Mother-daughter duo starts garden box business

When Hyacinth Clarke began exploring her interest in plants 15 years ago, she never saw her hobby becoming a business. But, the moment she entered that world of nature, her daughter, Ashleigh Shrouder, followed in her footsteps, developing a passion of her very own. Together, they became the proud owners of Garden Box Ja.

“We provide succulents, but we have a liking for echeverias. Echeverias come in a wide variety and it is one of the top-selling succulents in the business, as plant moms tend to adore their beauty and resilience,” Shrouder told Saturday Living.

Believing that she always had a green thumb, Shrouder didn’t test that theory until her mother delved into the field of horticulture. “Growing up, I watched my mom in her garden. Listening to her conversations with other plant moms, I began to wonder what was so fascinating about plants,” she said.

But it wasn’t long before her fascination grew, too, and she joined her mother’s business. “At first, my mom would go to plant shows such as Denbigh and then the pandemic happened. Not knowing how long it would last, we decided to sublet the business into Garden Box Ja, creating an account on the social media platform, Instagram, dedicated to plant life.”

Garden Box Ja was officially open for business at the beginning of the pandemic and has since seen much success.

With many working remotely or stuck at home because of previous restrictions, they discovered their passion for green life and started their very own plant collection. And, as life would have it, there was a thriving market for plants as a real stress reliever during the pandemic.

“A lot of customers old and new developed an extreme passion in collecting plants and creating garden spaces,” Shrouder shared, adding, “plants are very therapeutic and can become great friends. They are like pets or babies; you feed them, nurture them and ensure they are growing in good health.”

The online company’s speciality – succulents – make perfect outdoor plants and do well in sunlight. There are also other plants like the zanzibar gem or ZZ palm, fiddle leaf fig and dieffenbachia, also known as dumb canes, which thrive very well indoors. And, to bring variety, garden boxes and succulent gardens were added to the plant portfolio.

“My mom started the garden boxes and succulent gardens as a unique idea for persons who were not able to create these gardens on their own. They are excellent gifts for a plant lover. And they make beautiful centrepieces for outdoor and indoor spaces,” she said enthusiastically.

Aside from overwatering, some of the common rookie mistakes new plant parents make are using too many chemicals and over fertilising.

These problems can be rectified through education, “When we sell a plant, we give as many care tips as possible for specific plants being purchased. We also encourage new plant parents to do extensive research of their own, since each plant requires specific care requirements.”

Shrouder has loved being a plant parent, highlighting the beauty they have brought to her life and space. “It is amazing to see the plants maturing from a tiny seedling into a beautiful showpiece. Seeing them thrive gives any plant parent satisfaction,” she said.

But nothing beats the joy she has received bonding with her mother. “I get to spend time with her, as this is a common interest that we share,” she admitted.

It is her hope to expand the business, opening a physical location, growing a larger plant nursery, and entering the export market in the future.

She advises new plant parents to get familiar with the plants and the environment they will thrive in, “From there, ensure that the plant is getting enough light in that space and also ensure that there is no pest infestation in that environment,” she said.

krysta.anderson@gleanerjm.com