Muscat Flora

Muscat Flora is one of Malta's best known family garden shops, trading from Triq il-Ferrovija in Santa Venera. Under one roof it combines a pet shop, a garden centre, an outdoor furniture showroom and, as the year closes, a full Christmas department. It is listed in our directory of garden centres in Malta.

If you are a UK visitor staying nearby or a resident setting up a home, the shop is a handy stop for plants, a barbecue, pet supplies or festive decorations. Santa Venera sits close to the capital, so it fits easily into a day that also includes our Valletta guide.

Seventy years of family history

The business has been trading for around seventy years. It began when grandfather Anthony Muscat sold citrus trees, plants and insecticides from a very small shop. His son Charles opened a pet shop and flower shop in Msida in 1968 and launched the Muscat Flora Garden Centre in 1982.

When the third generation, Randolph Muscat, joined, the family moved to larger premises in Santa Venera, where the shop still holds one of the widest ranges of pet and gardening needs, accessories and furniture on the islands. Punctual opening times, a varied stock and plenty of hard work are the qualities the family links to its success.

Pets, plants and the garden

The pets department stocks all kinds of pet food and related accessories. The garden side offers plants and trees, gardening products and a large selection of garden furniture. Gardening in Malta has its own rhythm, so our Malta weather guide is useful when you are deciding what to plant and when.

The shop describes its range as everything one can imagine for pets, gardening and outdoor furniture, and that breadth is the main attraction: a single visit can cover a bag of pet food, a flowerpot to give as a present, a new tree for the terrace and a set of garden chairs. The shop welcomes questions about products and orders.

Garden lovers who enjoy a green space in town may also like the terraces of the Upper Barrakka Gardens in Valletta, a good source of ideas for Mediterranean planting. If you are moving to the islands, our Malta relocation guide explains what to expect from island life.

Outdoor furniture and barbecues

Outdoor living is central to life in Malta, and the furniture department supports it. Barbecues are part of the range, including a four burner gas grill on a trolley with castors, with a cooking area of 74.5 by 46 cm, automatic ignition and a stainless steel hood. Three burner models are also shown.

Terraces, balconies and roof gardens are a familiar part of Maltese homes, and a good set of outdoor furniture turns them into an extra room for much of the year. After a morning browsing, many visitors head to the historic hilltop city described in our Mdina guide for lunch and a stroll.

The Christmas shop

Each year the shop is transformed into a huge Christmas shop with all types of Christmas trees, lights and decorations. Outdoor decorations include illuminated figures such as snowmen, a reindeer, a sleigh and several Santa designs, and the front of the building is dressed with trees and lights.

The illuminated figures suit gardens, balconies and shop fronts, and the wider range of trees, lights and decorations lets you dress a whole home from one place.

Travellers who want to see Malta at the festive season can look at our Malta holidays overview and our list of things to do in Malta. To ask about stock, use the VisitMalta.co.uk enquiry form on this page and we will pass your message to Muscat Flora. For a wider introduction to the islands, read about Malta.