Now that it’s officially warm, we can start manifesting the perfect garden—whether it’s growing herbs, veggies, or flowers in a giant backyard plot or small containers on a balcony. It’s time to put on our gardening clogs and head to our favorite nurseries. We picked 15 that provide superb customer service skills, reliable expertise about planting in your zone, and the ability to help you choose the right products for your gardening style.

Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just getting started, these delightful shops have everything you need to upgrade your greenery game.

BRU-MAR GARDENS
Bru-Mar’s motto is that gardening is good for the soul. Located two miles west of the Chesapeake Bay, founders Bruce Martin and Martin Perkins offer 500 varieties of trees and shrubs and over 1,000 types of annuals and perennials. All year-round, you’ll have access to many services like plant diagnostics and property design. Staff members are up to date on the latest botany trends and are always willing to provide tips and tricks to gardeners of any level. 1009 Bay Ridge Rd., Annapolis

FRITZ FARM & NURSERY
This homey space near Bel Air has multiple greenhouses to satisfy all your seasonal needs. Wendel Fritz began the business 43 years ago and it now includes almost 60 acres of fresh evergreens, brilliant perennials, and deciduous shrubs. The personable staff members offer one-on-one care and special accommodations for gardens of all shapes and sizes. With such an exquisite space, you’ll want to bring the whole family along to discover the vibrant foliage and even visit the lively animals on the farm. 1001 Hollingsworth Rd., Joppa

GREEN FIELDS NURSERY
One of Baltimore City’s most recognizable gardening businesses has been around for more than 100 years. It’s a sea of green in the most unlikely spot—the highly trafficked corner of Falls Road and Northern Parkway. Here you’ll find a massive array of premium annuals and perennials along with fertilizers, mulches, and other necessary soil amendments. With two large showrooms and an extensive team of loyal botany experts, the greenhouse has everything you need to spruce up your yard. 5424 Falls Rd., Baltimore

HERRING RUN NURSERY
This nonprofit organic plant nursery is part of Blue Water Baltimore, which fights for clean water, climate change awareness, and other environmental issues for the community. Located in the Mount Pleasant Golf Course, you’ll be able to choose from over 250 species of trees, shrubs, vines, and wildflowers that are locally sourced and native to the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Be sure to stop by the pollinator garden to see how well native plants do in the right environment. All proceeds from Herring Run purchases go directly to Blue Water’s mission of creating a greener and cleaner Baltimore. 6131 Hillen Rd., Baltimore

HOMESTEAD GARDENS
Immerse yourself in wonder and become a horticulture master at this quirky destination, now celebrating 50 years in Anne Arundel County. Discover cultivated houseplants, nurtured bulbs, and other lush greeneries to fill your garden. There’s even a farm and pet team for those interested in felines, flocks, and other livestock favorites. If you’re looking to expand your agricultural knowledge, sign up for workshops about seed starting, container gardening, and biodiversity planting methods. 522 Ritchie Hwy., Severna Park; 743 W. Central Ave., Davidsonville

KINGSDENE NURSERY
This gem in northern Baltimore County is known for its expansive five acres and countless bulbs of all types. What began as a tiny outlet in 1977 has now expanded to an ever-changing selection of nursery stock—and they’re always looking to add more. Here you’ll find hanging baskets of peonies, hostas, and other hardy perennials to spruce up your space and beautify the community. With a team of certified professional horticulturists who are ready to answer all of your questions, this spot is perfect for beginner plant parents. 16435 York Rd., Monkton

KOLLAR NURSERY
Delight and beauty await at this stunning spot that’s truly worth the trek up to the Pennsylvania state line. This whimsical nursery combines diverse native plants and eclectic noninvasive species grown in-house for wetlands, fields, and forests. Owners Stan and Sharon Kollar share a passion for supporting wildlife, carrying organic seeds that are ideal for rain gardens, bioswales, and other parts of your backyard oasis. Make sure to stop by their solar house or take a look at the natural art by local artists they often highlight. 5200 West Heaps Rd., Pylesville

