SubscribeBlog
Centro Farmer’s Market in Pics
It was as though Mother Nature herself got the day off Mother’s Day this past Sunday and her husband ran the show for a while — because it was messed up. This past Sunday was the first day of Centro … Continue reading
Farmer’s Market – Resumes May 12
UPDATE – Vendor List now on our Market Page The Farmers and Foodies are Back! We’re very excited to announce the start of the 2013 Farmer’s Market season in Centro Parking. Most of our amazing vendors will be back including … Continue reading
Bulb Vase – A how to
A staple for Centro Garden, our spring bulb vase is a crowd pleasure in the store. We get asked all the time how to make this so we recently slowed it down to make a short pictorial how to for … Continue reading
We LIVE Easter!
- We’re open Easter Friday and all weekend – Looking to brighten up your Easter table or for stylish hostess gifts for the Easter weekend? We’ve been busy making some beautiful living arrangements and spring pots in addition to sourcing … Continue reading
Easter Hunt
If you are looking scouring the Burlington area for stylish Easter decor, hostess gifts or simply beautiful living arrangements to brighten up your home, we’re here for you! Back on popular demand are our famous Piccolos (tiny plantings in tea … Continue reading
Textures XVI – Natural
Fantastic design and decor coming in daily. See you soon!
Spring Colour!
We love Spring!
Spring Workshops 2013
Terrarium Workshop – Closed Container Thursday, February 28 — 6:30 to 8pm Thursday, March 21 — 6:30 to 8pm Join us as we demonstrate the steps needed for creating a closed terrarium. Choose from our selection of beautiful containers and … Continue reading
Shine Up!
If you are at all like us, waking up ahead of the sun is not listed as one of your skills, especially this time of year. Hence this store opens at 10 through the week. Furthermore we’ve learned that to … Continue reading
Hostess Gifts
One of the things we get asked the most for this time of year is hostess gifts — spontaneous and quick little gifts that say “loving you” to your generous hosts, stand out beautifully and last. Here’s just a smattering … Continue reading
We LIVE Christmas!
The holiday season is such an amazing time. Friends and family are home, now in between cottage and ski, and in the mood to catch up. And so we all entertain with a little more zeal and decorum. We shine … Continue reading
Upcoming Fall/Winter Workshops
Create Your Own Greens Planter Thursday, November 15 — 6:30 to 8pm Sunday, November 25 — 2 to 3:30pm Thursday, November 29 — 6:30pm to 8pm Includes: plastic planter, greenery and natural accents. Bring your own planter or accents if … Continue reading
Curiosity
We were recently in NY and Europe and were inspired by a trend toward dramatic feature areas and walls. Being that we’ve just received a new delivery of fantastic curiosities from around the world, we thought we’d give it a … Continue reading
Textures XI – New Instore
Fall is here and so we’re starting to get into the spirit of shining up our living spaces. Loads of new design and wonders are arriving daily so come by and see the new styles and looks in store. Textures … Continue reading
Pip Studio
We love the renewal or re-contextualization of tradition and quality. What? We mean, when old things are redone to be cool again. Such is the case with Pip Studio out of Holland. They have re-invented collectible dishware and tea sets … Continue reading
OMG Fall!
Can you believe our seemingly endless summer, ended. We’re almost relieved really. The summer was so phenomenal that we basically dropped everything and ran for the beach. Now that the weather has started to remind us the snow will eventually … Continue reading
Fall Workshops
We’re excited to announce our fall workshops for all our hands-on friends looking to Centrofy their world. We’re particularly honored to include some of our wonderful Centro Farm Market vendors in the workshops. Call or send a note to sign-up, … Continue reading
Centro Market – Chef Street Fight No.1
Ok, this past Friday September 14th was momentous. Together with local Chefs Chris Haworth and Andrew McLeod from Spencer’s Restaurant in Burlington, we organized a killer Centro Market event we’ve titled — Chef Street Fight — which rolled out into … Continue reading
Market in Pics – Pure Green Magazine
Last Friday we were excited to host Celine from Pure Green Magazine and partner Jonathan the magazine’s Organic Kitchen chef. The two treated guests to some amazing recipes from their latest magazine release that focuses on enjoying the great outdoors. … Continue reading
Finally, A Market
Today, with the help of our friends at Plan B, we did something we’ve wanted to do for a long time. We started a market downtown. Ok, it’s small, but you’ve gotta start somewhere, and somewhere is in our parking … Continue reading
Textures – Life’s a Beach!
Anyone else in love with Indigo right now? We are. Nothing says summer like the relaxed look and feel of these over dyed fabrics, rag rugs and brilliant blue glass objects mixed into any existing decor palette. Throw in some … Continue reading
We LIVE summer nights!
