Denver gardeners face a real challenge: high altitude, dry air, and a short, unpredictable season. The good news is the Front Range has a deep bench of local nurseries that know exactly how to grow here, from a greenhouse that has been running since 1911 to expert cactus specialists.
Whether you are filling a xeriscape bed, hunting for a healthy houseplant, or planting trees, there is a Denver-area nursery for you. Here are ten of the best, with addresses, phone numbers, and hours to help you plan a visit.
Before you go
Nursery hours, locations, and details change with the seasons and over time. The information below was accurate when this guide was compiled, but please confirm current hours, address, and stock on each nursery’s own website or Google listing before making a trip.
How we chose these nurseries
This is a researched roundup of well-regarded Denver-area nurseries, chosen because they appear consistently across local recommendations and reviews and have strong, long-standing reputations.
We have favored independent, locally owned garden centers known for quality plants and knowledgeable staff over big-box stores. A few of the best are just outside Denver proper, in Arvada, Centennial, Aurora, and Wheat Ridge, and we have noted each location honestly so you know what to expect.
The 10 best plant nurseries in Denver
1. City Floral Garden Center
The historic heart of Denver gardening. City Floral traces back to a greenhouse founded by the Lammermann family in 1911, and it is the oldest remaining greenhouse in the city, now a full-service garden center on Kearney Street.
Reviewers describe it as a wonderland: a huge, varied selection of plants, including unusual variegated houseplants, a creative gift shop, and a famously pleasant atmosphere, complete with resident cats roaming the greenhouses. Several mention staff bagging plants to hold in humidity and helping carry them to the car.
In fairness, it is not the cheapest, a few reviewers feel the houseplant prices run high, so it is worth comparing on bigger purchases.
- Address: 1440 Kearney St, Denver, CO 80220
- Phone: (303) 399-1177
- Website: cityfloralgreenhouse.com
- Hours: Mon to Sat 9am to 6pm, Sun 9am to 5pm
- Rating: 4.3 stars (630+ Google reviews)
2. Echter’s Nursery & Garden Center
One of the largest and most beloved garden centers in the state, family-owned in Arvada for more than 60 years, with a vast display area and thousands of plant varieties.
Reviewers consistently praise the enormous selection and the genuinely helpful staff, one landscape architect describes losing hours among the seed wall, garden accessories, and indoor plants. People note prices run a little above the big-box stores, but feel the plant quality more than justifies it.
A loyalty program (their “green bucks” cash back) comes up often, and one reviewer fondly named a staff member, Kathy, for patiently explaining it.
- Address: 5150 Garrison St, Arvada, CO 80002
- Phone: (303) 424-7979
- Website: echters.com
- Hours: Mon to Sat 9am to 7pm, Sun 9am to 6pm
- Rating: 4.5 stars (920+ Google reviews)
3. Tagawa Gardens
A Centennial institution that reviewers describe as more of an experience than a shop. Tagawa is large, beautifully kept, and stocked with everything from rare houseplants to roses, trees, and seasonal displays.
Longtime customers mention shopping there for over a decade, picking out a rose bush every Mother’s Day, and the knowledgeable, friendly employees. Collectors specifically praise the indoor plant selection, with one saying their entire houseplant collection came from Tagawa and visiting weekly to see what is new.
It also runs classes, a one-year warranty on perennials, trees, and shrubs, and family events through the year, which makes it a community favorite.
- Address: 7711 S Parker Rd, Centennial, CO 80016
- Phone: (303) 690-4722
- Website: tagawagardens.com
- Hours: Mon to Sat 9am to 6pm, Sun 9am to 5pm
- Rating: 4.6 stars (990+ Google reviews)
4. Nick’s Garden Center & Farm Market
A genuine community hub in Aurora, and the highest-reviewed nursery on this list by volume, with thousands of reviews. Nick’s combines a full garden center with a farm market and famous seasonal events.
Families rave about the fall festival and pumpkin patch and the Christmas market, many noting how much is free to enjoy, with trains, activities, and seasonal plants. Beyond the events, it is a well-stocked garden center with landscaping supplies like mulch, rock, and pottery.
It gets very busy at peak season, parking can be tricky during festivals, but reviewers find the staff helpful and the atmosphere worth it.
- Address: 2001 S Chambers Rd, Aurora, CO 80014
- Phone: (303) 696-6657
- Website: nicksgardencenter.com
- Hours: Mon to Sat 8am to 6:30pm, Sun 9am to 5pm
- Rating: 4.6 stars (2,300+ Google reviews)
5. Southwest Gardens
The specialist’s specialist, in Wheat Ridge, and the highest-rated nursery here at 4.8 stars. If you love cacti and succulents, this is the Denver-area destination.
Reviewers describe an astonishing, expert selection, run by a founder of the local cactus society, with specimens reportedly growing up to 15 feet tall and staff who know their plants deeply. Newcomers to Denver mention it making their new home feel brighter, and praise the prices and the kind, knowledgeable team.
One honest note from reviews: as with any plant shop, a customer or two reported pests like mealybugs on purchases, so inspect new plants before bringing them home, sound advice anywhere.
- Address: 4114 N Harlan St, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033
- Phone: (303) 423-5606
- Website: southwestgardensco.com
- Hours: Daily 9am to 4pm
- Rating: 4.8 stars (340+ Google reviews)
6. Country Fair Garden Center
A friendly neighborhood garden center on Leetsdale Drive, operated by the Gerace family, the same family behind the well-known Hardy Boy Plants brand, for decades of Colorado growing experience.