LAUREN’S GARDEN SERVICE
Whether you’re seeking award-winning installation or do-it-yourself guidance, this Howard County favorite is led by a passionate expert in the industry. Lauren Turner, a trained horticulturist with over 20 years of experience, specializes in eco-friendly and socially conscious products. With recycled materials, natural fertilizers, and permaculture practices, this spot is perfect for those who are environmentally conscious and love to shop locally. Choose from a variety of native perennials, shrubs, and trees to create lush hardscapes, relaxing rain gardens, and more. 13554 Triadelphia Rd., Ellicott City

MARYLAND FLOWER & FOLIAGE CO.
Twelve acres of colorful flora await you at this state-of-the-art facility in Baltimore County, first established in 1980. The two main greenhouses are filled with a fantastic selection of classic vegetable seeds like squash and peppers and fragrant herbs such as chocolate mint and coriander. Or, you can add beauty to your patio with the nursery’s varieties of dahlias and supertunia. With seasonal specialties and a knowledgeable staff providing efficient service, the possibilities are truly endless. 10403 Vincent Farm Ln., White Marsh

POOR BOY’S GARDEN CENTER
Since 1985, friends Terry Gerahty and Mike Tyson (no, not that Mike Tyson) have grown Poor Boy’s into a full-service nursery stocked with the latest and greatest organic plant material, water garden plants, premium tools, and locally sourced vegetation. But perhaps their stand-out sellers are their seeds, including 100 types of herbs to add some fragrance and freshness to your soil. They even have a diagnostics and analysis team who offer insightful solutions for all planting predicaments. 7721 Old Harford Rd., Parkville

RICHARDSON FARMS
What began as a humble farmers market in the early 1930s is now a unique, one-stop shop for all of your grocery needs year-round. Richardson Farms harvests 400 acres of produce each year, creating delicious farm-to-table meals and specialty menus every week. But this is not just a tasty farm stand; there’s also a greenhouse stocked with evergreen plants straight from the farm, like bonsai azaleas, dragon fruit beefsteak tomatoes, and everything in between. You’ll also find an impressive lineup of pots, compost, mulch, and decorations for any garden lover to purchase. 5900 Ebenezer Rd., White Marsh

SUN NURSERIES
Soak up the sunshine at this fun shop owned by the Rosenbaum family, who has been cultivating greenery for over 45 years. Their growing area spans 100 acres and houses over 2,500 types of local vegetation, ready to fulfill any plant lover’s dream. You’ll find everything from luscious fruit trees and noninvasive bamboo to dwarf conifers and colorful Japanese maples. Looking for advice? The experts at the retail center and on the design team can give you all sorts of tips and tricks, including which plants need to be staked and the best times to prune your fruit trees. 14790 Bushy Park Rd., Woodbine

VALLEY VIEW FARMS
Here in this gorgeous green jungle, there’s no such thing as too many plants. New fruit trees, cole crops, and other seedlings arrive weekly at this locally owned and operated destination, just north of Baltimore. What started as a small produce stand more than half a century ago has transformed into one of the largest garden centers in the Mid-Atlantic region. Along with the vast range of vegetation, you’ll have access to seminars, diagnostic services, and water testing in a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Don’t forget to swing by the water garden department to find water lilies, fish, and other aquatic accessories. 11035 York Rd., Cockeysville

WALTHER GARDENS
Explore these beautifully historic gardens in the neighborhood of Moravia-Walther, now run by the owners of the Margaret Cleveland in Bolton Hill. This cozy spot seamlessly blends personalized shopping opportunities with culinary pop-ups, veggie-growing demonstrations, and live music events. Shop for plants, herbs, and flowers of all kinds. There’s something about being here that makes every purchase feel enchanting. And be sure to visit “The Peggy,” the oldest snowball stand in the country, to savor a sweet treat during your trip. 4725 Walther Ave., Baltimore

