Edinburgh's first 'houseplant hospital' is set to open soon after the owners secured funding to buy a permanent store following a successful spell as a pop-up.
Hilda's Houseplant Hospital is set to open in the Newhaven area where people can go with their plants to re-pot them, seek advice and learn how to help their houseplants thrive.
Customers can also shop around for a range of tools, compost, accessories, pots and plants at the store on the corner of Newhaven Road and Ferry Road. Following a successful three-year spell operating as a pop-up store, Rosanna and Tom Costello have secured funding to find a permanent home.
READ MORE: The quirky Edinburgh pub impressing fans with its own 'whisky ceiling' over bar
The couple recently received £18k through the British Business Bank’s Start Up Loans scheme and delivery partner Transmit Startups to fit out the unit ahead of its summer opening.
The pair taught themselves how to grow, care for and cultivate their houseplants after moving into a new flat with no garden or access to nature back in 2014.
The seed of the business idea was planted when they set up a stall at the regular markets in Leith and Stockbridge, where they made a name for themselves selling plants and sharing tips on how to look after them.
The houseplant hospital later launched as a pop-up at Space at Seventeen where, for a small fee, customers were able to book a 30 minute slot for access to tools, compost and friendly guidance.
Tom's grandmother, Hilda, lived near the Royal Botanical Garden in Edinburgh and was a plant enthusiast. Two decades later, the couple have managed to keep one of her original houseplants thriving.
Rosanna Costello said: “Getting the keys to our first shop was a huge day for us – I never thought I’d be able to make a full-time job from one of my favourite hobbies. Collaborating with people and teaching them about their plants has been really rewarding, and we’ve had a great response from customers who have a new appreciation for their plants now they know how to care for them properly.
“With more people working from home, the demand for houseplants has grown in recent years. People look to them as a way of creating a more comfortable and inspiring work environment, and this is especially the case for those living in Edinburgh, where many of the properties don’t have gardens or access to an outdoor living space.”
The Start Up Loans programme has already delivered more than 6,300 loans to new business owners in Scotland since 2012, including more than 800 loans worth nearly £9 million, for entrepreneurs in the Scottish capital.
READ NEXT:
Mum who was planning her wedding dies suddenly after waking up from a nap in a sweat
'Freak whirlwind' throws part of West Lothian cricket club '10 feet in the air'
One person rushed to hospital after fire breaks out in West Lothian prison
Edinburgh drivers warned following collision on major road during rush hour
Edinburgh ghost sign of once much-loved family run bicycle shop discovered