Reviewers single out the staff by name again and again, Doug, Kara, Ivory, and Carol all get warm shout-outs, describing judgment-free, genuinely helpful advice for beginners. People love the well-displayed mix of quality plants, pots, and outdoor decor, and the easy parking.
It is the kind of smaller, personal shop where the team will repot a gift plant for you and explain how to care for it.
- Address: 7150 Leetsdale Dr #415, Denver, CO 80224
- Phone: (303) 757-4949
- Website: countryfairgarden.com
- Hours: Mon to Sat 9am to 6pm, Sun 9am to 5pm
- Rating: 4.5 stars (200+ Google reviews)
7. Paulino Gardens
A large, well-loved garden center on North Broadway with a deep selection of houseplants, cacti, succulents, hydroponics supplies, and outdoor plants.
Reviewers describe being in awe of the variety and praise the healthy, mature plants and big range of pots and gifts. The staff come up repeatedly as friendly and helpful, and several mention it is dog-friendly, with employees who fuss over visiting pups.
One useful, honest tip from a reviewer: plants are not always labeled for pet safety, so if that matters to you, ask a staff member before buying. Prices reflect the mature, quality plants.
- Address: 6300 N Broadway, Denver, CO 80221
- Phone: (303) 429-8062
- Website: paulinogardens.com
- Hours: Seasonal, confirm current hours before visiting
- Rating: 4.4 stars (280+ Google reviews)
8. ReRoot
A charming, modern plant shop that newer-generation Denver plant lovers consistently recommend for houseplants and a welcoming atmosphere.
Reviewers describe a charming space with knowledgeable, friendly staff and an enchanting plant-shopping experience, the kind of boutique shop that suits houseplant hobbyists more than a big landscape nursery.
As with any smaller, independently run shop, confirm current location, hours, and stock before making a special trip.
- Note: a newer independent plant shop, so verify current address and hours on their website or Google listing before visiting.
- Rating: well reviewed; confirm current details before you go.
9. Stalk Market CO
A boutique plant shop reviewers compare to a botanical wonderland, known for a great selection of plants alongside quirky, stylish pots, planters, and garden decor.
It is the sort of shop houseplant collectors enjoy browsing for both the plants and the accessories, with attention to unique pieces you will not find at a big-box store.
As with the other smaller shops here, confirm current location and hours before visiting, since boutique plant shops can move or change seasonally.
- Note: a boutique plant shop, so verify current address and hours on their website or Google listing before visiting.
- Rating: well reviewed; confirm current details before you go.
10. Highlands Garden Center
A long-standing favorite in Denver’s Highlands neighborhood, frequently recommended by locals for a strong selection of plants and a friendly, knowledgeable team.
Reviewers describe it as a well-organized neighborhood garden center with helpful staff and a good range of plants and supplies, the kind of dependable local spot Denver gardeners return to season after season.
Because more than one Denver-area business uses a similar name, confirm you have the Highlands neighborhood location, and check current hours, before visiting.
- Note: confirm you have the Highlands neighborhood Denver location (similar names exist in the metro area), and check current hours and address before visiting.
- Rating: well reviewed locally; confirm current details before you go.
Tips for shopping Denver nurseries
A few things help you get the most from a Denver nursery trip. Shop the local independents for plants already acclimated to Colorado’s high altitude and dry, semi-arid climate, they will fare far better than stock trucked in from elsewhere.
Spring is the busiest and best-stocked season, but many of these garden centers are open year round with seasonal highlights, fall pumpkins and festivals, winter poinsettias and Christmas trees, and fresh houseplant arrivals throughout.
Ask the staff for advice tailored to the Front Range, since locally knowledgeable employees are one of the biggest advantages of an independent nursery over a big-box store. And always inspect a new plant for pests before bringing it home, wherever you buy it.
If you are bringing home new houseplants from any of these nurseries, my houseplant care guides can help you keep them thriving once they are on your shelf.
Which Denver nursery is your favorite, or is there a local gem we should add to this list? Leave a comment below and let me know.
Frequently asked questions
What is the oldest nursery in Denver?
City Floral Garden Center traces back to a greenhouse founded by the Lammermann family in 1911, making it the oldest remaining greenhouse in Denver. It is still a full-service garden center today on Kearney Street.
Where can I buy houseplants in Denver?
Several garden centers carry strong houseplant selections, including City Floral, Tagawa Gardens, and Echter’s. For cacti and succulents specifically, Southwest Gardens in Wheat Ridge is the specialist most often recommended.
Which Denver nursery is best for cacti and succulents?
Southwest Gardens in Wheat Ridge is the go-to. Run by a founder of the local cactus society, it has one of the largest and most expert succulent and cactus selections in the metro area, with a 4.8 rating.
Are these nurseries all inside Denver city limits?
Most are in or near Denver, but several of the best Front Range garden centers are in neighboring towns, such as Echter’s in Arvada, Tagawa in Centennial, Nick’s in Aurora, and Southwest Gardens in Wheat Ridge. All are an easy drive for Denver gardeners.
Why buy from a local Denver nursery instead of a big-box store?
Local nurseries sell plants already acclimated to Colorado’s high altitude and semi-arid, high-desert climate, and their staff can give advice tailored to Front Range growing. That local knowledge is hard to get at a national chain.
