As we reach the final months of the year, we’re welcoming the change of seasons with open arms—well, at least I am! I love nothing more than hibernating at home during the shorter days, surrounded by blankets, hearty home-cooked meals, films, and maybe a glass of red wine or two, snuggled up with my husband, our dog Zelda, and our cat Indie. I’m not sure if the rest of the team feels the same way, though…
Whether you’re a homebody at heart like me or more like my husband Tom, who always loves having social plans on the horizon, there’s so much to look forward to in these last two months of 2024. I’m also more than ready to say goodbye to October! It’s always a tricky month, as we invest so much in the Christmas season, making it a challenging, cash-tight period. But that hurdle is behind us!
We have a bumper lineup of workshops coming up at Sprouts. Our ever-popular Terrarium and Christmas Wreath Workshops will take centre stage for the rest of 2024, and you can also look forward to our Kokedama, Living Wreath, and Desert Terrarium workshops in November and the first quarter of 2025. Workshop tickets make wonderful gifts, and we’ve introduced new experience tickets to make gifting even easier - available with any workshop purchased directly. Spaces are limited and dates are filling up fast, so please book soon if you’re interested!
October kept us busy, not just with financial planning! Early in the month, we celebrated Sprouts’ 4th birthday - something I still can’t quite believe. Rhianna and Jazz were featured on BBC Radio Bristol, chatting about all things Halloween, Sprouts, and how our customers love decorating for the season. I also had the joy of staging the Orangery at Tortworth Court in the Cotswolds for Jess and Tom’s Woodland-themed wedding. It was my first time working a wedding at Tortworth, and I would love to go back! Additionally, I joined Friends of Rodney Road CIC for their first-ever community event in St George, Bristol. The turnout was fantastic, even better than we’d hoped, and we’re already excited to plan the next one in the New Year.
We’ve had loads of new stock arriving this month, including large pot deliveries from Ivyline and Garden Trading, a restock of soil from Soil Ninja, and gorgeous handmade pieces from indie brands we simply love. Look out for jesmonite pots from Sorrel Studio, native wildlife goodies from Ferne Creative, autumnal stationery and Christmas cards from The Tiny Toucan, beautiful garlands from East End Press, a bumper print delivery from Hello Grimes, and handmade ceramic candle holders by Charlotte Manser - not to mention lots of fresh plants!
As we head into November, we’re swapping our Halloween window for a cosy autumn display with just a hint of Christmas spirit. A customer recently stopped by and said, ‘Most fascinating shop; we’ll be back!’ Hearing things like that means the world to our team and motivates us to keep offering unique plants, thoughtful products, and creating inviting displays.
Please pop by in person this month, follow us on Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok, or explore new arrivals on our website. Toward the end of November, we’ll have our beautiful Christmas trees back in stock outside the shop! These are available for pre-order now with a 10% discount for orders placed before November 24 using the code ‘XMAS2024.’ December will bring festive plants, sustainably thoughtful gifts, and all the magic of the (crazy) season. Keep an eye out for our holiday gift guides to make your holiday shopping that much easier.
Many thanks, as always,
Jessy
