For the past two years, Ambika’s Plant Shop has been providing outdoor and houseplants to an ever-growing customer base. Since its establishment, the plant shop has created quite a presence on social media that is frequented by numerous plant lovers.
Ambika’s owner, Roshanie Hanscoomar, said she was surrounded by plants growing up as her mother was an avid gardener. She knew that one day she would fill her own yard with plants, but did not plan on having her own business.
The entrepreneur shared that her family had a contract to supply the government with stationery, but lost it in 2015. That same year she decided to decorate her yard with plants and purchased a variety of them. The loss of the contract, the woman said, affected her family significantly but it was not until 2019 that she realized she could turn her hobby for potting plants into a business.
For Christmas 2018, several relatives living abroad sent money for Hanscoomar to purchase something for herself. Up until then, her husband worked as a part time pandit to take care of the family. Instead of spending the money, she said, she used some of it to make an offering during Makara Sankranti (a Hindu festival celebrated on January 14 every year). She took the rest and purchased 15 Hibiscus plants and started her business. Hibiscus, according to the entrepreneur, is her favourite kind of plant. Since then she has made an offering every Makara Sankranti occasion and she also engages in charitable work as she believes in creating good karma, which she said she has been reaping the benefits from.
The business was named Ambika’s Plant Shop for her seven-year-old daughter, who is also fascinated with plants. From 15 Hibiscuses, the business now has more than 500 plants of different varieties. However, it did not happen overnight. Recalling her struggle, Hanscoomar shared that at first she tried selling her plants from her home in Vigilance, but it was not working out.
She later asked her brother if she could operate her business from his shop. At the beginning, she saw a lot of customers there, but it turned out that some of them were already purchasing plants from her at her residence, then when they turned up at her brother’s shop, they realized they had purchased those plants from her residence already. Subsequently business at her brother’s shop tapered off and after two months there, she returned to selling solely from her residence. Her customers hail from many parts of Guyana, including Berbice, Bartica, Linden, and Georgetown.
Having the plant shop is more than a business for the entrepreneur, who sometimes gives away plants to her customers. There are also those plants which she never sells, like ‘Jump Up and Kiss’ Coleus and Marigolds. For Hanscoomar, her business is more about encouraging people to become plant lovers like herself. She also seeks to contribute to the local market and patronize other local entrepreneurs. For example, all of her plants are sourced locally from a Wakenaam resident.
Ambika’s Plant Shop, though owned by Hanscoomar, is a family affair. The woman spoke of receiving plants from her mother’s garden which she sold. Meanwhile, her husband, who is now a full-time pandit, is responsible for mixing the potting soil, which consists of the ash from burnt paddy shells, cow manure and soil. The potting soil is sold at $500 per bag. Even her father chips in, taking time to get the ash and manure as he has a Canter in which to transport it.
While her family’s contribution assisted in the success of her business, the entrepreneur believes that her excellent customer service adds to this. She noted how important it is to remain positive and good natured. Hanscoomar also goes the extra mile to bond with her customers by learning about them. This benefits both parties as she gets to keep her customers and they have someone who is keen on their interests. In fact, the gardener said that the variety of plants she has is owing to recommendations made by her customers. Some of them she is rather close with, and two of whom now use their social media skills to update Ambika’s Plant Shop Facebook page.
Some customers do not know how to pot their plants. “We have a lot of repeat customers; this is one thing we take pride in as we don’t want to lose a customer,” she said. “We offer to customers, if they don’t know, how to pot their plants, they can choose from the pots that we have or they can bring their own pots and we’ll pot it for them for free.”
As she added to the variety of plants, Hanscoomar needed to do research on caring for them. Putting what she learnt to action has turned out well; being informed has also allowed her to share her knowledge with her customers.
“Along the process I visited NAREI [National Agricultural Research & Extension Institute]… their very nice staff in there took me around, explained to me… they also told me to start doing the potting soil so that when my customers come they have the soil, they have the plants, and the pots as well,” she said.
Recently, the plant shop owner arranged some Pothos plants to beautify the desks of the staff at the Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC). Also called ‘the Golden Pothos’, ’the Money Plant’ or ‘Devil’s Ivy,’ she explained that they can survive in water for an average of five to six years.
Another fascinating plant, she said, is the Jasmine, which is known for its exotic fragrance. Studies have shown that this plant also serves as an air-purifier that relaxes one and allows for better sleep. Hanscoomar said she learnt of this after she herself was having trouble sleeping. Since putting the plant in her bedroom, her sleep pattern has improved.
Ambika’s Plant Shop also has available Poinsettias, one of the most popular Christmas plants. The entrepreneur said that currently her flower shop has a batch of these plants growing for Christmas. The leaves are yet to turn into vibrant red, which she pointed out is expected to happen by November, in time for the holidays.
She also grafts different species of the hibiscus, which creates a blend of the two colours of flowers into another colour.
Hanscoomar shared that her happiest moments are when customers excitedly tell her their plants are blooming or they have a new plant from the one they bought from her.
According to the woman, she does not just want to settle for all that she can do for her customers. She hopes that First Lady Arya Ali would consider including her in her beautification project. Hanscoomar said she wanted to plant flowers along the median at Good Hope, East Coast Demerara and in time move on to beautifying the rest of the East Coast Demerara or as much as she is permitted to do.
Aside from ornamental plants, the business also sells citrus plants (lime, lemon, tangerines and oranges), along with mangoes, cherries, sapodillas, soursops, and avocados. The entrepreneur also sells at the Giftland Mall on weekends. However, the implementation of the COVID-19 order for patrons to be vaccinated before entering businesses has resulted in sales being slow last weekend and as such, the business at the mall will be closed this weekend also.
Ambika’s Plant Shop is open seven days a week, 9 am – 5 pm Mondays to Saturdays and 9 am to 2 pm on Sundays. For enquiries the business can be contacted at 613-3382 or 650-1936.
