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Take a look inside the new Plant Den shop in Norwich
Michelle Clinghan and Roscoe Gibson-Denney owners of the newly opened Plant Den in Upper Saint Giles. PIcture: Ella Wilkinson - Credit: Archant
Less than a year after opening a concession in Jarrold, The Plant Den has now branched out into their own shop.
Michelle Clinghan and Roscoe Gibson-Denney owners of the newly opened Plant Den in Upper Saint Giles. PIcture: Ella Wilkinson - Credit: Archant
The Plant Den is now open at 88 Upper St Giles and sells a range of house plants, bonsai trees and terrariums.
The independent shop is owned by 'plant obsessed' couple Roscoe Gibson-Denney and Michelle Clingan, both 40 from Norwich, who have turned a hobby into a thriving business.
Mr Gibson-Denney said: 'We had a huge collection of house plants and it all started with a small cactus I bought from a car boot sale for a pound.
'We wanted somewhere small to start off and remembered they had a place in Jarrold they used to sell cut flowers so we sent the manager a pitch presentation.
The Plant Den has opened on Upper Saint Gilles. PIcture: Ella Wilkinson - Credit: Archant
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'We were lucky as he opened the email on holiday in the south of France when he was opposite a house plant and cacti shop.
'I used to work as a landscape gardener and then had a career in television and did Channel 4's Place in the Sun and various others as a sound recordist.
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'I was always working away and I wanted to create something to fill in the gaps when I wasn't freelancing but this business took off and now it has become my prime focus.'
They opened in the basement of Jarrold in April 2018 and after proving successful they wanted to take their business to the next level.
Michelle Clinghan and Roscoe Gibson-Denney owners of the newly opened Plant Den in Upper Saint Giles. PIcture: Ella Wilkinson - Credit: Archant
The couple have designed and decorated the new shop themselves whilst running the Jarrold unit and Miss Clingan continues to work at Cinema City which is nodded to in the old cinema seats inside.
When the shop opened it was the first dedicated house plant and cacti shop in Norwich but in the last year others have popped up in the city.
However, the couple think they stand out due to the personal service offered with hand-blown terrariums from the Botanical Boys, based in London, which are one-off creations and handwritten notes on the labels with plant care advice.
Miss Clingan said: 'Norwich is definitely becoming known as the place to buy house plants and that is why we felt we needed to evolve and felt there was a space for plants that are one of a kind and a bit more bespoke.
The Plant Den has opened on Upper Saint Gilles. Picture: Ella Wilkinson - Credit: Archant
'People are loving the space and we have been overwhelmed by the small businesses who want to collaborate with us.'
The couple are planning to run workshops at Bread Source bakery across the road in the summer and have plans to launch a UK-wide online shop.
Mr Gibson-Denney added: 'Social media is so important and we would be lost without it and particularly Instagram.
'We had someone from Glasgow message us saying they wanted a plant shipped there and it is amazing we are reaching people all over.'
The Plant Den has opened on Upper Saint Gilles. Picture: Ella Wilkinson - Credit: Archant
The Plant Den is open 10am to 6pm Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.
The Plant Den has opened on Upper Saint Gilles. Picture: Ella Wilkinson - Credit: Archant
The Norwich Lanes sign in The Plant Den on Upper Saint Giles street for the opening. Picture: Ella Wilkinson - Credit: Archant
