What kind of people can turn a chilly January day into a big houseplant festival in the Greenhouse? You can! There are certainly no people like plant people, and when we all gathered for our Houseplant Event last Saturday, it was impossible not to feel the energy and excitement throughout the place. Thank you to all of you who joined us – we had so much fun seeing you all there!
A Community of Plant People
The vibe in the Greenhouse was positively spring-like with everyone smiling and buzzing about the prospect of new plants and warm sunshine on an otherwise chilly day. Our own Penny Bay from the Greenhouse team – who stopped in for the fun on her day off – was immediately caught up in the enthusiasm of the crowd, talking houseplants and sharing advice with customers who knew her from the store. The entire team enjoyed answering questions and offering suggestions, but even more gratifying was seeing you all swapping tips and stories in the impromptu groups that formed around your favorite houseplants.
Plants, Pots + More Plants
We were thrilled to see so many gorgeous plants find their people and head to new homes during the event. From six-foot-tall fiddle leaf figs to tiny, three-inch succulents, from orchids to sansevieria to calathea and everything in-between – our whole Greenhouse collection enjoyed some extra attention all day. There were so many plants headed out the door that our wrapping station – where every tropical plant gets a protective paper wrap for the cold trip outside – multiplied into three additional locations to keep up with the enthusiasm.
The Potting Station was a popular stop too. Members of our team stood side-by-side with several DIY-inspired guests getting their hands in the soil as hundreds of houseplants found their way into new pots – or old favorites from home.
Standing Room Only
We kicked off our new seminar series, Houseplants 101, with Getting Started, a beginner’s guide to the houseplant life. Surrounded by beautiful plants and nearly two hundred friends in the audience, Plant Care team member Woody Wood shared tips on light, water, humidity, and other basics of houseplant care that plant parents – new and experienced – could take away to find success with their plant collections at home.
Thanks to Our Partners
Special thanks go out to our community partners who kept everyone supplied with tasty treats throughout the day. Farine + Four brought a selection of irresistible toasts – including one topped with beet-cured salmon, pickled red onion, capers, and dill – a definite hit. Gifford Park’s new Myrtle & Cypress Coffeehouse offered a welcome burst of mid-winter energy with their delicious and healthy teas and lattes. And Coneflower Creamery served their incredibly popular handmade ice cream from a brand-new mini delivery truck that charmed us all.
Our Photo Contest Winners
And congratulations to the group of friends behind the Instagram account @plantsof1107, the first prize winners in this year’s Houseplant Photo Contest. They submitted this stunning photo of a gorgeous cactus, Opuntia subulata, which got lots of you buzzing over on Instagram. Look for more as we’ll be featuring the team and their plant collection on the blog soon. Congrats as well to our second and third place winners, Claire Passmore over at @claire_passmore and Diane Hayes of @dhstewartjames. Thanks again to everyone who participated in the contest – we loved seeing all your beautiful plant collections!
Thanks for Celebrating With Us!
A Houseplant Event was the perfect way to wrap up Houseplant Month, our effort to chase away the January doldrums with a whole month devoted to the houseplant friends who bring so much beauty and enjoyment to our indoor spaces. We hope you enjoyed the month as much as we did, and if you find yourself with a few new plants to care for, we’re happy to help if you ever have questions. Just stop in or give us a call anytime you want to talk plants!
