resilient philodendron. Finally, the Palo Santo holy wood, which is burned to clear out negative energy, is another favorite item.

Mother

Mother is a popular haunt for Athens’ plant community. Manos Tziaponis grew up in nature, surrounded by plants inside and outside his family home. For Manos, taking care of plants is innate. Before opening Mother, he used to help his friends maintain their gardens and decorate their living spaces with indoor plants. Eventually, he decided to capitalize on his enthusiasm for plants and help other people besides his friends.

At Mother you will find a variety of indoor plants, including some very rare exotic aroids, beautiful handcrafted chachepots, bouquets of fresh flowers and Mano himself, who is always eager to help you find exactly what kind of plant you’re looking for and tell you how to take care of it. He’ll happily give you advice on the plants you already have in your home.

The shop’s most popular item differs depending on the season and the customer. In spring, many people ask for fresh bouquets of flowers that are prepared in the shop. Customers who are looking for something more resilient prefer the maranta plant that is perfect for indoor areas, while those who are looking for something rare, the philodendron varieties are unique.

For people who are new to gardening, plants that – as they say in the trade – know how to forgive, like the monstera and the ficus, are recommended. Otherwise, sunlight and water are the only guidelines you need.

Secret Garden

A small but charming flower shop in Neo Psychiko where you can go to simply browse and wonder at the colors and fragrances that pique the senses. This is where you come to buy a “thank you” gift or some heliotropes to decorate your dinner table, or scented candles to enhance your nights.

The shop got its name from the namesake novel of British-American novelist Frances Hodgson Burnett. Although Valentini Krassa initially opened Secret Garden as a pop-up store in November 2017 for 40 days, it was her customers who, in the end, convinced her to keep it open.

At Secret Garden you will find seasonal flowers that arrive every day from local producers, as well as exotic flowers that are imported from abroad. The shop also has a variety of ceramic and handblown glass vases, candlesticks, scented candles and seasonal plants in handcrafted flower baskets.

The most popular item at Secret Garden are the jam jars – marmalade jars filled with seasonal local flowers – that can be used as centerpieces for impromptu dinners or offered to friends or family or to put on your nightstand to add a touch of elegance to your bedroom.

Bouquets or potted flowers? Bouquets for the remarkable flower arrangements you never imagined could exist, for the textures that are married so elegantly, for the fragrances that bring back childhood memories, for the warm floral embrace you give to someone you love.

Secret Garden also organizes classes and workshops. Floral designers from abroad teach floristry, the creation of wreaths and sustainable techniques, such as composting. Similarly, children’s workshops, which bring children closer to flowers, are also organized.