Shop plants, flowers and more at GrowinShade in Islip and White Flower in Southold
Owner Kandice Rogers holds a alocasia frydek variegated plant at the recently-opened GrowinShade plant boutique in Islip. Credit: Newsday/Steve Pfost
Throwin’ shade is a good thing at a new local shop owned by husband and wife Kandice Rogers and Aaron Holmes. Their business is one of two very different stores to take root on Long Island recently that have quickly become go-tos for those looking to refresh a space for spring with plants or flowers.
The couple’s GrowinShade in Islip is an inviting, modern haven for houseplant lovers that specializes in varieties that don’t need lots of sun to grow. Another shop that’s sprouted up is White Flower in Southold, an Old-World, European-style garden store.
White Flower co-owner and floral designer Nathaniel Savage, of Mattituck, concentrates on white flowers at his shop — thus the name — but other colors are available, along with vintage furniture and other things for the garden. It is co-owned by Greenport resident Lori Guyer,, who also owns the White Flower Farmhouse home décor store across the street.
Rogers says bringing nature into a home for spring is always popular, but plants are great to have in a space year-round.
“Plants have amazing benefits proven to help reduce anxiety and stress,” Rogers says. Holmes adds, “We believe in the innate nature of human beings to connect with nature.”
White Flower’s Savage adds there’s nothing like flowers in a home during the season of rebirth — especially white ones — though they might be an unexpected choice when colorful blooms commonly represent spring.
“In a home, as an object, a white floral arrangement adds depth without grasping for attention” by taking the eye away from other things that decorate a room, Savage says.
Here are more reasons that will make both of these shops grow on you:
GrowinShade opened in January 2022, and if you like to decorate with houseplants but don’t have sun streaming through your windows, this is the place for you.
Rogers and Holmes, of Central Islip, come from design and construction backgrounds, and here you’ll find houseplants that thrive in shade and stylish accessories and home décor pieces. “Warmth and good vibes,” is what the pair want customers to feel when they walk in the door.
“My love of plants and Aaron’s frustration with bad design ultimately pushed us toward where we are today,” says Rogers. “We believe that plants and home décor go hand-in-hand, which is a big driving force behind what we do. We always tell people your home isn’t complete until you have plants.”
Rogers adds she and Holmes decided to sell houseplants because there weren’t many stores on the South Shore where you could buy them all year.
“There are lots of beautiful nurseries that mainly sell outdoor plants seasonally, which means they close during the winter months,” Rogers says. “We wanted to open a shop for both new plant lovers and experienced collectors.”
It's helpful that the plants are placed in the store in a way that guides customers to the right one for them.
“The plant selection is curated for experience levels,” Rogers explains. “So, as you move through the store, the front is for beginners, and as you progress toward the back the plant’s needs increase.” She adds, “We carry a nice range — from beginner plants such as snake plants or ZZ plants — to less common and rare plants for the plant collectors, such as Philodendron White Princesses, Monstera Albo and Thai Constellation.”
Most GrowinShade plants are sourced from other growers, but some of the rarer varieties are grown by the couple in-house. You can learn all about house plants through classes and workshops held at the store, which also offers Paint & Pot events for children and adults.
However, if your interests aren’t firmly rooted in just plants, there’s a section of the shop dedicated to items from local female-led businesses where soy-based vegan candles, vegan leather bags, handmade ceramics, earrings and soap are for sale.
A line of trellises the couple designed grew from Rogers’ experience with plants in her own home when they needed physical support as they got bigger. She wanted trellises that would be “functional, unobtrusive and visually appealing.” After the trellises came the duo’s decorative propagation stations, plant stands, pot risers and more.
“There is so much to see that just being in the store brightens your mood,” Rogers adds. “Plants are for anyone at any age. If you don’t come into the shop with a smile on your face, we hope that we can change that by the end of your visit.” Plant prices range from $5 to $500.
MORE INFO: The shop is at 566 Main St., Islip. Hours are Wednesday through Friday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; 631-623-5707, growinshade.com.
Martha Stewart has stopped by this shop, and Savage was up for the visit. He knows his flowers.
Savage’s clientele spans New York City, the East End and abroad; and on Long Island, he has done floral installations for farm-to-table restaurants such as North Fork Table & Inn and Macari Vineyards. White Flower opened in April 2021.
