Rising Stars: Meet Anne Disney

Today we’d like to introduce you to Anne Disney.

Hi Anne, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Southern Luxe Container Gardens is a newer company based out of Franklin that was founded in the Fall of 2020. Although Southern Luxe is only in its early stages, I have really been planting and cultivating gardens since I was a young girl. I am originally from Richmond, Virginia and moved to the Nashville area a little over 22 years ago. I have a deep understanding of what grows and flourishes in our southern climate. I learned from a very young age from my mother and grandmother, who always have kept gorgeous gardens, how to care for my plants. They showed me how to use environmentally friendly products to keep pests away, and quite importantly, what plants work in the sun versus the shade. When I was in my 20’s, I started building a binder of designs that I loved and tips from master gardeners. I still look to it for inspiration and add to it with more to learn. I have always shared my knowledge with my friends and have been so happy to help them design their planters and landscapes throughout the years.

My professional background is in advertising, and I was an account executive before my husband and I decided to start a family. I knew that I wanted to take time off to raise my three children. Once they became older though, there was a strong urge of wanting to re-enter the work world but wasn’t sure what to do. I just knew that I wanted a job that didn’t feel like a job. My ultimate “it’s time” happened while I was on a walk with a good friend. She suggested that there was a need out there for what I already loved to do, which was creating beautiful spaces with seasonal plants and flowers. I never told her, but this thought had crossed my mind about three years ago when my oldest was getting ready to go to college. I had pushed that thought to the back of my mind though ,telling myself that surely that wasn’t anything anyone needed. But with her validating the idea so much time later, I decided that this must be a sign. I literally walked in the door and started writing up a business plan. I really had no idea how to start a business or how to even create a client base. I threw it out there on social media that I was creating a service that would offer custom, seasonal designs and installation for containers. The response honestly has been incredible. Friends and word of mouth have brought me to my third season, and I could not be more grateful to all of my clients who believe that this little business is worth supporting. I look forward to seeing what is to come.

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?
Oh, I would say that now that I am a business owner, I can’t imagine that it would be a smooth road for anyone. You don’t really know what you are getting into until you are in it. For me, the easy part has always been the creative side, getting to make beautiful spaces for my clients to love. The business side is what has been so intimidating for me. Figuring out all of the logistics of owning a business is a challenge and probably will always be. Luckily, I joined a fantastic group of like-minded professional container gardeners who are throughout the U.S. This support group has been a lifeline for me in that they share their experiences and ideas in how they make their businesses successful. Their mentoring has been invaluable to me. I believe that although my journey has just started with its ups and downs, I have confidence that I will get through it.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Southern Luxe Container Gardens is a service based out of Franklin that designs and installs custom, seasonal plants into a client’s outdoor containers for their home or business. Seasons are typically Spring, Summer, Fall and Holiday, but some clientele travel between two homes and maybe only need the service for a couple of seasons. The service is very flexible. If a client needs planters, I help them find the perfect ones that fit their needs. There are even self-watering containers for those who find that they often forget to water their plants. I provide a very personalized, onsite, designer service where we talk about color, size and level of care. I try to get a feel for the personality of the client because I believe plants can reflect that personality. I also take into consideration the color and style of the house/building and what plants will really bring out that wow factor. There is such a wide range of very traditional plants as well as some very out of the ordinary exotics as well. I am very choosy about my plants and who my suppliers are, but am very mindful about cost. The type of soil and fertilizer is very important as well. I am so proud when my clients share with me pictures of how their planters are doing. It is so fulfilling to see them so excited about how beautifully their plants are coming along. I love that it gives them a sense of accomplishment and that they don’t actually have a “black thumb” like so many start by telling me. I would say what sets me apart is while it is easy to go to a big box home improvement store and buy one of their pre-done planters, Southern Luxe provides custom, extraordinary containers that are created with the client in mind. The best compliment that I have ever received was when my client pulled up to her house and said, “I didn’t even know what I wanted, but this is exactly what I wanted!” This is my goal for every client – that they see their container gardens as a great source for joy.

Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
Well, for me, I think the fact that more people were staying home rather than traveling actually helped my business. I actually started my business during the pandemic, and there was immediate feedback of excitement for my service. I was filling a need that I didn’t even realize people had, and I am not sure if they knew either until I finished a project for them. I think there was an overall feeling of “how can I make my living space better?” And the realization became if I could create a beautiful planter for them, that was definitely something special that they could enjoy every single day. That is the most important lesson, plants make people happy.

Contact Info:

• Email: anne@southernluxecontainergardens.com
• Website: southernluxecontainergardens.com
• Instagram: @southernluxecontainergardens
• Facebook: Southern Luxe Container Gardens