How hobby, passion keep Seema Devani’s urban oasis alive

"When I got married, I never stopped selling my plants. I freelanced from home and kept my passion alive," she adds.

Growing up, she was drawn to nature and eventually pursued a career in plants and flowers.

She set up a flower shop in Karen, Nairobi, creating a small urban oasis that appeals to city dwellers with unique houseplants.

For Ms Devani, the joy of green extends into the home, especially for plant lovers with limited space, such as those living in rented apartments.

Her shop offers over 200 beautiful potted plants, including anthuriums, which caught my eye with their vibrant flowers and glossy appearance.

When I touched them, I realised they were real and not artificial. This was true of all her plants. Naturally, I was curious.

"I import my flowers from Holland. In the local market, everyone has the same thing. You can find a seller who buys a plant, propagates it and then sells it to customers who end up with the same plant or flower. Like the purple anthurium, you won't find it anywhere else; it's not available locally," she says.

Initial import prices, she says, start at Sh2,500 per plant and vary depending on the type.

At her Funky Bunches plant shop in Karen, she sells a variety of plants including aglaonemas, hibiscus, alocasia at Sh3,500, lilies at Sh1,300, carnations, orchids and unique Chinese money plants.

The tallest kentia palm, standing at five feet, is the most expensive at Sh15,000. It adds a tropical feel to any room and is easy to take care of, thriving in direct light and well-drained soil.

There are three varieties of Kalachoe available, each priced at Sh1,800. The shop also stocks potted cyclamen, which are usually sold during the cold season and represent lasting feelings and sincere affection.

Other plants in her stock include bromeliads in various colours that flower for three to six months, as well as sansevieria, epidendrum and aguzmania.

The most affordable options are spider warts and hoya, which cost Sh500 each. The plants take at least eight months to flower, and the timing is influenced by the weather.

"If it's hot, the growth rate is slow. We also do not use a greenhouse. Instead, we place the plants in normal weather conditions so that when the customer buys them, he or she can easily take care of them," she explains.

The garden pepper, commonly known as chilli, comes in a variety of colours including red, yellow, orange and green. The garden spice costs Sh1,300.

"All the plants are beautiful. We use compost manure, which has all the nutrients a plant needs, as opposed to soil. We want our customers to enjoy what we cannot get locally," she says.

I am learning about air plants for the first time. I didn't know they could grow so tall. Also known as desert plants, they are unique plants that grow without soil. "What's the price?" I ask.

The old man's beard costs Sh2,500. Tillandsia xerographica costs Sh6,000. It can take up to 15 years to grow tall and flower and costs Sh60,000.

"They need a light mist of water twice a week. As they grow bigger, they command higher prices due to increased maintenance requirements," says Ms Devani.

She started her business to provide her customers with the most unique exotic plants and designer quality arrangements.

Her stock includes chrysanthemums, alstroemeria, eucalyptus, lymonium cut flowers, which can keep their flowers for up to three weeks with the stems in water.

Roses are also top sellers as they are Ms Devani's favourite flowers. She sources them locally from Nanyuki.

"We have designers create arrangements in-house, rather than in factories that assemble the bouquets sold in grocery stores.

"Our bouquets have a unique look, and each one is carefully crafted with passion," she says.

Launched earlier this year, the business is thriving. Ms Devani offers a unique collection of potted plants and banquettes to customers in Karen, Muthaiga and Westlands.

"Sales depend on the season. There are bad weeks and good weeks. In a good week we can sell up to 500 flowers or bouquets," she says.

For Ms Devani, flowers have two jobs: to look pretty and to last. "Our flowers do that better because they are of quality."

"Plants will thrive as long as you can take care of them," she adds.

While she acknowledges the challenges of competition, she believes that being different is the solution.

"We have learnt a lot about plants. It's a learning process. When we receive them from abroad, we prepare them and put them in our pots so that they can acclimatise to our conditions," she notes.

What makes her plants unique? "Our plants are for both indoor and outdoor use, so we try to cater for a variety of customers," she says.

Competition aside, the florist faces pests and disease challenges like any other gardener, but organic pesticides always come to the rescue.

Her parting words? "Don't get discouraged. Plants are rewarding. Just take the time to understand them. Sometimes you see a plant that looks so dead, but after a while it comes back to life," she concludes.

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