Amid the stressful midterm season, we found ourselves in need of a stress-relieving hobby. Grace’s residential advisor mentioned that raising plants helped improve her mood and recommended that she look into raising plants of my own. As per her suggestion, we went to B.Willow to check out their selection of plants and was astounded to see the aesthetics and calming nature of the store.
B.Willow is located southwest of Homewood Campus in Remington, just one block away from R. House. It is an indoor gardening supply center that sells various kinds of plants for people of all gardening backgrounds. Located on the corner of W. 27th St. and Cresmont Avenue, the building immediately catches the attention of passersby. A vibrant painting of different plant leaves and flowers with the shop name “B.Willow” pops out and contrasts the beige-colored walls of the building.
When we entered the store, we were greeted by shelves of indoor plants in small 2-inch pots. These plants include cacti, tropical plants, succulents and snake plants, all of which are suitable for beginner gardeners. In the center of the shop are larger plants like the Monstera deliciosa and Monstera adansonii, also known as the Swiss cheese plant; Heartleaf philodendron; Alocasia odora “California;” fiddle leaf fig trees; and more. There are also plants hanging from the ceiling, giving the shop a cozier atmosphere. Other items sold in the store included varieties of flower pots, rocks, terrarium kits and potting soil.
Besides selling plants and gardening supplies, B.Willow also offers repotting services where customers can bring plants that they have purchased from the store and repot them there. The repotting fee is $1-$2.5 for small plants (3-5 inches), $3-$5 for medium plants (6-8 inches), and $6-$14 for large ones (9-12 inches). The soil needed for repotting is sold by the pound, and B.Willow offers a variety of soil options including tropical soil, desert soil, sand, rocks and charcoal.
Not only was the vibe of the store welcoming, but the store manager was also amiable. She introduced us to all the different plants they sell in their store as well as where they are sourced. According to the manager, the small plants are from an Amish farm in Pennsylvania while the bigger plants are from another nursery. These plants are delivered to B.Willow on a weekly basis. Their top sellers include the Monstera plants, Heartleaf philodendron and the fiddle leaf fig trees.
If you are a beginner in gardening and are concerned about the appropriate types of plants that you can grow in your dorm room, don't worry! Their website details the plant care instructions and the preferred environment of each plant species. You will definitely find some plants that are easy to grow to start your gardening journey! For your information, according to the manager, snake plants are the easiest to grow with low sunlight, and you only need to water them once every two weeks!
In addition to purchasing plants in the store, B.Willow also offers an online order option where customers can browse through appealing photos of various kinds of plants and pick their favorite ones. As mentioned on their website, B.Willow aims to use plants as a medium to bring nature into people’s homes, and therefore allow its customers to embrace a rejuvenating indoor lifestyle.
Customers who have orders with a total of more than $50 and live within 20 minutes of the shop also have the option of free deliveries. There is also curbside pickup on Tuesday through Friday from 11-7 p.m. and on the weekends from 11-6 p.m. According to the manager, B.Willow has recently experienced more online orders and pickups.
B.Willow is currently partnered with International Union for the Conservation of Nature, Cactus and Succulent Specialist Group (IUCN CSSG). $1 from every cactus purchase will be donated to IUCN CSSG to protect endangered cacti species and raise awareness of illegal plant trade.
At the end of the day, we ended up purchasing a snake plant and a low-light tropical 2-inch plant to kickstart my gardening journey. B.Willow a great go-to place for cultivating a new hobby for gardening as well as an afternoon Instagram shoot!
