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Meet Say It With Succulents’ Hannah Burgess

October 18, 2012

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The very stylish Hannah Burgess is a former criminologist with a house full of plants who started her own business selling succulents as mail order gifts. Her foray into the trendy houseplants started simply when she bought her first succulent for her new home. โ€œOne succulent, soon turned to 10 and suddenly, I found myself obsessed by them,โ€ she says.

This sparked an idea for a business and she spent 18 months developing Say It With Succulents, going back to uni to study project management. Eventually she left her job to focus full-time on launching the brand in February.

โ€œI was instantly surprised at the positive response I received from the public. I kept the idea on the down low from just about everyone I knew, so it was good to hear such honest and positive feedback when the final product was released. We have grown since then, introducing a few new products and colours along the way, but for now, our focus is making the product a trusted household name.โ€

Succulents are trendy all of a sudden and their poor old cousin the cactus seems a little out of favour. Hannah says itโ€™s easy to see why: โ€œThey are beautiful, low maintenance plants suitable for any skill level. When I bought my first succulent, there was a big push for consumers to consider drought hardy plants. It was during a time when we needed to be conscious about our choices. So I think people realised that not only were succulents a responsible choice, they were, by virtue, easy to look after and especially great for those leading busy lives.โ€

Iโ€™m a firm believer that every home should always have something green and living in it, whether itโ€™s plants or cut flowers. Hannah agrees that plants bring life to your home. โ€œThey really can transform a lifeless corner into something interesting. Pairing your plants with your favourite books and artwork plays favourably into the overall aesthetic of your home, and really gives you a sense of peace. My home is my indoor jungle.โ€

Her beautiful packaging is key, however. โ€œWithout the packaging, I would have no product,” says Hannah. “Good branding is key to the succuss of any new business and with this comes your packaging considerations. I knew that I wanted my packaging to speak for itself. To be versatile, useful and most of all, reflect the brandโ€™s beliefs. Running a faceless online business means that consumers will judge your brand solely on the tangible product they receive.โ€

All sorts of people are ordering Hannahโ€™s succulents for all sorts of occasions. While her dad is her number one fan, succulents seem to work for all ages and tastes. โ€œFlowers will always be a wonderful and thoughtful gesture, but it is so much nicer to receive a living gift,โ€ Hannah says. Her own nanโ€™s death proved a defining moment when she was planning her business. โ€œI gave my mum a plant instead of flowers and after a week she had a house full of dead flowers and a cute gerbera still sitting on her table. She said every time she looked at the plant, she thought of her mum. This moment still makes me realise the importance of plants in oneโ€™s life. The joy that plant brought my mum could not be replicated with flowers and I wanted others to feel the same when they received a living gift.โ€ Going one further by packaging the plants with handmade pots and bamboo coasters for them to sit on, Hannah feels she is also playing a role as interior decorator.

Hannahโ€™s 3 top tips for healthy succulents

โ€œSimple! Light, water and fertiliser.

Succulents detest the dark. No matter how much love and care you give to your succulent, without light they will look miserable, and quick. Succulents live happily indoors, although you need to find that spot in your house that provides enough light to keep it thriving. Sunny windowsills and rooms that capture northern light are your best bet. What I love about succulents is how easily you can identify a problem with them. If you leave a succulent in a dark spot for too long, they will become โ€˜leggyโ€™. The stems will grow, but the leaves will space out. If this happens, pop your succulent outside for a week or two.

Succulents only require minimal watering: once to twice a week depending on where they are and how they are planted. In pots, they will need a little more watering, if they are in the ground, they donโ€™t really need much more than rain.

If you have your plant potted indoors, make sure you check for signs of dehydration. Conversely, overwatering your plant indoors can be a common problem if they arenโ€™t getting enough sun to compensate. If your leaves are turning brown and mushy, stop the water!

Finally, pick off dead leaves and flowers to promote growth and consider organic fertiliser options like worm juice to keep your plants looking their best all year round. Fertiliser gives your plants that nutritional boost they need, so look for signs such as loss of colour as a good time to fertilise.โ€

Say It With Succulents

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Want to try a different tipple this weekend? Toda Want to try a different tipple this weekend?

Today's #iafoodiefriday recipe is a lemon and pink peppercorn spritz by our friends at @thewholefoodsrefillery ๐Ÿธ 

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Do I recommend a timber vanity top? A big fat NOP Do I recommend a timber vanity top?

A big fat NOPE! ๐Ÿ’ง 

Which is why we have recently covered ours with a Caesarstone top (thanks to @justinplace_sydney for the advice and supply) and the sweet RELIEF of not having to worry about this high traffic area anymore, I'm telling you!๐Ÿค—

Doesn't matter what they tell you or how many times it's sealed, I'm not sure it's a great idea in a room which is so, well, wet!

I love having the warmth of timber in the bathroom and it's a beautiful piece, but timber on the top? Never again.

Ours probably lasted a year (if that) before it started to go downhill (and we want a good decade out of a bathroom, right?!). 2.5 years on, everything else in this bathroom looks virtually brand new and the water marked vanity top was really letting the side down and making me sad!

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The kids are allowed to brush their teeth and wash their hands (liquid soap ๐Ÿฅด) in here again and I can leave my hair straightener on there with gay abandon ๐Ÿ˜†

The reflective surface (which I can clean with whatever I like!๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿป) brightens the room up too!

Next week I'll tell you what I really think of my brass tile trim too ๐Ÿ˜‰

#interiorsaddictbathroomreno2 #interiorsaddictfamilyhomereno #timbervanity
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About Jen Bishop

Jen Bishop is our owner and publisher and an experienced journalist and editor. Interiors Addict has been her full-time job for more than 8 years. She is married to Damian and mum to Sebastian and Charlie.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. AvatarNatalie says

    October 18, 2012 at 10:21 am

    How clever! I ADORE succulents and will def be gifting one through her site. Genius x

    • Avatarinteriorsaddict says

      October 18, 2012 at 3:42 pm

      Glad to have introduced you ๐Ÿ™‚

  2. AvatarMelanie says

    October 18, 2012 at 10:47 am

    Great idea, Love the packaging.

  3. AvatarLetitia Linke says

    October 18, 2012 at 12:19 pm

    Another fantastic interview Jen! Looking forward to many more. Hope the bridge climb went well? xx

    • Avatarinteriorsaddict says

      October 18, 2012 at 3:39 pm

      BridgeClimb was fantastic thanks!

  4. Avatar[email protected] says

    October 18, 2012 at 1:24 pm

    Very good idea. We are working on our landscape and succulents pay a very big part as we are in Southern California. Clever and I will use this service for sure.

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