With passion in their hearts and green on their thumbs, mother and daughter duo Megan and Margaret George started a growing business that’s recently expanded into another succulent storefront.
The ZEN Succulent was founded in 2012 when Megan George ventured on the opportunity of an Etsy shop. In May 2016, the plants hit the shelves in the shop’s first storefront in Durham, N.C., and only two years later the business expanded into a second exotic storefront in the heart of Raleigh, N.C. The shop features products such as plants, earrings, scented candles, ceramics and apothecary items among others.
What began as a chore of taking care of the plants in her childhood home transformed into a passion for greenery and something Megan enjoyed.
Megan and Margaret began making terrariums, their first one created together. After two years of craft shows, such as the Indie Craft Parade in Greenville, S.C., the shop began morphing into the questions people asked.
“The selections come from what the customers wanted at the very beginning. When they ask questions, they tell what other people might want to know,” says Megan.
Along the way Megan discovered that people enjoyed the concepts now found at The ZEN Succulent, but that they didn’t have a place to go to do what they loved. And she wanted to do something about it.
“This became a community of plant people,” says Megan.
The ZEN Succulent, named after the peacefulness plants create, offers a welcoming environment for questions on fundamental principals such as lighting, watering and air circulation for the plants.
The storefront is depicted as a “neighborhood plant and gift shop,” allowing other makers to showcase their work in the community of plant and craft aficionados.
Megan expounds on the word “neighborhood” as “meaning you can come in and say hi,” which is exactly the feel of the storefronts — a welcoming environment where green and black thumbs can come together and learn.
And learn from the best. The ZEN Succulent has been feature on several platforms. Megan and Margaret have been featured on DIY Network for installing a 10-foot succulent wall in the 2016 HGTV Smart Home. Buzzfeed featured one of The ZEN Succulent’s terrariums on their article, “27 Terrariums That Will Restore Tranquility To Your Home,” heralding the piece as “aquatic perfection.” They are also featured on the Washingtonian, HGTV and the North State Journal to name a few.
In 2015, Megan took this knowledge to pen and paper and published her book entitled “Modern Terrarium Student: Design and Build Custom Landscapes with Succulents, Air Plants and More,” allowing readers to learn from “25 easy-to-make terrariums and living landscapes that push the boundaries of traditional terrarium design indoors.”
Workshops are offered for anyone who wants to dig a little deeper into the knowledge of topics including succulent terrariums, calligraphy, floral arrangements and more. And if you want to take it a step further, you can even host a private workshop or event. The ZEN Succulent also has a DIY terrarium bar allowing customers to flourish in plant creativity.
The shop has various types of plants to choose from, but the plant that catches the eye of Megan the most is the jade. Megan describes these as “strong and sturdy” plants that are “slow growers.”
The ZEN Succulent is a haven for the plant growing extraordinaire, the plant admirer and even the black thumbs in the bunch. For more information on the shop happenings and how to be a better plant parent, follow them on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter or keep up with their blog for all the latest tips and tricks.
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