North State Journal for Sunday, April 3, 2016
C3
bloom The ZEN Succulent | Durham
PHOTOS BY LIZ CONDO | FOR THE NORTH STATE JOURNAL
One of Megan George's terrarium designs made with air plants, dyed reindeer moss, and dried sea fan. Top right, Megan George looks through a tray of succulents to use in a terrarium design. Bottom right, all of the succulent plants George uses in her designs are grown locally by J & C Greenhouses in Raleigh.
By Samantha Gratton North State Journal
W
HAT STARTED as a fun side project has grown into a business, a book, and a bonding experience for this mother-daughter team. The ZEN Succulent sells succulent plants to people looking for gifts or a little extra home or office décor. Because it is low maintenance greenery, it adds that spark of life and color without all the work. Megan George grew up with plants all over the house and spent time with her grandma in a more rural area, so it felt natural to have things growing around her. After graduating from UNC Greensboro and then going to work in an office environment, she noticed how much her co-workers loved adding plants and bursts of color to the office. This led her to give plants and succulents as gifts, and before long, others wanted one, too. In 2012, the business began and an online shop through Etsy was started. Soon after, Megan quit her job to focus on the business full-time. From the beginning, her mom, Margaret George, has been right there with her. “We’ve always had a close relationship, but this has brought us closer together,” said Megan. “My mom is helping grow a business with me. She gives the support that allows me to take leaps.” Megan focuses on the design for the business and all of the terrarium landscapes, leads workshops, and wrote the book, “Modern Terrarium Studio” to teach others how to create a modern terrarium. Meanwhile, Margaret handles the logistics between shipping orders and scheduling events. But Megan’s favorite part of working with her mom is when they go to craft and maker fairs together. Similar to their days selling Girl Scout cookies when Megan was growing up, they get the chance to work in the booth together and interact with customers side-by-side. After all that goes into the business, from growing their plant selection to sourcing all the materials, the website maintenance, and answering emails—it all culminates at the fair. Megan adds, “Every time I go to maker fairs people say, ‘I wish my mom had a passion for this like I did.’” The ZEN Succulent plans to open a storefront and studio space in downtown Durham later this spring.
Margaret George and her daughter, Megan George, are the co-owners of The ZEN Succulent and creators of modern terrariums.
Upcoming Workshops April 16
April 23
April 24
May 8
Air Plant 101 & Air Plant Terrarium Workshop Durham
Succulent Terrarium Workshop Durham
Air Plant Terrarium Workshop Burlington
Spring Succulent Centerpiece Workshop Durham