By Dylan McDonough
Have you ever walked down the street and noticed the plants in front of a store? Have you ever been in the waiting room at a doctor’s office and noticed their exotic flower display? Did you know that there is a career in which you maintain these plants? Jack Mennega, the brother of my friend Asher, recently married Ivey who is an interior plantscaper. I had the privilege of interviewing Ivey for this Cool Career article.
So what exactly is an interior plantscaper? Ivey travels from different places like hospitals, small shops, and other businesses and takes care of their plants and flowers. She loves plants because they provide fresh oxygen for the environment. As a kid, Ivey worked in the garden with her mom. Her favorite flower is the Daffodil. She gained a lot of experience working at a garden center and doing small floral projects as well.
On a normal day, Ivey will drive to a specific business and check on their plants. She is like a plant doctor doing her rounds. One very hard plant to deal with is the Ming Aralia Plant because it is very fragile and heat sensitive. Sometimes air conditioning can kill the plants so Ivey must educate the businesses on the proper temperature too.
As an example, Ivey let me watch her examine a plant so I could get a better idea of what she does. First, she checked the soil to see if it was moist. If it is not, then she would water the plant. Ivey then looked for different kinds of bugs. With all that experience with plants, she knows which plant would have which bug or what kind of problem. If a plant has bugs, she has a systemic powder that she sprinkles in the soil, and a 50/50 mix of water and rubbing alcohol that she sprays on the leaves.
I learned many different aspects of her job. One of the favorite parts of her job is talking to new people and learning new things. I also learned that one of the busiest times of the year is Christmas when lots of businesses are ordering evergreens and poinsettias to be planted and maintained.
If you wanted to become an interior plantscaper, you would need a lot of background experience with plants. You will also need transportation and the correct gardening supplies. Lastly, one thing I found interesting was that she wears overalls while working because they have lots of pockets for her tools.
Ivey is not just talented in the plant department, but she has many other talents as well. She has been drawing ever since the age of 15 and is now a really good artist. You can view her amazing art on Instagram at @smorgas_bord. Ivey also plays almost every musical instrument she can get her hands on.
After working for one year now, Ivey has made the decision to move on. She and Jack are going to move to Nashville, Tennessee where Ivey will start her own business called Mennegarden.
Ivey is a very interesting person who has made a career from following her passion for plants. Her career is fascinating and something that you might never have thought of. The next time you see a row of flowers or evergreens, remember people like Ivey who helped make it possible.
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BONUS BIT – Try this career on your own.
· Check your houseplants to see if they need to be watered.
· Gather information concerning the care of the plants in your home.
· Adjust the temperature in your house to your plants’ needs.
· Visit a garden center and learn more about your plants’ needs.
· Ask friends and family if they would like you to take care of their plants.
· Start a plant journal about all the different plants you want to learn about. Try to learn about a new plant each week.