WHITE HOUSE NURSERY
White House Nursery has been caring for the community and its ecology for five generations. With 30 acres of farmland, the outlet store houses all kinds of fantastic, homegrown foliage for your garden no matter the season. They offer versatile seeds, like cold-weather vegetables, allowing you to replant, refresh, and watch your flora rebloom. Take a seat at the koi fish ponds, pop by the irrigated mum field, and see agriculture at work during your visit. Be on the lookout for free events, classes, and demonstrations to engage nature lovers of all ages. 17422 Falls Rd., Upperco

In keeping with his totally surreal and dazzling life, it’s apt that the last person Hilton Carter hugged—aside from his wife—was Food Network icon Rachael Ray. You know, one of those pre-lockdown hugs when you could wrap your arms around someone and really lean into it. Carter was in New York City in early March promoting his book Wild Interiors: Beautiful Plants on The Rachael Ray Show.

The train ride from Baltimore’s Penn Station that early Wednesday morning had been eerily empty, his first real indication that this COVID-19 thing was getting serious, and Ray’s producers informed him when he arrived that there would be no studio audience. So Carter acted as the lone non-staff audience member until Ray called him down for his segment. “What? Is this The Price is Right?” he joked at the time. He and Ray talked about self-watering hacks and using pencil shavings to keep bugs off plants. After the show, he boarded the train back to Baltimore and has only ventured out of Maryland once since.

But Carter—with his familiar scraggly beard, hip hats, and easy-going style—has been doing a lot more than just watering his 250 (give or take) plants these past 11 months. He and his wife, Fiona Vismans, a dentist, bought—and are renovating—their first home, they created a tight-knit pod of friends to survive quarantine, and Carter wrote his third book. “I had nowhere to go,” laughs Carter. “I figured I should spend it making a book—with a few breaks to puzzle.”

Carter and his publishers realized that while many special events were canceled and businesses suffered this past year, plant ownership exploded. Some folks got pandemic puppies, others ended up with a fiddle-leaf fig or philodendron. “For me, it’s a beautiful thing to see,” says Carter—who has almost half a million followers on Instagram. “There was a time when I was the oddball in the group. Now, it’s a normal way of living—bringing the greenery into your space.”

Maybe it’s the need to bring the outside in. Maybe it’s the satisfaction of keeping something alive during such a dire time. It’s that, says Carter, and more. “Plants make you step away from the noise and craziness,” he says. That’s one of the ideas behind his new book, out this spring—Wild Creations: Inspiring Projects to Create Plus Plant Care Tips & Styling Ideas for Your Own Wild Interior.

“I think Hilton resonates with so many people because he has a fresh, contemporary take on houseplants,” says Cindy Richards, his publisher with Ryland Peters & Small and CICO Books. “He is different than most dry horticulturalists who will tell you the best plants to grow but don’t tell you how to live and love your plants or how to integrate them into your life. In Hilton’s world, you become a plant parent.”

Carter takes that role as plant guardian seriously, and the book is his chance to teach so others don’t stumble. Carter’s knowledge came about organically (as it were) over time. He visited plant shops, asked questions, and listened. A friend’s mom was into the fact that this 30-something suddenly liked plants, and she taught him about propagation—the process of growing new plants from the cuttings of other plant parts. But it was mostly trial and error, says Carter. The idea is “not to shame people or to make them feel bad but to give them a peek into the indoor jungle that I built and the lessons that I learned.”

That’s the way Carter does life, too. “Everything I’ve come to know is through being a child of this city,” he says. Carter—born at Johns Hopkins Hospital in 1979—grew up around drugs and violence. “I didn’t see much of an escape from that.”

