These interesting nurseries in Johannesburg can set you up with everything from hardy houseplants to native shrubs and top-notch gardening accessories. Especially in the last few years, Joburgers have really been flexing their green thumbs and creating some fantastic indoor and outdoor oases in the urban space. So it comes as no surprise that garden centres and nurseries have been flourishing, offering everything from potted flowering plants to fruit trees and from hedging to garden ornaments, water features, and garden furniture.
In this guide, we spotlight some of our favourite, must-visit nurseries in Johannesburg and its suburbs. And if you don’t have a green thumb, don’t worry – the staff at these local garden shops can offer you advice as well as recommendations on the best gardening accessories so you don’t kill your new plant babies.
Stodels
Stodels has the art of gardening down to a T, having launched way back in 1962 by Robert Stodel from humble beginnings. They’re experts on all sorts of greenery, from landscaping foliage to indoor greenery for lazy homeowners. Take a look at the homewares section for gifts or complete your new green interior with stylish pots, woven baskets, and other hand-crafted pieces.
Their free gardening club is a great resource for tips and special offers, plus all members receive a free plant gift every month.
When: Daily, from 8am to 5pm
Where: 278 Main Rd, Bryanston, Johannesburg | Ferndale on Republic, Republic Rd, Ferndale, Randburg | Thomas Edison Street, Menlo Park, Pretoria
Website: stodels.com | Email: [email protected] | Tel: 011 463 5773
Montrose Nursery
Onsite coffee shop: Yes
If you are looking for gardening inspiration, make a beeline for this family-run nursery in Johannesburg. Founded in Morningside over 40 years ago, Montrose Nursery’s core idea has always been to provide extensive plant and gardening knowledge for a unique natural gardening experience.
But you’ll also find an abundance of gardening tips, tricks, and tools in the shop and the gardens themselves. Learn what plants will work best in your climate zone or how to get the most out of your veggie patch through companion planting.
When: Daily, 8am to 4:45pm
Where: 66b South Rd, Morningside, Sandton
Website: montrosenursery.co.za | Email: [email protected] | Tel: 011 783 1252/083 377 3156
Random Harvest Nursery
The indigenous garden plants at Random Harvest Nursery are displayed throughout their plant nursery in an informative and unique way to inspire.
As you move through the garden-like setting, there is ‘in situ’ inspiration and advice for the landscaper, gardening enthusiast and layman alike. This nursery in Johannesburg specialises in an extensive indigenous plant catalogue and will also give you detailed information on all the plants and how to keep them alive.
Furthermore, within the beautiful nature setting, see mature tree specimens to give you a practical guideline of how they will look in a garden environment.
When: Daily, from 7.30am to 4:30pm
Where: 57 College Road, Muldersdrift, Krugersdorp
Website: randomharvest.co.za | Email: [email protected] | Tel: 082 553 0598
GardenShop
You’re probably familiar with GardenShop in Parktown North, a beautiful green lung in the city. This nursery in Johannesburg has everything a good gardening shop should have. Think potting essentials, tools, and accessories are available amongst the large collection of healthy indoor and outdoor plants, trees, garden furniture and stunning home decor.
Their flower bunches are bound to take your breath away with their gorgeous array of fresh contemporary flower arrangements, and you can also relax with a cup of tea at Munch Cafe.
When: Daily, from 8am to 5pm
Where: 167 Jan Smuts Ave, Parktown North, Johannesburg
Website: gardenshop.co.za | Email: [email protected] | Tel: 011 447 2368
Anderson’s Nursery and Coffee Shop
Onsite coffee shop: Yes
If you live in Norwood with its gorgeous greenery and quiet charm, you’ll love Anderson’s Nursery and Coffee Shop for those days when you’re after a chilled switch-off.
Feast on freshly baked cakes, light lunches, great coffee, and new plant babies all in one trip. The space is unpretentious, and you can find just about everything you could want for your garden, including seedlings, ornamental trees, shrubs, tools, and expert tips.
When: Tuesday to Sunday, from 8am to 5pm. Closed on Monday.
Where: 10 Grant Ave, Norwood, Johannesburg
Email: [email protected] | Tel: 011 483 0744
Ludwig’s Roses
Ludwig’s Roses, established in 1971 by Ludwig Taschner, is a specialist nursery that has grown from small beginnings to become the strongest rose brand in South Africa with many venues in Gauteng. The ‘mother’ nursery, north of Pretoria, is a spectacle of more than 1 000 roses in full bloom. Today, with more than 25 breeders from all over the world working with him, Taschner annually tests thousands of new varieties to see how they withstand our local climate. From these, a selection of new varieties is named and released every year.
Attractions besides the roses include an on-site cafe, which serves breakfasts, light lunches, tea and cake. Taschner, always willing to share his knowledge and passion for roses, offers talks and hosts annual events. These include summer, winter and finger-pruning demonstrations as well as soil and planting workshops.
When: Mostly from 9am to 5pm daily, click here for specific times
Where: Glenferness, Johannesburg | Irene, Pretoria | Pretoria North | Pretoria East. See all venue details here
Website: www.ludwigsroses.co.za | Email: [email protected] | Tel: 012 544 0144
Hillcrest Nursery
Onsite coffee shop: Yes
This family nursery in Sandton is all about making spaces more beautiful and creating joyful and peaceful environments at good prices.