It’s summer! We can’t get enough of summer days and so we squeeze all we can out of summer nights. When friends drop in or you’re kicking back with a book, style up an outdoor table or setting with glass … Continue reading
Cottage Utility
Centro is always on the lookout for goods to source from as local as possible. Plants are easy – we forage throughout Niagara and can the best of the world there but style goods are much more difficult. That’s why … Continue reading
We LIVE Succulents
Like heirloom veggies, grandma’s tea sets or free range chickens in your yard, succulents are experiencing a renaissance. Stylish, forever accommodating to arrangements and easy to care for, today’s garden enthusiasts and stylists just love these varieties of plant. We … Continue reading
Feature – Throws $79 from $119
This week and through the long weekend we’re featuring our amazing and elegant alpaca throws — Regular $119, now $79. With 10 styles to choose from, these incredibly soft and versatile throws are great for inside and out, especially on … Continue reading
Mother’s Day Tea
The Centro design crew have been busy preparing the store for Mother’s day with loads of great gift ideas. While we were at it, we had a little fun creating these whimsical tea piccolos using violets and succulents among other … Continue reading
More Lia Fagan!
We’re excited to have had Lia Fagan deliver some of her new work for Centro Garden. Lia is a Burlington based interior designer and highly respected style writer who manages her own style blog and contributes to Style at Home. … Continue reading
Spring Workshops
For all our hands-on friends looking to Centrofy their world, we have a series of workshops to keep you busy ’til summer. Call or send a note to sign-up, we look forward to seeing you! May 10 – Succulent centrepieces … Continue reading
Press – Canadian Florist Magazine
Michelle Brisebois, writer for Canadian Florist magazine recently paid a visit and interviewed the team on what makes Centro Garden different than other garden centers or conventional flower shops — essentially how Centro is carving out a new space … Continue reading
Take a Seat – Outside!
The beautiful weather this weekend wasn’t lost on the many who visited us and soaked up some shine in the Centro Courtyard. Folks were excited to see, and test, our array of furniture and seating options. Many of our customers … Continue reading
Easter Inspired
Garden people love Easter. What’s not to love, but really, we eagerly await spring weather not just to drag all our stuff outside and expand the square feet of our lives but to feel the renewal and reawakening of life. … Continue reading
New In-Store
For us, spring always brings on the itch to clean up those corners in our lives that were easy to ignore when surviving the cold was the most you could muster during those short dark days. Now that the sun … Continue reading
Outdoor Courtyard Open!
Hot today, cold tomorrow, hot the next — This is a spring 6 weeks early! Who cares, we’re excited to be having a beer outside and so we’re stocking the Centro Courtyard with furniture, style and loads of spring hardy … Continue reading
Rabid for Rustic
If you’re like us and completely enthralled by great design using natural materials and simple finishes, then you have to come by with your fair trade mocha in an unbleached cup, make that 2 mochas, and check out what we’ve … Continue reading
Upcoming Workshops
Over the coming weeks we’re planning on continuing our popular hands on how-to workshops. Many of you suggested that open style terrariums should be next — Miniatures — stylish low profile pots and vessels with with easy care succulents and … Continue reading
Spring Colour!
One of the exciting things about emerging from a good Canadian winter’s slumber den is putting on the spring colour! And wow have we ever. So much colour is trending in design right now which we find very exciting. What’s … Continue reading
New Products in Now!
Earlier this year, we took a little trip down to NYC to get inspired by all things art + design. Lucky for us, we found tons of really inspiring design, art, home decor and vintage objects — lucky for you, … Continue reading
Home Delivery & Centro Parking
We tend to carry some pretty fragile items at Centro. From delicate glass terrariums to massive awkward-to-carry planters. But we don’t want that to stop you from bringing anything home with you. So, next time you visit, just ask, and … Continue reading
Bring Those Pots Back!
When your flowers have finished, bring your pots back to us and we will replant new plants of your choice for no planting fee, just the cost of the plants.
Charley Harper Dishware – Instore now!
Charley Harper! He may well be one of the most influential and underrated artists of the mid century. His focused outlook and style was incredible and remains amazingly relevant today. As an artist and designer, we should all strive to … Continue reading
Textures X – New in store now
Day by day the goods we’ve scoured near and far for are rolling in. Here’s just a peppering for texture. You may not have gathered our focus by your first visit online or in-store as yet but we enjoy practical … Continue reading
Love Day!
As practical and pragmatic as we are, we still have a romantic side. If romance is appreciating the ones we love, and letting them we know with a hug and a hearty plant, we’re romantic. Drop in and have a … Continue reading
Just swimming, thanks.
