Folia Collective: Pasadena’s Plant Shop

At once a nursery, workshop and resource for plant-focused interior design, Folia Collective helps city-dwellers create their own indoor sanctum of greenery. – Photo Courtesy Danae Horst

By Emily G. Peters

If you’ve never been able to keep a plant alive for longer than a week, fear not: no one at Folia Collective is going to judge you. They might, however, suggest one or two ways you can revive your inner sanctum of greenery without going mad.

Created by Pasadena-based photographer Danae Horst and partner Bill Horst, Folia Collective is a pop-up plant shop built on the notion that plant design elements are every bit as powerful as art or furniture.

“Our business has three major components: the plant retail shop, styling services and our workshops,” explained Danae Horst, who opened the retail shop almost a year ago in April 2017. “We see a lot of customers coming back again and again because they know they will find healthy and beautiful plants with helpful advice on keeping them happy, as well as well-chosen plant accessories.”

Folia Collective’s plant-focused styling services feed both residential and commercial spaces—and have become so popular that a wait list is now in order. Their workshops, which smack of Herbology class a la Harry Potter, are also in full swing for 2018 for those eager to improve their plant-care skills.

Folia Collective, a pop-up plant shop, is the handiwork of photographer Danae Horst and partner Bill Horst. – Photo Courtesy Danae Horst

“Most plant care mistakes boil down to not knowing your plants. We talk to a lot of people who assume that plants need to be watered every day (very few need that level of watering) or who think that they don’t get enough light for plants because their room doesn’t get direct sun (most indoor plants don’t do well in full or direct sun),” explained Horst. “We spend time with everyone who walks through our door to help them find the right plant for the conditions they can provide and learn about the needs of plants so they can see their plants thrive.”

This growing interest in plant-based interior design makes sense in a city with scant yard space and motley light conditions. Folia Collective feeds the green frenzy with activities like quarterly “cutting swaps,” where participants can trade plant cuttings, as well as free “plant chats” which teach anyone living in sunny mansions to shadowy studios on the best plants for their space.

“Plants add so much to a home,” said Horst. “Beyond their aesthetic beauty, plants purify our air, have been shown to boost mood and improve mental health and just make a room feel alive—because they are.” With each new client, Folia Collective’s mission of bringing a little life to city-dwellers takes further root.

“Even if you feel like you’re a plant killer, come see us,” said Horst. “So often, we hear from our customers that they’re seeing their plants thrive for the first time after visiting us—which is amazing. It’s why we do what we do.”

Folia Collective is located at 380 S. Lake Avenue, Suite 105 in Pasadena. Contact the team at www.foliacollective.com | 626.787.4957 and follow along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @foliacollective.

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