There are a lot of home and garden stores one can visit, but few have the elegance and style of Terrain in Concordville, PA. It’s Eden for those who love greenery, chic décor, and the changing of the seasons, and a tribute to the skill of merging interior and exterior spaces in a harmonious and relaxing manner. It is, perhaps, this which sets Terrain apart: there is an artistry in their presentation that far exceeds similar locations, giving one both the sense of the effortlessly rustic and the tight coordination of elements one would find in an expensive design catalogue.

Terrain is part of the Urban Outfitters umbrella of companies, directly tied to Anthropologie and their highly-curated, preppy/bohemian aesthetic. While this means that their stores can be pricey and a bit twee, it also means that you’re likely to find a range of goods from dishware and place settings to books full of gorgeous photos of cocktails, stylish recipes, and design ideas. If buying some fancy soaps at the same place you shop for gardening gloves seems enticing, you’ll spend hours browsing Terrain’s eclectic mix of meticulously crafted terrariums, artisanal food kits, candles and fairy lights, wreaths and holiday decorations, and (of course) flora of all types. When you need a break you can stop by the café, where you can enjoy farm-to-table salads, harvest bowls, mushroom soup, smoked salmon toast, and more. Terrain also offers classes on building your own terrariums, yoga, cooking, and many other subjects.

Having visited many such places with my wife, I can confidently say that Terrain is in a class of its own and can charm even those who might not otherwise enjoy a garden center. There are only seven Terrain stores in the United States, and the location in Glen Mills was formerly the site of the J. Franklin Styer Nurseries, founded in 1890 – a legacy they have respectfully incorporated into its present-day incarnation.

2020 and 2021 have been rough years for a lot of us, and the value of a warm, comforting home environment and the therapeutic benefits of nature are perhaps more evident than ever. If you’re in the area visiting Longwood Gardens, stop by Terrain when you’re in the area. You’re bound to find something unique that will delight you or a terrific gift for someone you love.