In a recent blog post, we introduced you to our tropical buyer, Jasmine Osten. She’s always on the hunt for unusual plants, and part of what makes her so good at it is her ability to build strong relationships with quality vendors and growers all over the country. This year, one of our pottery vendors had something new they wanted Jasmine to see. They had partnered with a local grower to offer a limited quantity of succulent planters in new light-weight containers. This grower only had the space to grow enough of these containers for seven clients – and our pottery vendor thought we should be one of the seven. When Jasmine saw the planters, she agreed they’d make a great addition to our greenhouse collection.
When the planters arrived, we unpacked the boxes to find an exciting assortment of container sizes and shapes starting with small round cups only big enough for a tiny succulent. Larger pieces were planted with a mix of bigger succulents including Sedum, Kalanchoe, and Crassula – even some really intriguing plants called “watch chains” that are named for their striking resemblance to a cylindrical metal chain. From a step back, the containers look like they’re made of naturally weathered concrete, complete with the pebbly texture and interesting little marks and pits. Their unpolished feel is an attractive complement to the smooth texture of the succulents. The planters look heavy too, but when you pick one up, you might be surprised to find they’re a fraction of the weight you expect. They’re perfect for indoor spaces where a little rugged beauty is nice to see but you don’t want to hurt your back or the surface of your table to get it. And they have drain holes, which succulents need to stay healthy.
The minute these planters hit the sales floor, everyone asked Jasmine if we carried the containers on their own. Not yet, but Jasmine’s working on it. So if we can get them in, we will. For now, we get to enjoy them filled with beautiful succulents.