But his childhood was also filled with happy memories of cartoons, cereal, lots of cousins, and friends. “When I was in it, I never thought about how negative it was,” he says. “It didn’t seem bad to me until I got a taste of what other kid’s childhoods were like.” A severe stutter also meant Carter spent a lot of his formative years keeping quiet and avoiding any sort of public speaking in class. “It made me uncomfortable and killed my confidence,” he remembers. His family moved to Essex when he was 10, which changed the direction of his life.

“It was my first time having a relationship with white people and seeing how white people lived,” he says. “And it was the first time I learned there is a course after dinner called dessert.” Carter played football for the Middle River Renegades and made a lot of friends. The kids liked that he was different—and artistic.

“PLANTS MAKE YOU STEP AWAY FROM THE NOISE AND THE CRAZINESS.”

“From the first day I can remember I wanted to be an artist,” says Carter. “Tears would come out of my eyes if I couldn’t figure out something to draw.”

He would sketch caricatures of his grandma—rollers in her hair, wearing a muu- muu, a cigarette in her hand. “I’m sure my grandmother was like, ‘I hate these drawings,’” he laughs. But she indulged him and slowly his confidence grew. He would run around the neighborhood with friends—always home by the time the streetlights came on—and started to notice girls. Approaching girls was tricky because of his stutter, but he would practice his opening line over and over until the words “would fall right out of my mouth.” He joined art clubs and took classes at the local community college before enrolling at Carver Center for Arts and Technology’s visual art program.

“I loved painting and telling a story,” he says. He would produce big self-portraits, but in a classical Renaissance style. By the time he was accepted to MICA, his stutter was all but gone. “I felt comfortable in my skin and kept challenging myself.” He graduated in 2002 and was selected by his class to be the student speaker at commencement.

After college, Carter moved to California to attend grad school for film—an artform he saw as the next natural step in visual storytelling. He learned all the different parts of filmmaking—directing, cinematography, even craft services—but what really stuck out for him was production design. He loved the idea that the set was telling a bigger story. “It was an additional character,” he says. In 2011, a freelance film project took him to Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, and someone suggested he check out Terrain, a shop and restaurant—owned by Anthropologie—that merged the idea of house and garden.

“I walked into the garden cafe and was blown away,” says Carter. “There was something in that space that felt so right.” It was the plants. They were hanging from every surface—the ceiling, the walls, on the tables. It was a lightbulb moment for Carter. “If I ever have the means, I’m going to start bringing plants in,” he thought.

Three years later, when Carter moved to New Orleans for work and his apartment in the French Quarter offered a big, sun-soaked space, he purchased a five-foot tall fiddle-leaf fig tree from Harold’s Plants on Press Street. “I didn’t know what I was doing, but I’d say it was transformative,” he says. He named the plant Frank and brought him home with him when he moved back to Baltimore in 2015. “He’d like a little more light,” says Carter of the now 14-foot beast. “But he’s still loving life.”

And so is Carter. A big part of that is because of Vismans, whom Carter married in 2018. The two met when she knocked on his door to tell him his loud music was making her adjacent apartment vibrate. It was a classic meet cute—as they went from adversaries to sweethearts. The two eventually eloped to Tulum for a private cenote ceremony in the jungle.

Five months later, they gathered at Heron Room with 120 friends and family and celebrated again with lots of cacti and ferns from Carter’s personal collection and tacos and margaritas from Clavel. “There hasn’t been a better spouse or partner,” says Carter.

Writing a book while quarantined actually sounds like a great plan. But in Carter’s case, when your tome is supposed to be full of visual how-tos and collaborations with other creative types, COVID proved to be challenging. Carter was able to reach inside his small pandemic bubble and tap Jamie Campbell Bynum, co-founder of Shine Creative TV and Homesy House interior design studio, as the project’s assistant stylist. (“I felt like Kamala when Joe asked her to be his vice president,” jokes Bynum.)

