From Greenhouse to Good: The Heart Behind The Plant House 208

If you've landed here, welcome! I'm Heather, and I'm so glad you found your way to The Plant House 208. Let me tell you a bit about who I am, what drives me, and where this journey is headed.

For eight years, I've worked in mental health and substance abuse treatment as a certified drug and alcohol counselor. I've supported at-risk youth, domestic violence survivors, and individuals navigating recovery. And I've learned something powerful: healing rarely happens alone, and it often starts with caring for something outside yourself.

Every late winter, my personal greenhouse comes alive. I start hundreds—sometimes thousands—of plant starts: vegetables, herbs, and flowers. But here's the thing: most of them aren't for me.

I give the majority away. Individuals in recovery get first priority—no paperwork, no hoops. If you're working on yourself and want to garden, you get plants. For everyone else in the community, I run an honor-based plant stand. Take what you need, leave what you can. It's built on trust, and people show up for it.

So far, I've donated hundreds of vegetable, flowers, and herb plants, and the feedback has been incredible—thriving gardens, proud photos, and people rediscovering what their hands can create.

The Plant House 208 ships indoor house plants nationwide. Every sale funds the free donations and my upcoming horticultural therapy certification. This certification will let me formalize what I've been doing instinctively: using plants as tools for healing and empowerment. The vision? Structured programs for people in recovery, workshops, and spaces where getting your hands dirty helps clear your mind.

The most rewarding part—whether in therapy or the greenhouse—is watching people outgrow who they thought they were. It's the person in recovery sending me a photo of their first tomato. It's the neighbor leaving a thank-you note at the honor stand. It's the customer who says their new plant made their space feel like home.

Thanks for being here.

🌱 Let's grow together.

— Heather