THE MOTTO AT SABO (Sage Botanical) is simple but vibrant: “Cactus. Comforts. Fresh Starts.” Opened in July 2023 by owner Candace Leigh, the Santa Fe plant and gift boutique specializes in plants that thrive in the desert and require little care.
String of pearls plants and Hoya Krimson Princess hang from the ceiling. Fiddle-leaf figs, an array of cacti, and hardy succulents sit among terra-cotta pots and locally made gifts, all bathed in sparkling rays of New Mexico sun.
Leigh loves the tactile element of her work. “It’s the focus with the mind and the hands at the same time; it’s really therapeutic,” she says. “You give plants energy, and they give life back—literally life, oxygen—and a lot of natural beauty.”
Sabo, which occupies the former Sub Rosa Mercantile and carries on its legacy by selling products from many of the same small makers, also stocks some tropical plants and rare finds, such as the variegated Monstera Thai Constellation.
Bring a plant that needs repotting to Sabo, and Leigh will do it for you. She has a plethora of vessels to choose from, but you can bring one from home too. A tip she offers those who may not have a natural green thumb: Get a tray and fill it with pebbles soaked in water, then place your plant’s pot directly on top of the wet rocks. “It creates this passive humidifier,” she says. “Instantly, you can see your plant change and perk back up.”
Visit Sabo at 65 W. Marcy St., Santa Fe, or online.