Photo Essay: A visit to Abu Dhabi's vibrant, lush plant market

There are more than 50 small plant shops in a U-shaped corner of Mina Market

The plant souq at Al Mina is home to more than 50 small shops. All photos: Victor Besa / The National

Rahul Edavashipervath, 36, is from Kerala and works at shop 55, Al Nafal Flowers.

Al Nafal Flowers is a favourite purple orchid supplier for many of the five-star hotels in Abu Dhabi

Al Nafal Flowers also stocks a variety of indoor plants flowers and cactuses

The yellow cymbidium orchid is another best seller at Al Nafal Flowers

Harris BM of Shop 44 has worked for several shops during his six years at the plant souq – his specialty is outdoor plants

Bachu's passion for landscaping keeps him busy at Shuweihat Landscaping and Plants (Shop 48)

Visitors shopping for flowers and plants at Shuweihat Landscaping and Plants

A gardener waters the plants at Shuweihat Landscaping and Plants

Hanif Islam, from Bangladesh, opened his first shop, Gulf Green Planet (Shop 23) in 2002. He now owns four stalls

Anna Varghese and her son Arun at their shop Umm Al Salsal Trading Flowers and Indoor Plants (Shop 31)

Ctenanthe (also known as the prayer plant) at Umm Al Salsal Trading Flowers and Indoor Plants

Step into a hidden corner of Abu Dhabi’s Mina Market, and you'll find yourself surrounded by lush greenery – a stark contrast to the nearby fish market.

This is the city's beloved plant souq, where an unexpected patch of green feels more like a secret garden. A delightful array of about 50 small shops, each compact yet brimming with life, lines a U-shaped corner at Mina Zayed.

As you walk through the narrow pathway connecting the shops, the sweet fragrance of blooming flowers mingles with the earthy scent of fresh soil and, at times, fertiliser.

It is hot, sticky, sweet-smelling and pungent all at once and an experience not to miss. For the city's residents, these shops have long been a go-to destination for adding a touch of greenery to their homes.

It is a tradition and a rite of passage for all those who call Abu Dhabi home. A majority of the shop owners and staff are from India. They are all men, apart from one woman, who owns shop 31, Annamma Varughese.

Ms Varughese runs Umm Al Salsal Trading Flowers and Indoor Plants with her son, Arun Andrew Varughese, 41.

Ask anyone where "mama" is, and they will point you to their shop.

Mr Varughese used to be a software engineer working for the World Bank in Washington. When his father died in 2013, he came to Abu Dhabi to sell the plant stall. His parents had opened the small shop in early 2000.

"I came with the intention to sell it, and I fell in love with it. Being at this shop just feels so liberating. I now can't imagine leaving it," the father of two said.

His mother goes to the plant shop every single day. "We try to convince her to stay home and rest, but this is her life, and I understand," he said.

The plant market has gradually evolved from a few stalls to more than 50 today, and while many businesses were negatively affected by Covid, that was not the case for plant shops.

"Our business boomed. People were at home and wanted to buy plants to decorate their gardens and rooms. It made them feel better," Hanif Safiqul, 36, said.

He claims that his shop was the first on the block when he arrived 20 years ago as a 16-year old. "There were one or two shops at the time, and now there are more than 50," he said.

Their biggest clientele at the souq are Emiratis, with dozens of shoppers going in and out of each shop every day.

Prices begin from Dh1 and can go up to Dh3,000, depending on the plants, some of which come all the way from Thailand, China, Malaysia, and even olive trees from Italy and Spain.

One thing is for sure, nobody leaves the plant market empty-handed and without a good bargain.