Everything they did was photographed in either Carter’s house and studio or at Bynum’s home. It wasn’t quite the soaring spaces that Carter had envisioned, but the limitations ended up being an inspiration. “Not everyone has eight-by-four foot windows in their homes,” says Carter. So using different rooms—bedrooms, bathrooms—they created projects that were also practical for small spaces or ones with little-to-no light source.

“Hilton’s a natural, super-gifted stylist and artist with a keen vision and unwavering work ethic,” says Bynum, whose husband, Drury, designed the cover of the book. “He gets up super early and works his ass off, non-stop all day. He responds and speaks to his social media followers in a way that they truly feel part of his world—and his world is green and jungly and kind and alive. I think people really sense his genuine love for plants.”

That unpretentiousness seems to be Carter’s special sauce. He’s been interviewed by Newsweek, The Washington Post, The New York Times, Dwell, and Essence magazine. He’s been featured on HGTV and Apartment Therapy, LA Magazine, Cup of Jo, and countless other blogs. He’s a genuine, nice guy and in demand. He has managed to take a “side hustle”—as he calls it—and turn it into a real job with sponsorships, a strong voice in the plant world, and opportunities that are endless. In short, he’s made plant ownership sexy. But he wants more.

“You have to say it to the universe,” Carter says. So he says it out loud: Maybe a Netflix travel show where he visits beautiful green spaces. Maybe a line of Hilton Carter home goods? “If I’m not on a TV show, if I haven’t collaborated with a really big brand, if my name isn’t on the pot that you have your plant in—I haven’t done my job.”

Studies have proven that being surrounded by greenery and nature makes us happier, less stressed, and much more relaxed. And you don’t need to have outdoor space to achieve plant nirvana. Apartments—with ample window space that will allow sunlight to reach your plants—are the perfect place to test your green thumb with houseplants. Not only are they pleasing to look at, but they also help keep your area rejuvenated and healthy by filtering the air and eliminating odors.

We consulted Derek Radebaugh, owner of the fourth-generation, family-owned Radebaugh Florist & Greenhouses in Towson, and B. Willow’s Liz Vayda, who has shops in Remington and Canton, and got them to recommend a few beautiful plants that are easy to maintain and rewarding to care for.

Fittonia
This delicate, silvery-veined plant makes for the perfect desk buddy. Vayda suggests placing it in indirect sunlight and making sure it’s watered whenever the soil becomes dry.

Bromeliad
There are many reasons to love this plant with its spiked flower and variety of vibrant colors. Vayda says these plants can survive in indirect sunlight and receive most of their water from their environment.

Chinese Evergreen
Radebaugh says that the Chinese evergreen’s multiple shades of green give a smart look to a home. The Chinese evergreen is not a picky plant—it prefers to be kept in a shady spot and can be watered about once per week.

You know what they say: “April showers bring May flowers!” Whether we’re looking to restock our garden or beautify our window sill, this time of year has us feeling green. And you bet we’re heading to the closest garden centers to stock up on new plants. We sat down with Hilton Carter, go-to plant expert and author of Wild at Home, to make sure we’re set up for success this spring.

Lighting

According to Carter, the most critical aspect of being a plant parent is understanding the sunlight in your space. Always start with a little research. Your green thumb will depend on how much sunlight your specific type of plant needs, so note the level of light your room is able to let in and find the best plant for that amount.

Commitment

How much TLC can you devote to your plants? Plant neglect can be detrimental depending on the types of flora. Carter’s advice is to think of it like this: Are you a cat person or a dog person? More low-maintenance plants, such as succulents and snake plants, are more resilient than others, like ferns and air plants.

Water

There isn’t one simple, golden rule for watering. “It can vary,” Carter says. “It all depends on the type of plant and the size of the plant.” Small plants in bright light will dry up quickly and demand more frequent watering while larger plants in cool, shaded areas may take longer to dry out. A general tip is to wait until the top two inches of soil is completely dry before watering again.

Environment

While some plants are marketed as homebodies, you should always aim to keep them in as close to a natural environment as possible. Tropical plants need more light, water, and humidity. While cacti need cooler temperatures and drier air.