“My approach to design is an amalgamation of Ikebana and English Garden,” Savage explains. “The beginning infrastructure is always movement, utilizing branches and vines to mimic a natural habitat and then a progression upward allowing a moment for the eye to rest and appreciate the beauty of a single petal.”
Savage says he and co-owner Lori Guyer are fans of simplicity and minimalism, therefore they are both partial to white flowers.
“Our color palette that we are most comfortable living in is whites, creams, grays, brown and green,” Savage explains, adding their shop is “a place for kindred spirits.” Workshops have included bonsai training and watercolor fundamentals of florals.
A bonus for dog lovers is that Savage adores canines, so they are always welcome in the shop. Dogs can expect a treat during their visit, chased by some refreshing water.
White Flower is a stop for those who appreciate architecture, too. The building was constructed in the 1920s by Danish immigrants and has original tin ceilings and Art Deco windows and mirrors. In past lives, it has been the site of Ye Old Party Shop, an ice cream parlor, a luncheonette and interior designer showroom.
“The soul of our shop is palpable,” Savage says. “This space evokes an era of floristry and gardening of bygone eras.” He notes, “I have affinity for many Australian, Japanese and Netherlands native flowers which we source during the winter.”
Among the vintage garden finds are weathered concrete urns, birdbaths and benches. Off the beaten garden path are fragrances and soaps for sale.
“Many of our (vintage) pieces come from loyal clients’ gardens or shops and pickers from the tristate area, and estate sales,” with many of the flowers being grown in Farmingdale, Calverton and Orient, Savage says. He works too with specialty gardeners based in New Jersey and the Hudson Valley. During winter, the store’s focus is on dried flowers.
Prices range from $2 for soaps to $750 for vintage garden furniture.
MORE INFO: The shop is at 53850 Main Rd., Southold. Spring hours are Fridays and Saturdays 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; 631-765-2353, whiteflowerfarmhouse.net.
Throwin’ shade is a good thing at a new local shop owned by husband and wife Kandice Rogers and Aaron Holmes. Their business is one of two very different stores to take root on Long Island recently that have quickly become go-tos for those looking to refresh a space for spring with plants or flowers.
The couple’s GrowinShade in Islip is an inviting, modern haven for houseplant lovers that specializes in varieties that don’t need lots of sun to grow. Another shop that’s sprouted up is White Flower in Southold, an Old-World, European-style garden store.
White Flower co-owner and floral designer Nathaniel Savage, of Mattituck, concentrates on white flowers at his shop — thus the name — but other colors are available, along with vintage furniture and other things for the garden. It is co-owned by Greenport resident Lori Guyer,, who also owns the White Flower Farmhouse home décor store across the street.
Rogers says bringing nature into a home for spring is always popular, but plants are great to have in a space year-round.
“Plants have amazing benefits proven to help reduce anxiety and stress,” Rogers says. Holmes adds, “We believe in the innate nature of human beings to connect with nature.”
White Flower’s Savage adds there’s nothing like flowers in a home during the season of rebirth — especially white ones — though they might be an unexpected choice when colorful blooms commonly represent spring.
“In a home, as an object, a white floral arrangement adds depth without grasping for attention” by taking the eye away from other things that decorate a room, Savage says.
Here are more reasons that will make both of these shops grow on you:
GROWINSHADE IN ISLIP
Kandice Rogers, with a mini monstera plant and her husband, Aaron Holmes, with a rhaphidophora decursiva plant at their recently-opened GrowinShade plant boutique in Islip. Credit: Newsday/Steve Pfost
GrowinShade opened in January 2022, and if you like to decorate with houseplants but don’t have sun streaming through your windows, this is the place for you.
Rogers and Holmes, of Central Islip, come from design and construction backgrounds, and here you’ll find houseplants that thrive in shade and stylish accessories and home décor pieces. “Warmth and good vibes,” is what the pair want customers to feel when they walk in the door.
“My love of plants and Aaron’s frustration with bad design ultimately pushed us toward where we are today,” says Rogers. “We believe that plants and home décor go hand-in-hand, which is a big driving force behind what we do. We always tell people your home isn’t complete until you have plants.”
Rogers adds she and Holmes decided to sell houseplants because there weren’t many stores on the South Shore where you could buy them all year.
