A local greenthumb has cultivated the next best thing to an indoor jungle in her tropical plant shop that recently opened in downtown Georgetown.
Foliage, located at 126 Mill St in Georgetown, may well be a diverse ecosystem that rivals any natural setting in Halton Hills.
“Most people when they walk in, they're amazed. They're taken aback. They love it, which is very nice to hear because you put a lot of work into this,” owner Cheryl Discenza said. “We try to be like a one-stop shop. So we have the fertilizers and soils and insecticidal soap and that kind of stuff.”
Ceramic pottery and small terrariums are also a fixture.
But there's more to do at Foliage than just shop for plants. Discenza holds a trio of workshops. Plant Night is a time to learn about how to create a small jungle terrarium, one that loosely resembles a goldfish bowl but without the water. Newcomers wanting to learn how to care for plants can pick Houseplants 101. Succulent Night is exactly what it sounds like.
Those interested in the workshops can rest assured that Discenza comes with a lifetime of experience. She has been gardening for as long as she can remember.
“I think my parents, from when I was born, were always gardening. We always had vegetable gardens and we always had planter boxes,” she said.
“We'd have competitions with different flowers of who could design it the nicest."
Discenza moved to Georgetown from Toronto in 2018. She used to work as an X-ray technologist for the University Health Network. Her husband grew up in Georgetown, hence why she eventually moved here. She began working in the local hospitals, but ultimately felt that she wasn't able to take on the leadership role that she desired.
Fortunately her green thumb never left. Discenza is part of Halton Region Master Gardeners. She also inherited and improved a large garden from the previous owners of her home. It was only natural that her mind started to gravitate towards opening a houseplants business.
“I knew I wanted to do something that has to do with plants,” she said. “I spoke to my husband, who is super supportive. “This probably wouldn't have happened (without his encouragement)."
For more information visit https://foliageliving.ca/.