Potting

Always re-pot plants from the plastic garden center containers with fresh soil. Carter says to be mindful of the type of potting material. Terracotta clay pots are great for plants that like drier soil as the clay pulls out excess moisture. Plastic is ideal for plants that like their soil a little damper since the water will settle and take longer to dry out.

Bugs

A common side effect of keeping house plants are pesky bugs. Carter’s one fix is to stay on top of your plant, always checking for when a bug pops up, then wash it down with dish soap and a little rubbing alcohol. This should be repeated every few weeks or every time you water, depending on the severity of the outbreak.

Beginner Plants

Hilton recommends snake plants, ZZ plants, ponytail palms, or peace lilies for first-time plant parents. These are easier to keep and a bit more low-maintenance.

Where to Shop

There are many great local plant shops in Baltimore, but a more limited budget could steer you towards great plants at hardware store garden centers or local nurseries. Carter’s favorite spot is Valley View Farms in Cockeysville.

From root rot and powdery mildew to scale and spider mites, Alexa Smarr has seen it all. But the horticulture agent associate for the Baltimore County office of the University of Maryland Extension says pest eradication shouldn’t start with a chemical spray, but with an understanding of “the disease triangle.”

“We tend to want to attack the pest without taking into consideration other factors,” says Smarr.

Here’s the triangle: For a plant to be unhealthy, there must be a susceptible host, a pathogen, and an environment conducive to disease. If azaleas need some TLC because of overcrowding and mildew caused by too much shade, for example, spraying for the mildew is just a Band-Aid.

“If you have foliar fungus, you can treat it,” she says, “but if it’s caused by environmental conditions like poor air circulation, or the plant is susceptible to our summer humidity, you need to alter the conditions or consider planting a resistant plant.”

Her solution? Improve garden health through prevention: Remove high-maintenance plants that often require spraying in favor of those suited to our climate and the site; leave spent flower heads such as black-eyed Susans that will be enjoyed by insect-consuming birds and dead leaves that can be a habitat for natural pest predators.

If you need pest management, Smarr suggests horticultural soaps and oils that work on contact with insects. “Neem oil is common and effective, and it comes from the neem trees, so I would consider it natural,” says Smarr. “But it’s important to remember that there is no standard for the term ‘natural,’ so just because something is ‘all natural’ doesn’t mean there are no synthetic carriers or inert ingredients.” (If you’re a zealot, opt for products labeled “organic.”)

Don’t feel like an ogre, however, if you do use chemicals: Just use them as a last resort, as part of an integrated approach to care, and follow the label instructions.

Fixated on being totally “green?” Then learning to live with imperfection while nature runs its course will be a tough but important lesson. For example, when you soap-off larvae, you could just as easily be getting rid of something beneficial, such as ladybug larvae, as something harmful.

“We need to learn to tolerate some damage,” Smarr advises. “Remember that you can’t have butterflies without caterpillars that chew your leaves.”

Large sansevieria plant ($33) and large white planter ($25) at Green Fields Nursery & Landscaping. 

Cedar and cotton tiny wicker chair ($8) at B. Willow. Snake plant ($16) at Green Fields Nursery & Landscaping. 

Vermont wood candle cloche ($86) at Becket Hitch. 3 Angles planter ($15) and capitata yellow air plant ($16) at B. Willow. 

Large ($85) and medium ($65) gold candlesticks at Becket Hitch. 

Porcelain tooth ($24) at B. Willow. 

Barrel cactus ($20) at Green Fields Nursery & Landscaping. 

Medium pyrite ($26) and bone-inlayed box ($102) at Trohv. Gold pyramid (set of three/$189) at Nouveau Home and Interior Design. 

White Mason jar ($25) at Becket Hitch. Dumb cane plant ($3) at Green Fields Nursery & Landscaping.

Barrel cactus ($19.95) at Green Fields Nursery & Landscaping. 

