I honestly don’t know how anyone walks past this store without going in. Sod Yarok, Green Secret in English, is a flower store, but not any old flower store. This store IMHO epitomizes the term tchochkes. Every time I walk past the store they have new amazing vases, toys, candle holders, ceramic, glass and other pot plants, toys and furniture. Oh, and they have flowers too.
Tell me how someone walks past that without going in!
Amir, the owner, used to own the only plant nursery in Givatayim until about 9 years ago when they opened the flower store where it is now on Wietzman Street in Givatayim. Both plant nursery and flower store were then called Sod Yarok after the birth of his son, Raz – a name meaning secret or mystery. In a short time the nursery was closed and the flower store remained supplying Givatayim with incredible bouquets, vases and of course tchotchkes we can’t do without to this day.
I love the red wall. It reminds me of when I was a student, we painted a red wall in the apartment. It’s a bit scary to go for such a bold color, but it works if it’s on one small wall and if you have contrasting things to place on it, these green plants work or a Japanese style drawing with black ink.
The size of the store is pretty small and I was very impressed by the design. All the space is used, there is even a shelf above the store window where extra boxes, vases are stored. (A boidem if you will).
There are great gift ideas here. There are these small ceramic pot plants (below) for about 10 or 15 shekels (without the cacti – the cacti are inexpensive). I have bought them as a gift before and got a great response.
The larger ceramic vases and pots range from 80 shekels to 150 shekels and are imported from China.
Look at this amazing wooden mini workstation, with tiles on the top, which I find really beautiful. I especially love the antique quality of the tiles. It is surprisingly from Vietnam, and not at all cheap – 1200 shekels. I guess, if you’re the ambitious type you could make one by yourself if you felt like searching for tiles and painting an existing worktop surface from Ikea or something, but for those who aren’t up to such projects – I am sure that Amir will be happy to sell you one of his.
I wish I knew the names to all these flowers, the only ones I know are sunflowers:
This is easy, these are orchids on a fantastic little iron table:
Amir usually carries an Israeli ceramicist’s work, here he has some from Studio Mud, which aparently closed down. The following is from a series called “Tea time” :
I love the rusted metal work table!
And there’s a green angle on this green secret, Amir uses only paper to wrap the bouquets, never celophane!
Tchochkes!
Candle Holders, Wall decorations and more green…
Here is Amir and his two helpers hard at work:
Sod Yarok also do events and you can contact them on their website, http://www.sodyarok.co.il/
Here’s an example of a summer bouquet which one of the florists made up while I was taking the photos. To me this bouquet says “Summer’s Here!”:
If you join their membership program, other than discounts, you can get bouquets delivered with different vases to your apartment every week!
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