The kids have been totally enamored with beta fish lately so we whipped up some stylish fish vases that turned out amazing. The vase within a vase allows for the beauty of live plants within the tank but sans the … Continue reading
Does it feel like spring?
While we’ve been dragging luggage around from design show to show in search of fab finds for Centro Garden this spring, the creative team in the shop have been keeping fresh developing new looks and planting techniques as well as … Continue reading
Get Crafty – A How-To
Thanks to some loyal visitors to our website, one of our creations ended up on Pinterest.com and went off the chart in popularity. Keeping our heads and realizing this doesn’t mean we’re dining with Bieber next week, we decided to … Continue reading
New Year!
Phew. It’s amazing how you never realize that you’ve been holding your breath until you either blank out, or exhale. In our case, we just exhaled. Christmas is over. It was fun, it was busy, we hustled, we met many … Continue reading
Box away! Sale.
All this week we’re offering our remaining holiday stock on sale as well as other items at great prices. Can’t wait to get on to exciting things in the new year with new style in home decor, entertaining, plant centric … Continue reading
The little things
Among the core philosophies of Centro Garden is the idea of producing as much in house as we can using local designers, locally grown plants and regionally sourced materials where possible. Not to get all altruistic on this post but … Continue reading
Stocking Stuff
Admittedly, a lot of the beautiful things that stock the shelves and surfaces of Centro, well, simply don’t fit nicely within the humble yet popular stocking. So we’re excited to say we’ve been hard at work making amends and over … Continue reading
Textures IX – Miniature Gifts
I don’t know about you, but we’ve been fascinated by small things lately. Miniatures really. It started with terrariums and has rolled into globe air plants, teeny arrangements and green-y decor for the table. One great thing to come out … Continue reading
Tables I – The Natural Table
A love letter, from your table. Centro is a metaphor for the table in our lives. Or vice versa. The table is where we gather, fall in love, learn from our friends, share experiences and generally live out our lives … Continue reading
Centro Courtyard
We’ve got trees. Beautiful trees. And wreaths, bows, twigs and berries and more! Start a tradition — walk over to Centro with your loved ones and pick out a tree and trim, grab a coffee downtown, stop into some shops … Continue reading
Parade Treats!
Tomorrow, Sunday, is the Burlington Christmas Parade that cruises up Brant Street and past our shop as it completes its tour. It’s tradition for thousands of local parade watchers to perch on every hydrant, windowsill, mailbox or other to get … Continue reading
Textures VIII – ‘Metals’ Style Gifts
Just In — Michael Aram Now almost daily we’re receiving shipments of incredible design objects and decor from designers well known, and virtually unknown, from around the world. One such renowned designer is Michael Aram, the American born artist who … Continue reading
Textures VII – Natural Style Gifts
You can’t be all things to all people but for those who appreciate simple, honest, natural and raw textures and materials, we have a this style covered among others. Here are just a few items that will make wonderful holiday … Continue reading
Textures VI – The Winter Table
Finally the Centro Christmas Courtyard is in full bloom with seasonal colour from the planters, trimmings, urns, and outdoor table settings. We’re excited to be experimenting with all these amazingly inspiring materials especially on such beautiful days we’re having. One … Continue reading
Just Unpacked I
We’re just unpacking some shipments of fantastic vintage and industrial style objects. So much fun. Some of these things will be amazing to include in custom Centro House Made designs such as unique plantings and table arrangements. Can’t wait. We … Continue reading
Designer Spotlight – Cathy Yantsis
With so many people seeking custom Christmas decor over the last few weeks, we’re fortunate to get a hand, a very creative and experienced one at that, from none other than Cathy Yantsis of The Elves Workshop. Cathy is a … Continue reading
Ah, shucks. Thanks.
It just occurred to us that we’ve been so caught up in doing what we do that we should take a break to thank those that have come to see us, said kind words and also spread the word. Thanks. … Continue reading
Christmas Courtyard
Our hearts are outside at Centro and as such we’re excited to be hosting our first Centro Christmas in the Courtyard — festival? Bonanza? Spectacle? No, just in the courtyard. From now ’til Christmas, come by for inspiration, wreaths, greens, … Continue reading
Textures V – Christmas in the Courtyard
This week we began to receive loads of amazing fresh greens. Evergreen bows, stems, trimmings, pine cones, berry branches and more poured into our courtyard in preparation for our Centro Garden Christmas in the Courtyard event. Over the next few … Continue reading
Designer Spotlight – Lia Fagan
While we were building the store, we happened across the website of Lia Fagan, a local Burlington Interior Designer, Style Blogger and Lamp Designer. When does she sleep? We fell in love with her vintage lamps, which she carefully restores … Continue reading
Now Open
Centro Garden opened it’s doors on October 28th. Since then we’ve received so much positive response to the store and the amazing design, plants and home decor on our shelves. In the next weeks we’ll be moving into the courtyard … Continue reading
Textures IV
We’re starting to see some of our greens coming in and have had time to pot some terrariums and table gardens. Also, this time of year the Orchids coming in are spectacular. It’s a good season to find a place … Continue reading
Place
Following our opening there’s been an overwhelmingly positive response to Centro Garden with many great comments. My favourite has to be the kind words we’ve received from staff and a few designers who’ve popped in saying that Centro Garden is … Continue reading
Textures III
We’ve had a moment or two to catch our breath and take in how the place looks. We snapped some more textures to capture the more vintage element that we have in store.