Banquet cacti print ($52) at Trohv. 

Vintage bottle covers ($10/each) at Wishbone Reserve. 

Spider plant ($20) at B. Willow. 

Black planter ($10) and small sansevieria plant ($16) at Green Fields Nursery & Landscaping. Station North Tool Library wooden planter ($8/each), harrisii air plant ($5), and punctulata air plant ($8) at B. Willow. Arthur Umanoff midcentury bar ($550) at Wishbone Reserve. 

Whether it’s shelves of succulents at Forno or a living wall at Gunther & Co., plants have taken root as a prominent design detail in many area restaurants. Beyond prettying up a place, however, experts say that going green is good for your well-being. In many cases, plants act as renewable air sources that reduce pollutants while expelling clean oxygen.

“Having plants around us is healthy,” says Kate Blom, conservatory supervisor at the Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory & Botanic Gardens in Baltimore. “They smile back at you and make you feel good.” Here are some of our favorite spots that are tapping into the horticulture trend.

Alma Cocina Latina: Tall palms and tropical plants contribute to the Venezuelan vibe of this Canton Can Company restaurant, which is meant to evoke the spirit of Caracas-born owner Irena Stein’s home country. “Since Venezuela is near the equator, we always have pleasant temperatures that allow homes to be partly open to the outdoors year-round,” Stein explains. “The décor in the restaurant is meant to feel like our homes there and serves as an introduction to the food.”

Bar Vasquez: Designer Katie Destefano showcases small succulents, tropical plants, and 18-foot palm trees at this South American spot. “I wanted to incorporate the lushness of the rainforests,” she says. “Organic elements bring in whimsy and break up hard lines in a space.”

Encantada: The interior of this whimsical spot inside AVAM is supplemented by potted centerpieces, which range from ivy to ferns. “I’m a firm believer in having plants in restaurants,” says owner Robbin Haas. “They make the space feel more lively and real.”

Forno: Potted plants and three-tiered shelving units full of succulents add to the rusticity of this downtown cocina. “The plants complement the earthy tones and give the space an organic feel,” says general manager Ricky Johnson.

Gunther & Co.: In addition to herb gardens, this Brewers Hill spot boasts a 16-foot living green wall, which works as an air-filtration system and improves acoustics. Says co-owner Nancy Hart Mola, “There’s something about being around living things. It’s good for the soul.”

R. House: Retractable doors will soon open up to a wall of wisteria and a canopy cascading with flowers and vines. “Plants add to the feel that you’re coming into someone’s house,” says Seawall Development’s Jon Constable.

We wouldn’t blame you if you only associate a flower garden with beauty. But by introducing the right species, it can double as a tasty food source, too.

The uses for sliced and diced flower heads are just about endless, from adding flavor to sauces and dressings to providing ornamental touches on everything from salads to cakes and cocktails. And they’re nutritious, too—many flower buds are loaded with vitamin C or A. One caveat, though: They’re only safe to eat if they’re homegrown without chemical sprays, pesticides, or harsh fertilizers. With that in mind, here are six plants to get you started.

Daylilies

Tasting like asparagus, they come in many colors and produce a new lily bud each day. Buy bulbs in early spring after the last frost and plant in clusters in large containers using potting soil. Place the containers inside a garage or cool basement and water sparingly. When shoots begin to show, find a home for them that’s in sun or partial shade and plant them at least 8 inches deep in well-worked, organic-rich soil.

Apple blossoms

If you’re the proud owner of an apple tree, or perhaps have access to one in your neighborhood, then you’ve seen them burst into frothy red-pink fragrant blooms in the spring. The blossoms have a unique sweet-sour taste, like that of green apples, making them a nice addition for salads, desserts, and cocktails. And they’re more heat-tolerant than most flower varieties, making them a better choice for garnishing hot food.