Their wholesale nursery and shop are jam-packed with everything you need to achieve just that – you’ll have a lot to choose from to create your own garden or plant-driven interiors. You’ll find veggie and fruit seedlings, an excellent selection of cacti and succulents, native South African plants, a carefully selected range of exquisite homewares, and more.
When: Monday to Saturday, 7.30am to 4:30pm
Where: 45, 46 2nd Rd, Linbro Park, Sandton
Website: hillcrestnursery.co.za | Email: [email protected] | Tel: 011 458 6016
Schäffler’s Garden Nursery
Schäffler’s Garden Nursery is one of the most popular nurseries in Johannesburg and the go-to for enthusiastic and passionate gardeners. This family-run outfit also offers green services, including professional garden design, landscaping, irrigation and tree felling.
Owner and horticulturalist Anthony Schäffler has shared his knowledge, passion, and dedication over the last 30 years, creating a proudly independent, diverse, and charming plant-lover’s haven. A wide selection of quality plants and long-standing, friendly staff who know customers by name and give expert gardening advice continually bring in regular and new customers. For serious gardeners, you will find a variety of collectors and unusual plants and an ‘if we don’t have it, we will find it for you’ policy.
Head to Under the Trees garden cafe and rustic outdoor pizza bar that is famous for our freshly ground, bold coffee, homemade chicken pie, and thin-crust authentic Italian pizzas.
When: Tuesday to Sunday, from 8am to 4.30pm
Where: 28 Johannesburg Road, Lyndhurst, Johannesburg
Website: schafflers.com | Email: [email protected] | Tel: 011 786 0323
Garden World
Onsite coffee shop: Yes
Garden World is an evergreen and magical gardening destination for the whole family. This gardener’s paradise creates fresh seasonal ideas with an annual Spring Festival to refresh the gardening palate. Their gardening expert, JJ van Rensburg, also advises on any gardening-related questions.
Their extensive retail & wholesale nursery is stocked with everything an avid gardener needs to enhance their home oasis, including plants of all shapes and sizes, as well as a wide variety of pest control-, plant nutrition- and garden care solutions from some of South Africa’s most trusted commercial and home garden suppliers.
When: Wednesday to Sunday. Breakfast from 9am to 11:30am; Lunch from 12pm to 4pm
Where: Plot 114, Beyers Naudé Drive, Muldersdrift
Website: gardenworld.co.za | Email: [email protected] | Tel: 011 957 2545 or 011 957 2047
Lifestyle Home Garden
Since its opening in 1988, Lifestyle Home Garden has blossomed into a fully-fledged and flourishing garden centre for tradies and home DIY fans. This large nursery in Johannesburg often has really good nurseries that sell vegetable seedlings, fruit trees, outdoor foliage and indoor plants.
They’ll also have all the hardware you need (think pots and shovels) to plant your new green friends so you can be ready for that springtime bloom. You’ll find a nursery, pet shop, tea garden and animal farmyard at the venue.
When: Monday to Saturday, from 7am to 5:30pm. Sunday, from 7am to 5pm
Where: Ysterhout Dr &, Beyers Naudé Dr, Randpark Ridge, Johannesburg
Website: lifestyle.co.za | Email: [email protected] | Tel: 011 792 5616
Multiflora Flower Market
Onsite coffee shop: Yes
Located in the heart of Joburg, Multiflora is Africa’s largest flower auction house and flower mall, regularly auctioning one million flower stems daily to florists and wholesalers for distribution in cities in South Africa and other countries.
More than 80% of the flowers sold at Multiflora are grown less than 300 kilometres away from Johannesburg, with some coming from the Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and other African countries. Multiflora not only sells to wholesalers but also to the visitors coming to view their extensive “showroom”.
Visitors can purchase flowers at wholesale prices with fresher and better options than anywhere else. The famous Grandiflora is open for any decor needs, and The Flower Cup cafe is open for coffee or a light snack. Even a bridal boutique with local and imported dresses can be found in the mall, as can an ABSA bank.
When: Monday to Friday, from 8am to 4pm. Saturday, from 8am to 2pm. Closed on Sunday.
Where: Multiflora Building, Cnr Fig Place &, Vickers Rd, City Deep, Johannesburg
Website: multiflora.co.za | Email: [email protected] | Tel: 011 613 4011
Herb Land – Permanently closed
Herb Land nursery in Midrand is not your average garden shop—it’s a place where people of all ages can dive into the fantastic world of herbs. You get to learn the ropes of growing and using these green wonders for a healthy lifestyle.
The Herb Association of South Africa, led by the amazing Janet Visee, picked Herb Land as their go-to training spot and headquarters. The team is all about spreading the herbal benefits for everyday living. They hosted the first-ever Herbal Happening in April 2009—a three-day bash packed with herbal education, cool products, and total well-being.
You can browse a wide range of houseplants for your interiors, gardening tools and other essentials to shop, or chat with one of the experts on how to troubleshoot growing pains for your greens.
JFF Plant Shop – Permanently Closed
This adorable little plant shop is located at 44 Stanley in Braamfontein Werf. Pop on over and say hi to owner Ashleigh Machete, who takes pride in the ways his shop builds a sense of community through the love of plants. Ashley also runs regular terrarium workshops where he teaches small groups how to create their own mini garden display. If you’re after quirky and weird greenery and potting soil and supplies for your home, look no further.
