Walking the lanes of Da’an, you will find plant life everywhere: sometimes on balconies, sometimes just lining the road. Some folks in my ‘hood have very impressive arrangements. (I’ll take you on a tour of the lanes later in the week!)
When I found out that I lived just a few blocks away from the Jianguo Holiday Flower Market, it all made a bit more sense.
north entrance to the market/da’an, taipei/dec 2012
Despite the name, this market is open for business every weekend of the year. It is located under the Jianguo Elevated Road, + stretches for many city blocks. It is book-ended by the Jade Market on one side + a craft market on the other.
The flower market is packed with plants + goodies of all kinds: flowers, trees, seeds, fertilizer, crystals, water features, citrus plants, tomato plants, orchids for days, + Angry Birds pots for your bamboo. Not to mention people!
The first time I went to the market was right after I moved into the crib. I bought two succulents + some bamboo for my room!
i got my bamboo here/da’an, taipei/dec 2012
and my cacti here/da’an, taipei/dec 2012
I went back again on Saturday afternoon to find the market filled with people buying plants + decorations for Chinese New Year festivities. In comparison to the first day that I went to the market, which was just before Christmas, there was so much life this time! There was a wonderful buzz in the air. Everyone’s spirits were high!
Shoppers walked, sipping tea, chatting noisily, arms filled with blossoming tree branches. I looked on + snapped some shots.
so many pinks + purples/da’an, taipei/jan 2013
da’an, taipei/jan 2013
new years decorations/da’an, taipei/jan 2013
decorations/da’an, taipei/jan 2013
new year prep/da’an, taipei/jan 2013
da’an, taipei/jan 2013
da’an, taipei/jan 2013
da’an, taipei/jan 2013
angry bird pots/da’an, taipei/jan 2013
da’an, taipei/jan 2013
da’an, taipei/jan 2013
da’an, taipei/jan 2013
photo bombed by an orchid/da’an, taipei/jan 2013
flowering branches everywhere/da’an, taipei/jan 2013
da’an, taipei/jan 2013
shoppers/da’an, taipei/jan 2013
I am still happily enjoying my cacti + bamboo!
my plants/the crib, taipei/jan 2013
Surrounded by flowers at the Jianguo Flower Market, I always feel a little bit like Alice in Wonderland. It certainly was a golden afternoon!
APPLES&AZALEAS 
Can’t wait to visit this place too. All in a golden afternoon, indeed! A potent Greenwich Avenue memory — “and pop her in the crotch!”
I think I need an angry bird pot for someone… nicely done. xxx
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