Nasturtiums

Mid to late March is the ideal time to start your nasturtiums from seed. Plant them in pots indoors, in a sunny window, using potting soil, and water sparingly. By May, your seedlings will be ready to be planted outdoors in well-worked, average garden soil, as they’re known to produce fewer flowers in enriched soils. Pick a sunny spot that also provides some shade in the afternoon—nasturtiums don’t like to be fried. Flowers come in red, orange, and yellow, and are pungent to the taste, a bit like radishes.

Tuberous begonias

These charmers bloom in red, white, pink, yellow, and orange. They have a tart taste (and have been used for centuries to prevent scurvy, since they’re rich in Vitamin C). Plant in rich, slightly acidic potting soil, several inches deep in containers, and start them off indoors in a window out of direct sunlight. Keep the soil moist, but not too wet. Transplant outside after the last frost in organic-rich garden soil at least 8 inches deep, in a filtered sunlight setting.

Scented geraniums

Used for cooking, geraniums produce small pink, red, lavender, or yellow blossoms, and have a taste ranging from rose to lemon to nutmeg. They’re easily grown, thrive in the sun, and can be winterized indoors in a sunny window. They can be propagated from cuttings or started from seed, using the same process as nasturtiums.

Borage

This annual herb from Europe sports furry leaves and star-shape blue flowers that have a slight cucumber taste. Borage is easily started from seed and thrives in average soil with full sun, and it reseeds itself profusely.

Also on the menu: There are lots of other edibles, such as fennel, marigolds, redbud, roses, squash blossoms, and violets. A great resource to learn more about them is The Edible Flower Garden by Rosalind Creasy, which includes lots of photography of each variety, as well as recipes using flowers.

CLOSE ENCOUNTER: I’ve been in this building for two years. I started out in another apartment and then met my girlfriend, Fiona [that’s Dr. Fiona Vismans to her dental patients]. When I moved back to Baltimore from New Orleans, the apartment I lived in was [number] 335 and she lived in 334. Our first encounter was when she came knocking on my door asking me to turn my music down. We moved into this apartment together in August.

COMFORT ZONE: When we moved in, the first thing I thought was that we needed to make it comfortable. When I was growing up, my family had a space where everyone would go and you were able to watch TV and jump around on the sofa or whatever in the back of the house. But in the front of the house, there was the nice living room where everything was wrapped in plastic and fragile. For me, it was important that anything in my space is completely yours for the taking.

FLORA FIXATION: I grew up in the City of Baltimore having not much greenery around at all, but I have always taken to certain types of plant life. So I think this obsession, which now is an appropriate term, started about six years ago. I really like having them as a part of my interior styling. You need that sort of life to open up the space, to clean the air, and to make it feel like home.

GOING GREEN: I would say that I have about 120 plants in this house. The real mission is to eventually live in a greenhouse.

FAIR SHARE: We wanted to do a living wall, but, once we looked into it, budget-wise, it was way out of our realm. The inspiration for the wall in the hallway actually came from a trip to IKEA. I saw these spice racks and I thought they would be good for propagation. Now, not only are we filling the wall and making it green, but also we are able to take what’s in it and either re-pot it or give it out as gifts.

GREEN LIGHT: I knew I wanted to make a neon sign but wasn’t sure exactly what I wanted it to say. My girlfriend suggested that I do “house.” So I decided to do that in green so it represents the whole idea of a greenhouse.

MIX AND MATCH: A lot of my furniture is from West Elm, mixed with stuff from thrift stores and flea markets. Most of the pieces on the walls are things from films of mine or pieces done by friends.

ALONG FOR THE RIDE: The bike is now just art, but kind of has a funny story. My dad spent his entire summer working to save money to buy that bike in 1976. He tells me that because of that bike, he sold my mom on going out with him.

NEW LEAF: The plant canopy over the bed was an idea that I sketched out and my girlfriend was immediately onboard with. She is killer at macramé and so she created the hammock that the plant is in. It worked perfectly.