“There are lots of beautiful nurseries that mainly sell outdoor plants seasonally, which means they close during the winter months,” Rogers says. “We wanted to open a shop for both new plant lovers and experienced collectors.”
It's helpful that the plants are placed in the store in a way that guides customers to the right one for them.
“The plant selection is curated for experience levels,” Rogers explains. “So, as you move through the store, the front is for beginners, and as you progress toward the back the plant’s needs increase.” She adds, “We carry a nice range — from beginner plants such as snake plants or ZZ plants — to less common and rare plants for the plant collectors, such as Philodendron White Princesses, Monstera Albo and Thai Constellation.”
A table of plants including a purple african violet at GrowinShade plant boutique in Islip. Credit: Newsday/Steve Pfost
Most GrowinShade plants are sourced from other growers, but some of the rarer varieties are grown by the couple in-house. You can learn all about house plants through classes and workshops held at the store, which also offers Paint & Pot events for children and adults.
However, if your interests aren’t firmly rooted in just plants, there’s a section of the shop dedicated to items from local female-led businesses where soy-based vegan candles, vegan leather bags, handmade ceramics, earrings and soap are for sale.
A line of trellises the couple designed grew from Rogers’ experience with plants in her own home when they needed physical support as they got bigger. She wanted trellises that would be “functional, unobtrusive and visually appealing.” After the trellises came the duo’s decorative propagation stations, plant stands, pot risers and more.
“There is so much to see that just being in the store brightens your mood,” Rogers adds. “Plants are for anyone at any age. If you don’t come into the shop with a smile on your face, we hope that we can change that by the end of your visit.” Plant prices range from $5 to $500.
MORE INFO: The shop is at 566 Main St., Islip. Hours are Wednesday through Friday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; 631-623-5707, growinshade.com.
WHITE FLOWER IN SOUTHOLD
Nathaniel Savage, florist and shopkeeper at White Flower in Southold. Credit: Randee Daddona
Martha Stewart has stopped by this shop, and Savage was up for the visit. He knows his flowers.
Savage’s clientele spans New York City, the East End and abroad; and on Long Island, he has done floral installations for farm-to-table restaurants such as North Fork Table & Inn and Macari Vineyards. White Flower opened in April 2021.
“My approach to design is an amalgamation of Ikebana and English Garden,” Savage explains. “The beginning infrastructure is always movement, utilizing branches and vines to mimic a natural habitat and then a progression upward allowing a moment for the eye to rest and appreciate the beauty of a single petal.”
Savage says he and co-owner Lori Guyer are fans of simplicity and minimalism, therefore they are both partial to white flowers.
“Our color palette that we are most comfortable living in is whites, creams, grays, brown and green,” Savage explains, adding their shop is “a place for kindred spirits.” Workshops have included bonsai training and watercolor fundamentals of florals.
A bonus for dog lovers is that Savage adores canines, so they are always welcome in the shop. Dogs can expect a treat during their visit, chased by some refreshing water.
White Flower is a stop for those who appreciate architecture, too. The building was constructed in the 1920s by Danish immigrants and has original tin ceilings and Art Deco windows and mirrors. In past lives, it has been the site of Ye Old Party Shop, an ice cream parlor, a luncheonette and interior designer showroom.
“The soul of our shop is palpable,” Savage says. “This space evokes an era of floristry and gardening of bygone eras.” He notes, “I have affinity for many Australian, Japanese and Netherlands native flowers which we source during the winter.”
White Flower in Southold with vintage gardening, unique plants and flowers grown on the East End. Credit: Randee Daddona
Among the vintage garden finds are weathered concrete urns, birdbaths and benches. Off the beaten garden path are fragrances and soaps for sale.
“Many of our (vintage) pieces come from loyal clients’ gardens or shops and pickers from the tristate area, and estate sales,” with many of the flowers being grown in Farmingdale, Calverton and Orient, Savage says. He works too with specialty gardeners based in New Jersey and the Hudson Valley. During winter, the store’s focus is on dried flowers.
Prices range from $2 for soaps to $750 for vintage garden furniture.
MORE INFO: The shop is at 53850 Main Rd., Southold. Spring hours are Fridays and Saturdays 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; 631-765-2353, whiteflowerfarmhouse.net.
