We were lucky to catch up with Izzy Hall recently and have shared our conversation below.
Izzy, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.
When I first started playing around with the idea of creating what would become Garden & Gather I honestly didn’t think it would amount to anything like it is today – it originally began as a casual daydream while I was stuck managing a nursery with a highly volatile, toxic owner and knew I needed to get out of the situation but wasn’t sure how.
I originally started working in the plant retail field at the beginning of 2020 before relocating to the Raleigh area from Northern California, and between my love of plants and the trajectory of COVID influencing plant sales so heavily that I was in no rush to make any major career changes. One of my biggest takeaways from my time in the nurseries was how exclusionary and greedy the industry is and how uncomfortable that always made me, so I decided that whatever direction I went in that building a inclusive, accessible and transparent space would be the foundation of my endeavor. I chose to focus primarily on terrariums because they are at their core one of the most accessible ways to own plants – you can create any size, style and price range that you want and each piece can be tailored to suit the abilities of the potential customer when it comes to the care and maintenance. Like so many others these days I suffer from mental health issues that often affect my ability to tend to my plants and in the past dealt with issues like lack of space or lighting, financial stability and experience – but everyone deserves to have greenery and life in their space regardless of capability and skill level, so I knew I had the ability to reach an exceptionally broad audience including the avid plant owner as well as the novice level enthusiast.
Two years, dozens of pop up markets, an ever growing number of classes and over a thousand terrariums later, I’d say I must be doing something right!
Izzy, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I started Garden and Gather because I wanted to be able to share my enthusiasm and knowledge of plants, gardening and nature with the public on my own terms – as someone who has worked for both small rural nurseries and larger local garden centers, my experiences have shaped my views of how cultivating and enjoying plants should be an accessible outlet for everyone, not a luxury pursuit for the few.
Though Garden & Gather is currently a small-scale grassroots business, it is constantly growing, flourishing and will only continue to blossom. My end goal is to create a mobile garden shop with a curated selection of indoor and outdoor plants and accessories where everyone from the budding beginner to the cultivation connoisseur can learn about and enjoy plants in a judgment free environment and feel encouraged, not snubbed for lack of knowledge, confidence or experience. In addition to being a retail operation Garden & Gather is dedicated to community outreach and education, and a variety of in house and on location classes and workshops will be available for schools, businesses and other organizations as well as on an individual and small group basis.
Currently, my primary inventory consists of terrariums and planters made from locally and sustainably sourced botanicals contained in repurposed glassware, as well as stunning fine art and prints created by my wife Char , and gardening accouterments that complement my overarching aesthetics of lush, verdant greenery and florals.
Terrariums are an excellent way to experience plants in low maintenance, accessible ecosystems and are ideal for people who may not have the space for a garden or landscape planting, who have limitations when it comes to physically or emotionally caring for plants, or people who may not get as much time to enjoy nature and the outdoors as they might like. I am constantly pushing myself with my designs and concepts to create environments with a diverse range of plants, from tropical foliage and carnivores to native plants and gardener favorites while still staying in a reasonable price range, as terrariums are often found at an inaccessible price point.
My business is built on a foundation of accessibility, quality and ethics.
I have an extensive background in botany and entomology as well as environmental sciences and conservation, and I believe that the more people learn about the natural world, the more they will be inspired to protect and value it. I will always strive to communicate these values through my work and wares, and I hope that everyone will enjoy them as much as I do.
In the next year I will be expanding more into the installation and commercial plant maintenance field, as I’ve been finding that a lot of my newer terrariums have reached sizes that make it pretty difficult to transport them to markets! I absolutely love designing permanent planted fixtures and will be pushing myself to create even more eye catching pieces to bring life into people’s spaces. Keep an eye out for some pendant lights this winter!
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
One of the things that I’ve found not many other businesses like mine provide is a warranty on terrariums! In my previous nursery jobs there were always so many caveats and restrictions when it came to something happening to a plant, and the way I’ve structured my pricing allows me to offer free replanting and maintenance if something goes wrong with a terrarium. Despite my best intentions and techniques, terrariums are still a living ecosystem and therefore susceptible to a menagerie of both internal and external forces – whether it be a snail that snuck in with the moss and decided to eat half the plants, or an overly excited toddler with a water bottle who just wants to help keep the terrarium good and wet, sometimes sh*t just happens. When I can give my customers the peace of mind that comes along with knowing that a) I will always make myself available to answer any questions or assist with any issues and b) in the event that something does happen, it’s not the end of the world and they shouldn’t give up, they are always more than happy to continue supporting my business over and over again as well as recommending me to more potential customers. Additionally, the long term ROI is supported by the fact that almost every customer who comes by my business for a “terrarium facelift” leaves with additional merchandise – and that makes it even more worthwhile!
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
I believe first and foremost that everyone should be treated with empathy and kindness, regardless of their background or skill level. I don’t try to compete with similar businesses, but strive to create a space where everyone can be successful and create things that highlight their individual strengths – it’s much easier to lift up the people around you than break them down, and not only do my fellow businesses notice my attitude but my potential customers and other community members do as well!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.gardenandgather.com
- Instagram: @gardengather
- Facebook: facebook.com/gardengather
Image Credits
All photos were taken by me! Except the one of me surrounded by small children, that was taken by Ashley Borromeo.