Urban Roots

The first thing I noticed about Urban Roots was its location across from the Golden Triangle Learning Center and the Family Flex Early Education Center. Urban Roots is also a school of sorts, for those Denverites who want to find plants suitable for their limited urban living and gardening and commercial spaces.

I entered through the courtyard off 10th Street, admiring the Christmas trees and other decorations, and entered the small interior.

The owner, Diane Stahl, was busy when I walked in, but soon enough she asked me if I needed help, and I told her about my interest in reviewing local stores for this website.

She noted that 80 percent of her plants come from local growers, including the striking painted poinsettias in purple and orange. I would have bought one to take home with me, but I was on foot and afraid it might freeze.

Other local goods included Botanical Interests seeds (some of which are organic), xeriscape plant guides from Fulcrum Publishing in Golden, and Ogden Street Cards. The most unusual item was a biodegradable pot made from bamboo, from Rosso’s International. I had thought the only biodegradable pots were the small cardboard planting pots that nurseries sometimes use for vegetables in the spring.

If you’re looking for gardening advice, the “Reading Room” on the Urban Roots website is a good place to start. The website also details the store’s Greenscape Services for homes and businesses. You can find examples of Stahl’s work in the Portfolio.

It seems appropriate that Urban Roots, with its focus on gardening in small spaces, should be a relatively small store. The arrangement of pots pictured here (some from Germany) shows how much care Diane Stahl puts into every detail of her business.

The day after I visited Urban Roots, a question recurred to me: How do small businesses in urban areas make ends meet, especially when they’re selling relatively inexpensive items? I emailed that question to the owner, who had not replied by the time I posted this article. But Urban Roots has been in business in Denver for 7 years; clearly Stahl has found a way.