Seattle's Urban Villages

Neighborhood Spotlight on "Grass Roots" in Burien...

I met Tina Larson last week while poking around the cool shops in Olde Burien on SW 152nd St in Burien, and what a passionate person about plants!  A few months ago Tina realized a dream and bought a "pocket retail nursery" in Burien's  Olde Burien shopping district called Grass Roots. 

Tina (that's her in the photo walking out the door into the outdoor space) is an absolute "plant junkie" and lead me around her wonderful shop tempting me with cool and unusual annuals like " "solanum pyracanthum" (porcupine tomato), castor bean, and a cool variety of solomon's seal with a silvery edged leaf.  She plans on carrying some of my other favorite annuals such as nicotiana sylvestris and langsdorfi.  I forgot to ask about love-lies-bleeding (ammaranthus) but I am willing to bet that Tina will have that in her shop too when she can get it from the growers.  Ask Tina to show you the "7up" plant when you visit, it's the little plant in front of the spikey porcupine tomato in the photo below!

This splendid little shop is well worth a visit to Burien to shop for some cool and unusual plants (annuals, perennials and some small trees and shrubs) to enhance your garden and fill some glazed pottery as a garden focal point.  Tina's enthusiasm for plants will both entertain and educate you on what you can do to make your garden an even more magical place this spring, summer and fall!  On the inside, the shop has beautiful garden ornaments (both indoors and outdoors) for anyone who loves gardens whether they currently have a garden or not.

Grass Roots is a wonderful resource for homeowners with gardens in the Burien area, you no longer have to drive all the way to City People's Garden Store in Madison Valley or Molbak's in Woodinville for interesting plants! 

Olde Burien: Burien's SW 152nd St. growing Urban Village...

What? you say, Burien? 

Yes...there is a whole lotta cool stuff happening in Burien, just 10 minuets south of Downtown Seattle via the "secret" 509 highway.  The past couple of years has seen a wonderful change with new businesses opening up to enhance the local experience for Burien residents and as Jimi Lou, the Proprietor of ALLUSIA (921 SW 152nd St) told me last week, "we have people coming from West Seattle and the Kent area because it's easier to come here and shop than other places in Seattle, particularly North Seattle."   

There are now cool things to do, and eat and drink in Burien, places like Poggi Bonsi

where you can shop for Italian tableware, and at their sister shop Poggi Bonsi Cucina for gourmet cookware and supplies, they even have candied violets!  There is Grass Roots for unique annuals, perennials and garden gifts, Fireweed Bead Co., The Flower Gallery for flowers and Art.   For refreshment there is the MARK, The Tin Room , Elliott Bay Brewery , 909 Coffee & Wine, and Vino Bello.   

There is much more to Olde Burien to see, visit, shop and enjoy.  This really great for those who live in Burien and the surrounding areas of Normandy Park , Tukwila , Seatac and the southern part of  unincorporated Seattle (North Highline, Boulevard Park, White Center etc.).  Of course since Real Estate values are lower here than in most parts of the Seattle area, very nice for those looking to buy a home in a great neighborhood or Urban Village!