Drum roll please...
We're very excited to announce that we're teaming up with one of the internet's favourite plant parents to help you become a better one!
Meet Richard! The face behind Sheffield Made plants and one of the UK's most trusted voiced in the houseplant community. With a passion for making plant care simple and practical, Richard all about helping people grow healthier, happier plants with confidence!
Our Partnership
What to expect?
🌱 Weekly plant care tips to become a better plant parent
🌱 Exclusive insights of Willow in action
🌱 Practical advice for happier, healthier plants
🌱 New Sheffield Made Plants videos every month
🌱 Exclusive Willow offers via Sheffield Made Plants
Get to know Richard, one plant at a time...
We put Richard in the hot seat and he spilled the tea on how Sheffield made Plants came to be 🪴
🌱 Willow: For anyone in the Willow community meeting you for the first time, tell us a little about yourself. How did Sheffield Made Plants begin?
Richard: 🪴 Sheffield Made Plants started because I got completely hooked on houseplants and, like any sensible person, decided the next step was talking about them on the internet.
At first, I was simply learning as I went, experimenting with plants around the house, making plenty of mistakes, and sharing what actually worked. Somehow, that turned into a full-time job... and a home with hundreds of plants!
W: 🌱 What was your very first houseplant? And more importantly... do you still have it?
Richard: 🪴 A peace lily! We neglected it, it looked absolutely miserable, and I barely gave it much attention back then. Somehow, it survived us. It's still going strong today, looking much healthier, and it's even flowering right now. A true redemption story.
W: 🌱 If you could only keep one plant species forever, what would it be?
Richard: 🪴 Pothos, every time. They're incredibly versatile, you can trail them, climb them, propagate them, accidentally ignore them for a while... and they'll usually keep thriving. For such an easy-going plant, they can look absolutely stunning.
W: 🌱 Where did your love of houseplants first take root?
Richard: 🪴 Believe it or not... YouTube. I stumbled across propagation videos and couldn't believe you could cut a piece off one plant, pop it in water, and suddenly have another plant. I gave it a go, then tried something else, bought another plant... and the obsession just snowballed from there.
W: 🌱 What's the most expensive plant you've ever owned? Was it worth it?
Richard: 🪴 I once borrowed an Anthurium for a video that was worth around $1,000. Personally? Absolutely not. I'm much happier with common plants. Rare plants are fun, but I'm far too tight to spend a fortune on something that could cost £30 a couple of years later.
W: 🌱 What's your current favourite plant?
Richard: 🪴 Pothos Devil's Ivy. Once it gets going, it grows like crazy. Mine are slowly taking over the house, and honestly, I'm choosing to see that as a positive.
W: 🌱 What plant do you think is overhyped?
Richard: 🪴 Usually whatever the latest “must-have” rare plant is with a ridiculous price tag attached to it. Give it a bit of time, growers catch up, supply increases and suddenly that £500 plant isn’t quite so exclusive anymore.
W: 🌱 Most underrated houseplant in your opinion?
Richard: 🪴 Lipstick plants. When they’re in flower, they’re brilliant, but they don’t seem to get nearly as much attention as they deserve.
W: 🌱 In your experience, which plant has caused you the most trouble to take care of?
Richard: 🪴 Tradescantias. They always start off looking fantastic and then, before you know it, you’ve got long stems, crispy brown leaves and a plant that looks like it’s given up on life. They naturally want to crawl, so keeping them looking perfect in a pot can be a battle.
W: 🌱 What is one common mistake you see people making with their houseplants?
Richard: 🪴 Putting a plant three metres from a window and wondering why it looks miserable. Light is the number one thing to get right, and it’s probably the thing people underestimate most. Plants can forgive a lot, but they can’t photosynthesise good intentions.
W: 🌱 Any advice for busy plant parents?
Richard: 🪴 Keep it simple. I tend to my plants properly about once a week and, for the most part, leave them alone the rest of the time. People can fuss over plants far too much, constantly moving them, repotting them and trying to “fix” things. Most plants would quite like you to stop interfering.
Go subscribe to Sheffield Made Plants for weekly houseplant tips and even a cheeky exclusive discount. Two plant-obsessed worlds 🌿