Friday
Friday! We open. Finally, after 2 years of pacing, dreaming, talking, planning, traveling, sweating and — spending, we’re here. Like with any intensive root canal surgery, once it’s done, you only remember the good parts and as such upon reflecting … Continue reading
Textural Styles II
As we’re moving boxes and unpacking, more textural themes are revealed. Can’t wait to actually organize these great items finally.
Textural Styles
We took a moment from store preparations to take a couple of shots around the store — avoiding the mess. Fantastic textural style themes are developing.
Opening Soon-ish
Slowly, but surely, we’re heading for an opening. Each season comes with pros and cons in this business and opening this close to the holidays means — Christmas. And Christmas means decorations to handle and price. Lots and lots of … Continue reading
Harvest
For the last few Thanksgivings, I’ve harvested. Not turkeys, or squash, grapes, or kale but birch, winterberry, and other seasonal growth tree trimmings that make amazing displays, colour and decor around the holidays. For the last 2 years, I’ve trekked … Continue reading
Earth in where?
We’re unpacking this beautiful collection of earthenware by 18 Karat in Vancouver Canada. They look amazing with the vintage industrial storage tins from India.
Knee deep in it
For the last year I’ve been traveling. Not for pleasure, though it’s been fun — rather traveling to buy for Centro. I took along design friends and we hit New York, China, Dallas, Chicago, Toronto and purchased things that excited … Continue reading
Live outside inside.
We Live Outside Inside We mix the outside with the inside by: placing the garden in to the living room and the den on the patio for a more inspired and enriched lifestyle experience bringing emerging lifestyle design, local artisan … Continue reading
Great Design Welcome
Centro Garden hopes to be an inspiring place for everyone. Centro Garden blends design and ideas with finished green centric goods. We’re a relaxed general store for design, art, and indoor and outdoor garden. We welcome the opportunity to work with local … Continue reading
Urban Garden
Six months ago if you asked me what kind of store I was opening, I’d have drifted into a hand waving diatribe about experiential retail, design meets plants, meets home ware plus outside comes inside and on, and on. The … Continue reading
The Courtyard
The goal is to open October 1st. It’s now September 12 and we’re just half way through drywall. On the upside, the courtyard is moving along beautifully and turning out to be spectacular. This area is critical for us as … Continue reading
Materials
The goal of the store is to provide an experience and a feeling that’s homey, natural and inviting to our guests. Years ago, while imagining the look of the store, we recycled a lot of old fence board from our … Continue reading
Centro
We’ve finally come up with a name. Dam, that was one of the most challenging things I’ve ever done. Centro Garden. Centro means center in Italian. Center means the core, the soul, the place where you escape to relax or … Continue reading
Textures
If there’s been a common theme while renovating and building this store, it’s been the texture, layers and elements that we encounter, unearth and trip over. From old signs in the mud, receipts discovered within the 100 year old walls … Continue reading
The Renewal
Like any fresh start or renewal, you have to dig deeper, peel off more layers and… spend a little more than you thought before you jumped in. As we’ve been peeling back the layers of the store, we’re beginning to … Continue reading
What the hell’m I doing?
Here I go. After growing up in one of Canada’s largest garden retail families, then with my father breaking away and creating a second successful garden franchise, I’m going small on my own. I’m crazy. I love design, style, natural, … Continue reading
Terrarium experiments
If anyone has tried to plant a terrarium, you know how challenging it can be to find the right materials and plantings — mosses and small species are simply not prevalent in our area, plus, you have to get the … Continue reading
The Field Box
In our house, the kids are constantly coming home with pockets full of sticks, feathers, favourite stones or shells gathered on walks in the country. We whipped up these field collection boxes as a spontaneous way to collect those goodies … Continue reading
Terrarium
I’ve always been fascinated with the miniature worlds created when putting together planters and often I’d make arrangement for gifts to friends. I realized that my friends were absent of any green to their thumbs and were killing my gifts … Continue reading