Whether you want a Christmas display outside your front lawn or colorful summer selection for your hanging baskets – they do it all! Let’s speak with Howard to find out more about Plant Parenting and how they tick.
About You:
Tell us a little bit more about yourself and how Plant Parenting Inc began?
Plant Parenting, Inc. was originally conceived in 1986 as a housecall plant doctor and maintenance service for residential customers. There were several maintenance companies that serviced commercial accounts, but nobody at the time serviced residential.
Shortly after college, I had been working as a sales manager for a large commercial greenhouse where I had developed relationships with many of the local florists that were my customers.
My business plan was to capitalize on those relationships by offering a value-added service to the retail florists for the plants that were taken home. I created point of purchase business card displays and that, with word-of mouth and some
local advertising, was how it started
Of course, a new, hungry business will take on most revenue opportunities and I found myself doing container gardening. I found the creative aspect of seasonal displays more intellectually rewarding and it turns out I had a knack for it.
Today, Plant Parenting, Inc. is basically two businesses--plant maintenance and container gardening. As I'm looking toward what Plant Grandparenting will bring, I envision consulting and sharing my 40 plus years of industry knowledge.
What’s has been your biggest challenge so far?
Covid-19 was my biggest challenge in my career. Commercial buildings had pretty much closed down and with perishable inventory, access became challenging. Complicating this was that service staff were reluctant to enter buildings. There was a lot of out-of-box thinking.
While we took a hit with our interior accounts; however, our outdoor container business expanded as many of our home-bound customers were looking for any opportunity to bring happiness-flowers for many became a balm.
What do you love most about Plant Parenting, Inc?
As I said, my heart lies in container gardening. Everyday is an opportunity to challenge myself with a design. Every day, getting out of bed is an opportunity to create.
On another note, I remember bartending in the evenings while my fledgling business took flight. Often, I would look at the clock waiting for the shift to end. I can't remember the last time I've done that. For many years now, I have often looked at my watch, but only in hoping to turn back the clock. For me, never being bored is what I love most.
Planting Inspiration
Where does your inspiration for each Plant Parenting design come from?
I watch. I look. I interpret. Inspiration comes from many, often unconventional, sources. I was inspired to create my mounding techniques from lying on a porch swing looking up at a hanging basket. In that view, I thought, 'why not plant the outside of the basket and invert it'? I love trying to take a common presentation and flipping it on its side or head.
Presently, I have been looking at fine art to see how famous artists look at flowers. I take inspiration from the gnarly wood in a Van Gough painting, repetitive shapes in Murikami's flowers and color pallets in Paul Klee's abstract works. I'm always looking for some kernel that I can develop.
What’s your most popular request or question?
Topiary frames are very popular. We embellish them with seasonal materials and our customers love them.
What are the main plants or flowers you like to use in your Plant Parenting designs?
Of course, given the unpredictable quality of nature, gardener's have their tried-and-true staples. So, as I mentioned how I like to turn things on their side, I want to turn this question on its side by answering how I can transition plants from season-to-season. I love reusing plants in planters for a few reasons: first, it's economical; second, it's greener; and lastly, it's artistic - the longer a plant grows the bigger impact or presentation it offers. For example, take a trailing ivy or bacopa; these cool loving plants that are planted in spring containers can go in zone 5 all the way through till the holiday displays. (If you're in a warmer climate, I would use ivy year round).
For trailing, nothingcan beat the presentation of three-season ivy!
Gardening Advice/Design
What advice would you give to someone creating their own display at home?
Understand that the plants you see in ubiquity are for a reason - the most popular and easiest will be the most common. There is no sin in using these plants as they are your foundation in your garden; but, to make your garden your own, experiment with more unusual varieties. Micro climates offer opportunities.
Going vertical offers opportunities. Garden structures offer opportunities in both verticality and sculpture.
What’s your top tip for someone who wants to create a stylish display all year round?
Understand that nature is always evolving. Embrace that. The definition of style is something that changes, something that is forward thinking. In my book, being stylish is not placing a boxwood in a pair of planters and calling it a day. (It may be classic, and it is of a certain style, but it's not stylish). Stylish is taking a classic, permanent element such as a topiary frame and changing its look from season to season.
