This is exactly what we need! Two D.C. based women are opening a new virtual plant shop based out of the nation’s capital, DCist reports.
Grounded is a subscription based plant service emphasizing the wellness aspect of horticulture, with a mission to “help you disconnect and decompress through the appreciation of plants.” The company was founded by co-founders Mignon Hemsley and Danuelle Doswell who connected through their love of plants. The two are offering the subscription based service with the hopes of providing a different type of self care for people.
“Being great friends we bonded through being plant and garden moms. We wanted to take our bond to the next level and help others which is an innate trait of both of ours. Our business idea naturally came to fruition from our passion and love for plants,” they told Because Of Them We Can.
“We’re helping people in our communities realize that this is a cheap kind of therapy. Just watering my plants and checking them is helping me stay sane. Caring for plants not only gives you a sense of responsibility, but also a feeling of accomplishment once they start growing and blooming,” Hemsley said. “We felt like especially in our community, the Black community is not as knowledgeable when it comes to different mental health outlets. So that ignited our business,” Doswell added.
The Howard University (Hemsley) and Virgina State (Doswell) grads are avid gardeners. The two started out just posting their gardening on social media. They discovered their passion for planting through their families, and made a hobby of it. Doswell is a digital marketer by day and Hemsley doubles as a graphic designer and freelance creative. The two wanted to take their hobby and grow it into a full fledged business. Not only do they believe it's needed during this time of crisis, it's practical given the mass closings of non-essential businesses due to the pandemic - a virtual plant shop just made sense.
"We had been planning to launch [on] Earth Day prior to the pandemic. [Our plans] didn't particularly shift, it encouraged us even more to provide our plants as an outlet for people to decompress and unwind from the media and everything that's going on around us," Hemsley said.
Grounded sources their plants from nurseries around the DMV and New York City. They are offering subscription based packages of plants and vases that range between $50-$100 and are customizable given the type of space and number of plants you desire. There are also non-subscription options featuring three indoor plants - aloe vera, golden pothos, and snake plants. These plants are low maintenance and inexpensive, ranging between $15 or $20 each, and cater towards those looking to grow their green thumbs. The plants can be hand-delivered or shipped for free.
“With all of the technological advances and worldly transitions, in order to stay grounded mentally, it’s important for us to take a step back and disconnect from our days. Through the appreciation, dedication and care of plants in our spaces this is attainable. We want to educate the Black community and beyond, of the tremendous benefits of plants, not only physically but especially mentally in your spaces," they said to BOTWC.
Grounded launches this Wednesday, April 22nd, to commemorate Earth Day. To learn more about the company and join their mailing list visit their website here.
Photo Courtesy of Mignon Hemsley/Grounded