Hello Plantlovers Family,

This month marks an incredible milestone – Plantlovers.eu is turning 5 years old! We couldn’t be more excited to celebrate this anniversary with you. In the last five years, our small seed of an idea has blossomed into a thriving international community of plant enthusiasts. In this special newsletter, we want to share our story, express our gratitude, and give you some anniversary treats as a thank-you for growing with us!

From Lockdown to Launch: Our 2020 Beginnings 🌱

Five years ago, during the first COVID-19 lockdown in spring 2020, Plantlovers was born out of both necessity and passion. Garden centers had closed their doors, and people everywhere were stuck at home craving a bit of nature. Our founder, Dirk Mermans, faced an unexpected challenge at his family’s nursery: how to bring his beautiful plants to the people who needed them when everyone had to stay inside? The solution was to adapt and jump out of our comfort zone – by bringing the green to you online. That’s how Plantlovers.eu went live, with the simple mission to “spread happiness, one plant at a time” to homes across the country.

In those early days, your support was our sunshine. We started as a tiny webshop operating from a greenhouse in Wommelgem, Belgium, packing orders while navigating lockdown rules. There were uncertainties, but also a clear vision: we wanted to share the joy of plants with as many people as possible. Little did we know how quickly this seed would grow! By the end of 2020, we were already sending out hundreds of plants to new plant parents, proving that even in tough times, growth finds a way (quite literally, in our case 🌿).

Monstera Variegata – A Family Legacy and Our Green Edge 🌿

One of the biggest boosts to our early growth was our strong plant offering, rooted in a unique family legacy. We had the good fortune of inheriting some very special mother plants from Dirk’s father, Guido Mermans – in particular, the legendary Monstera Variegata. Guido began cultivating these rare variegated Monsteras decades ago (back when people thought collecting exotic houseplants was a little crazy!). Thanks to his foresight and years of care, we started our webshop with an amazing collection of Monstera Variegata mother plants that set us apart from the start.

These stunning Monsteras, with their green-and-cream marbled leaves, quickly became the darlings of our shop and a hit with our customers. Plantlovers became known as the place to find healthy, well-rooted Monstera Variegatas at fair prices (no outrageous “rare plant” markups here!). By sharing Guido’s beloved plants with you, we not only continued a family tradition but also put Plantlovers on the map in the plant community. The demand for these beauties was sky-high, and their popularity helped fuel our young company’s growth. In short, Monstera magic played a big role in our story – and we’re so proud that a piece of our family’s horticultural history lives on in so many of your homes today.

Quality, Fair Prices & Customer Care – Our Promise 💚

As the orders increased and our little webshop grew, one thing remained constant: our commitment to quality and customer happiness. From day one, we believed that if we deliver high-quality plants at fair prices, with excellent customer service, our community would thrive – and it did! We like to say that every plant that leaves our greenhouse is packed with love. We carefully hand-pick each order, check every leaf and root, and package your plant babies securely so they arrive in perfect condition. If something ever isn’t right, our friendly customer service team (always just an email or message away) jumps in to make it right. 🌟

Over the past five years, we’ve worked hard to uphold the core values Dirk established: Quality, Reliability, and Choice. That means offering a wide assortment of plants – from popular classics to rare treasures – while ensuring they’re healthy and pest-free, and doing it all at prices that make plant love accessible to everyone. We’re also proud of being approachable: whether you’re a seasoned plant parent or a newbie with a first succulent, we’re here to answer questions, give tips, and share in the joys (and occasional woes) of plant care. This dedication to great plants and great service earned Plantlovers a reputation far beyond Belgium’s borders. Today, we’re honored to have a family of customers all across Europe, who trust us for their green needs. Your trust is something we cherish and strive to earn every single day.

 

Growing Team, Growing Success 🤝

It wasn’t just our plant collection and customer base that grew – our team did too. In the early whirlwind months after launch, it became clear that we needed extra hands to keep up with the increasing demand. Katrien joined the Plantlovers team shortly after the webshop launch (mid-2020) to take over the day-to-day webshop management from Dirk and Olivier, who had been balancing it alongside running the nursery.

Katrien’s role quickly expanded beyond managing the webshop’s plant selection and product offerings. She took charge of everything from social media, customer service, marketing, communications, shop management, and photography, to various tasks in the nursery itself. By wearing so many different hats, Katrien ensured that all aspects of the business ran smoothly, delivering both a great customer experience and quality plants to the Plantlovers community.

Today, the Plantlovers team is still small but efficient – it’s just Katrien and Bakhtyar, who helps with packing orders two days a week. Despite our small team, we’ve maintained the personal touch and quality service that set us apart from the start, and it’s allowed us to grow sustainably while staying true to our roots.

5th Anniversary Specials – Gifts for You! 🥳

Of course, an anniversary is a time to celebrate you, the wonderful community that made this all possible. As a token of our gratitude, we’ve prepared some special 5th anniversary offers to share the joy:

🌟 Free Premium Mix Soil or Plant Food – With a minimum purchase of €50, you can choose between a free bag of our Premium Mix soil or free plant food (each worth €17.50).
Here’s how it works:

1. Add your choice (either the Premium Mix or the Plant Food) to your cart.
2. Use the code PREMIUMSOIL for the potting mix or PLANTFOOD for the plant food at checkout.
3. Enjoy the free product – it’s on us, you just pay for shipping!

We’ve set aside 150 of each product for this offer, so make sure to grab yours while supplies last!

Both products are fan favorites here at Plantlovers – the Premium Mix ensures excellent drainage and root health, while the Plant Food supports vigorous plant growth. We hope these gifts help you give your plant buddies some extra love. After all, happy plants make happy people! 🌱

Thank You for Growing with Us 🙏

As we celebrate this 5-year milestone, we want to thank each and every one of you from the bottom of our hearts. Whether you discovered us back in 2020 or just joined the Plantlovers community recently, you are a part of our story. Your support, feedback, and shared love for plants have made these five years an amazing journey. We’ve learned and grown so much, and none of it would have been possible without this wonderful community of plant lovers across the world. Every unboxing photo you’ve shared, every kind review, every email or comment – they all motivate us to keep doing what we do, and to do it even better.

From a humble lockdown project to a thriving webshop sending out greenery across borders, it’s been an incredible ride – and we’re just getting started! Here’s to the next five years filled with more growth, more green happiness, and more connection with nature. We have many exciting things planned for the future (new plant varieties, workshops, and more!) and we can’t wait to continue this journey together with you.

Thank you for being part of the Plantlovers family and for letting us be a part of your plant journey. Happy 5th Anniversary to us all! 🎂🌵🎉

Warm green wishes,

Team Plantlovers