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New business blooms for Sasheena Henry

Published:Saturday | June 17, 2023 | 12:35 AMKrysta Anderson/Staff Reporter
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Sasheena Henry’s interest in plants bloomed during the COVID-19 pandemic when she decided to start posting some of her potted treasures.
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Sasheena Henry’s interest in plants bloomed during the COVID-19 pandemic when she decided to start posting some of her potted treasures.
The miniature anthuriums are Henry’s favourite plants because they do not require much care. “As long as they are in a cool area and they are getting an adequate amount of water, they’re good,” she shared.
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The miniature anthuriums are Henry’s favourite plants because they do not require much care. “As long as they are in a cool area and they are getting an adequate amount of water, they’re good,” she shared.
In expanding her greenhouse, she introduced philodendron to her customers. The flowering plant is a part of the Araceae family and can work in both indoor and semi-outdoor settings.
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In expanding her greenhouse, she introduced philodendron to her customers. The flowering plant is a part of the Araceae family and can work in both indoor and semi-outdoor settings.
Succulents are great for persons who are looking to elevate their interior, whether office or home. They’re low maintenance by nature and are popular offerings at Kadi Garden.
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Succulents are great for persons who are looking to elevate their interior, whether office or home. They’re low maintenance by nature and are popular offerings at Kadi Garden.
Located in St Mary, Kadi Garden Plant and Garden Supplies provides a wide variety of potted delights. As an online business, Henry gets the word out there through different events, fairs and pop-up shops.
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Located in St Mary, Kadi Garden Plant and Garden Supplies provides a wide variety of potted delights. As an online business, Henry gets the word out there through different events, fairs and pop-up shops.
Begonias, according to Henry, are known for their beautiful foliage and and make for great house plants. “They prefer shade over direct sunlight,” she said.
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Begonias, according to Henry, are known for their beautiful foliage and and make for great house plants. “They prefer shade over direct sunlight,” she said.
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Some people call it gardening; others plant parenting. Regardless of the title, the role still remains tried and true — it’s nature lovers doing what brings them peace: caring for flowers and other seedlings. Sasheena Henry is no stranger to the plant world. It’s a familiar journey, that for her has blossomed into a business.

“I grew up in a home surrounded by plants, which have been passed down from generation to generation,” she shared with Saturday Living.

Her passion for living and breathing green life took a refreshing turn when she embarked on a show-and-tell story on social media. “In 2021, in the midst of [the] COVID-19 pandemic, I decided to start an Instagram page to display some of my plants,” Henry explained.

She didn’t start out with many followers initially. Much like her plants, the page has taken its time to grow in number. Henry noted that it wasn’t actively in use until the following year.

“I was asked to display some of my plants, at a church function, for sale. And it was at that time that I realised people loved my plants. There were persons out there who genuinely loved and appreciated my work and to my surprise, all the plants that I took to the show were sold,” she said.

They went on to encourage the budding entrepreneur to continue doing what she does best. This was all the motivation this plant parent needed to propel her business module.

Located in St Mary, Kadi Garden provides a wide array of stunning flowers and potted plants. Expanding her greenhouse, Henry, who bears the moniker Kadi, has come a far way from only specialising in Aglaonema plants.

FAVOURITE PLANTS

“I now have a much bigger greenhouse in which I have a wider variety of plants, including miniature anthuriums, succulents, philodendron, monstera, and more. My favourite plants are the miniature anthuriums because they do not require much care. As long as they are in a cool area and they are getting an adequate amount of water, they’re good,” she revealed.

Additionally, the miniature anthuriums make for great gifts on all occasions; birthdays, Mother’s Day, Teacher’s Day and Valentine’s Day, since they are always in bloom.

At the end of 2022, Henry did her first flower show in St Ann. While there, she was able to meet some of her clients from Instagram in person, and she gained some new customers as well. “My fan base increased and business started becoming more rewarding,” she added.

Operating Kadi Garden can be time-consuming, especially while having a nine-to-five. Plants require constant and consistent care to meet and exceed the expectations of customers. But since embarking on her nature journey, she has thoroughly enjoyed the nurturing process and has become more patient with some of her plants that take longer to grow than others. With time, they become more and more beautiful, she says.

“I am feeling more accomplished when I look at the plants and when I receive positive feedback from my customers. I am also open to constructive criticism to better satisfy my customers. And it has afforded me the opportunity to go all across the island, exploring new places and meeting new faces,” she pointed out.

With plans to build her brand even more, she hopes that Kadi Garden will become one of the best in Jamaica, “In the future I hope to acquire a shop space to operate a luxurious plant store in one of the business centres in Ocho Rios, St Ann.” For now, she conducts business online, delivering the plants to customers across the island.

krysta.anderson@gleanerjm.com