I have this thing for fun people! Yawn, who doesn’t, right?
But I mean really fun people. The kind of people whom you sit next to at a random networking event and find yourself trying to suppress your laughter while snickering under your overpriced cup of “generic networking event coffee.”
And I have a feeling Jamie O’Berry matches my view of fun people. You see, I haven’t met Jamie in real life; I’ve just been stalking her account on Instagram. And then I reached out to her to ask for an interview for Green with Purpose, because Jamie is fun and creative and a little bit different from all the other houseplant-centered accounts I follow.
Jamie has been in the business of selling houseplants for eight years, which seems to have only fueled her creativity. She creates adorable miniatures and chic flower arrangements that have her twelve thousand Insta fans swooning on a weekly basis.
Hi, Jamie! Can you please tell our readers a little bit about yourself and your work?
Hi! I’m Jamie O’Berry. I’m in my 30s and I own O’Berry’s Succulents. I started my business in 2012 and I was making succulent arrangements in upcycled pottery.
Now, in 2020, I’m a florist. I create plant merch, collaborate with local artists and assist in hosting community plant events in the town I live – St. Petersburg, Florida.
How did you start growing houseplants to sell?
I come from a long line of growers and farmers. So I seriously think growing plants is in my blood. I became interested in succulents and cacti in 2010 and went to bookstores to find books on drought-tolerant plants. Back then, I could only find a couple of books.
Things sure are different now!
My dad, who is a grower and went to college for botany and foliage plants, would help me find succulents at local stores or around my neighborhood when neighbors were re-landscaping and throwing out their old plants for new ones.
I have always had a large collection of ceramics and china, so we started planting them together. I did a little research and saw that Flora Grubbs Gardens in San Francisco was selling tea cups with a single succulent and was inspired. But since this was way before Pinterest, this was all the inspiration I could find.
So I learned how to drill holes in the pottery and make beautiful little landscapes myself.
Can you give us some insight into your creative process? How does an arrangement designed by you come to life?
Creativity doesn’t always come first. Sometimes I’m just making pieces because I have a deadline, and then doing the work leads me to the creative part. I end up making a piece and think “wow, this is so good,” so this pushes me into making more. And then I become so excited about what I’m making. That’s usually the process every time I sit down at my workbench.
You use a lot of upcycled materials. How and where do you find them?
I find my upcycled pots and ceramics at estate sales. After doing this for so long, I can tell in about a quarter of a second if something is going to work. Size, color and texture play a big part. I also meet local ceramic artists at events, and I ask them to work with me.
How about the miniature houseplants? Are they becoming more popular?
Everyone loves the miniature planters. I can’t seem to make enough of them, which is why I’ve started taking ceramic classes. I have a lot of ideas and I’m excited to be able to turn them into reality.
Buyers love them because they are cute and they don’t have them yet. Gardeners always want the plant and planter they don’t have yet! Very few artists in the country are making them and I realized mine have a unique style. They’re not like anyone else’s.
What does a workday look like for you?
My workday usually starts with being in the office for a few hours. I work for a local craft faire doing social media and brand management.
Then I’m usually working on making planters, creating wedding floral proposals, listing items in my online shop, and making sure everything is growing successfully in the cactus and succulent garden outside.
I work every day, but make time for small mini-vacations every couple of months.
Do you have a favorite houseplant?
It’s tough to pick a favorite, but I’m up for the challenge, so I’m declaring the string of pearls as my favorite!
Thanks so much for chatting with us, Jamie!
Have a look at Jamie’s online shop and her Instagram account to see what’s currently available. My advice is, if you like something, get it right away. O’Berry creations are selling like hot cakes. Or is it hot cacti?
All images via O’Berry Succulents.
