EDINBURGH will soon be home to a new ‘houseplant hospital’, where people can visit to learn how to help their plants thrive.
Green-fingered customers can make an appointment with the Hilda Houseplants experts, to seek advice and learn how to re-pot and properly care for their houseplants.
The new store will be rooted on the corner of Newhaven Road and Ferry Road in Leith, where it will also sell a range of tools, compost, accessories, pots and plants.
After running a successful pop-up shop and market stall since 2020, business owners Rosanna and Tom Costello have secured funding to give it a permanent home.
They recently received £18,000 through the British Business Bank’s Start Up Loans scheme and delivery partner Transmit Startups to fit out the unit ahead of its opening.
The Costellos taught themselves how to grow, care for and cultivate their own houseplants after moving into a new flat with no garden or access to nature in 2014.
The idea was planted when they set up a stall at the regular markets in Leith and Stockbridge, where they sold plants and shared tips on how to look after them.
The ‘houseplant hospital’ later launched as a pop-up at Space at Seventeen where customers were able to book a slot for access to tools, compost and guidance.
The couple named the business after Tom’s grandmother Hilda, a gardener who lived near the botanic gardens in Edinburgh.
20 years later, Rosanna and Tom have managed to keep one of Hilda’s original houseplants thriving.
Rosanna Costello said: “Getting the keys to our first shop was a huge day for us – I never thought I’d be able to make a full-time job from one of my favourite hobbies.
“Collaborating with people and teaching them about their plants has been really rewarding.
“We’ve had a great response from customers who have a new appreciation for their plants now they know how to care for them properly.
“With more people working from home, the demand for houseplants has grown. People look to them as a way of creating a more comfortable and inspiring work environment.
“This is especially the case for those living in Edinburgh, where many of the properties don’t have gardens or access to an outdoor living space.”
The Start-Up Loans programme has delivered over 6,300 loans to new business owners in Scotland since 2012, including more than 800 loans worth nearly £9 million for entrepreneurs in the Scottish capital.
Barry McCulloch, senior manager, UK Network, Scotland at the British Business Bank, said: “Rosanna and Tom are taking advantage of the houseplant trend, and we’re pleased to be helping as they get ready for the shop opening.
“It is great to see a business that first began as a hobby growing and thriving.
“The Start Up Loans programme was established to not only provide funding through a range of delivery partners but also offer support for entrepreneurs all over the country.”
Alan Tweddell, senior business advisor at Transmit Startups, said: “Enabling passionate people to seize market opportunities and turn their skills and hobbies into an income stream is exactly what we’re here for.
“It was a pleasure to help Rosanna and Tom take this exciting step and I know that Newhaven will be healthier and happier because of their business.”
