Meet Rachel Souerbry of Desert + Vine Botanical Supply

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Souerbry.

Hi Rachel, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started my little pop-up plant shop with the intention of doing things in a sustainable way. I’ve always been passionate about reducing the amount of plastic I use and waste I create, so I wanted to apply that to my business.

Originally, I started by selling plants that were potted in reused or reclaimed vessels, like glass jars and old baskets. I liked that they had character and a history. As time went on, I decided to also start selling plants in traditional grow pots as well, like other plant shops do. But I still have a program that collects used grow pots from customers (so they aren’t thrown away) and I reuse them myself for various growing projects.

Today, the plants in my shop are all sourced from within middle Tennessee, and all other products are made either by myself or local artisans. My goal is to promote sustainability by keeping things as local and low-waste as possible, supporting the community I love.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road, but it’s been worth it! I started this business without any loans or help from anyone, so financially it has always been hard. Also, I started doing my first market pop-ups in November 2019 and lost a significant amount of time to COVID.

At the moment, it’s just me running this shop. I would love to hire a few employees in the near future, but until then I have to keep the balance of running everything alone and wearing all of the hats a business owner has to wear. And that itself is a massive struggle sometimes.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Desert + Vine is a pop-up plant shop with a focus on sustainability. I sell locally sourced plants as well as plant accessories- things like moss poles, bug treatment, macrame plant hangers, etc. It is part plant shop, part artist collective, with new products by both myself and other local makers being added all the time. The newest addition is the pottery section, with handmade concrete and terracotta pots and hand-painted pottery by legendary local artist Pepper Palm.

Everything is always as local as possible, supporting Nashvillians the way they support me. There is also zero single-use plastic involved, and plastic grow pots can be returned through my recycling program.

What matters most to you? Why?
The sustainability and low-waste movement has always been very important to me. I’m from California, so recycling and being eco-conscious is in my blood. I believe that by making more earth-friendly choices, even ones that seem small, we can have an impact on the health of our planet. I may not be able to control the choices of those around me, but I can control the way I live and the way I run my business.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.desertandvinebotanical.com
• Instagram: @desert.and.vine.botanical

Image Credits
All photos taken by me (Rachel Souerbry)