Providing moments of soft fascination*

We all desperately need more nature in our lives.

We're here to help you find it!

What Inspired B.Willow:

"During my undergraduate years at Earlham College, I spent a semester abroad in New Zealand studying Environmental Science. A large focus of our class discussions was pondering the role of "nature" in our lives. Before this experience, I had never really considered how connected (or disconnected) I was to the "more than human" world. Throughout those discussions, I realized how my use of technology (beginning in middle school, when we first got the Internet) had effectively stolen my attention away from the sense of awe and wonder that I had for the outdoors as a child. I was lucky enough to grow up on 9 acres, 2 of which were wooded, with horses next door, giant boulders to climb on, and long grasses to run through. My senses were constantly engaged, in ways that I would never really appreciate until my trip to New Zealand in 2008. As a Psychology undergrad, I was fascinated by the research indicating that time spent outdoors is directly correlated with mental health benefits- decreased stress, improved concentration, higher morale, better impulse control, reduced ADHD symptoms in children...to name a few. Research has even shown physical health benefits for patients whose rooms have windows looking out to green spaces, reportedly healing faster, requiring fewer pain medications, and rating their health higher. The underlying factor enabling these mental and physical benefits is the reduction of directed attention that nature gives us. We spend so much time staring at our computers, focusing on details and having our attention constantly distracted and monopolized. We don't often allow ourselves to rest. Being outdoors gives us moments to engage our senses, and allow our attention to be captivated by a sense of effortless fascination and awe. Nature makes us feel good, because we are inherently part of it, and it offers something that we cannot provide ourselves. Many of us have gotten used to a human-centric existence, effectively separating ourselves from everything that we have co-evolved with for thousands of years. 

Now that we've covered that...! Going back to 2009 when I finished college, I had one relentless thought: if society as a whole felt more connected to nature, we might have a shot at prioritizing sustainability and repairing our planet. It's hard to imagine people supporting environmental amelioration if they don't really feel any sort of connection to the natural world, or respect for it. So, I pursued a Master's at JHU studying Environmental Science, but still had zero luck finding work within the realm of my intended career path at that time: urban greening and city sustainability development. I had a brief job as an assistant plant designer, which introduced me to the wonderful world of integrating plants into indoor spaces. This was when I truly fell in love with caring for plants in my home, and realized that this sort of work could achieve my goal of helping to reconnect ourselves with nature in a daily, routine way. And so began a journey of thrifting and antiquing for interesting containers to plant in. Our first retail opportunity was at Trohv in Hampden during 2014, who graciously carried our plants and to this day remains our biggest mentor. This led to pop-ups around town, having booths at craft markets, and later offering plant-making workshops around Baltimore & DC. Before we knew it, we needed a place to call home, and our Remington storefront came into existence in March, 2017. Baltimore, we can't thank you enough for all of your kindness and support over the years. Thank you for being an amazing city."

- Liz Vayda, Owner & Founder