HPS's Partner Tristan invites us inside his plant sanctuary.
Having previously dabbled in the media industry, the French Native launched Houseplant Shop with his business partner Andrew Burde in December of 2017.
Today, he invites us inside his Southern California home, which he shares with his one year old pet chicken Lucy.
Why houseplants?
It all started with a passion for green products and the desire to bring them indoors. We spend so much of our time indoors and only get to see the greens through our glass windows or on the walk home, and I guess i wasn't the only one feeling uneasy with that thought. My business partner and I have been friends for over an decade and while having a conversation over beers, the idea of Houseplant Shop came to us. House Plant Shop began as a terrarium brand that sold DIY kits with air plants, we wanted to give our customers their own experience while building the kits- it could be a great gift, a date night activity or just for your own zen. This concept quickly morphed into the House Plant Shop you know today. We noticed people love adding new plants to their collections and we are happy to be bringing more life into peoples homes. Houseplant is a newer concept, traditionally, one would bring flowers inside their homes and leave the potted plants for outdoors but houseplants have so much to offer- from air purifying benefits to helping with mood elevation. We wanted to push for houseplants to be more mainstream so thats why Houseplant, i guess.
The concept of shipping plants seems so unexpected, what pushed you to implement the idea?
We noticed quite early on that people were interested in buying unique and exotic plants from around the world, we made it our mission to create the largest online selection of house plants. We are conveniently based in Southern California, where we have access to the best nurseries in the country. We have worked tirelessly to offer unique plants that many people don't have access to locally. Our packing and shipping department have tried and tested many different packing techniques in order to ensure our customer's plants arrive in perfect condition. We are now proud to offer hundreds of different plants on our website that can be shipped to all 50 states.
How do the plants change the way you live?
In the modern age where most people spend all day inside and on a computer, we are losing our connection to nature. Bringing plants indoors is a great way to solve this problem. Introducing house plants into your home has been shown to improve concentration and productivity as well as reducing stress levels and boosting your mood. I have added many plants to my home and office since starting this business. Something as simple as having a live plant on my desk, is great for improving my mood and making me feel more connected to nature.
What do you think about house plant? Can you come up with 3 words?
1. Life
2. Growth
3. Green
Could you share some advice of taking care well of your plants based on your experience?
Contrary to what many people think, the easiest way to kill a plant is to over-water it. The majority off potted plants should only be watered when the top of the soil feels dry to the touch. A plant can easily recover from under-watering but over-watering will kill the roots of the plant and it won't recover. Most house plants enjoy indirect sunlight as direct sunlight will scorch the leaves. If you notice plants with burn marks, you will need to move it to a spot with less direct sunlight. If you can follow these two simple rules, you will be well on your way to becoming a plant expert!
Out of all the plants in your house, which one is your favorite?
No favorites, I enjoy all plants and their own uniqueness. However, Philodendron Cordatum and Anthurium Zizou are placed on top of a very special furnishing in my house. This grey dresser was actually my grandmothers, it has survived the Nazi seize and crossed the ocean to find its place here. My grandmother, actually, loved landscaping and plants and she took great pride in her gardens, so I guess this spot is a little homage to my grandmother and her love for plants.
