the voice of plante’s trevor kuntz

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Look all around the Front Range and discover a blanket of green that seemingly popped up overnight. In a month that started with a record-setting amount of rain, spring has finally emerged, singing her melody of leafy, flowery victory.

This fresh look for our communities, combined with a winter that stretched long into April, inspires Front Range residents to look inward at their own relationship with plant life. Whether we are tilling last year’s garden box soil or repotting rootbound house plants, caring for our green havens is a task that can feel one of two ways: surprisingly simple or incredibly daunting.

No matter what side of the ivy-covered fence you’re on, professionals like Trevor Kuntz of Plante, Louisville’s newest plant boutique, offer years of green wisdom to help ensure a happy — and flourishing — relationship with plants.

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    What’s your story?  Where did your love for plants begin?
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    My love and passion for plants started at a young age when I planted the seeds of my very first vegetable garden just behind my parent’s house. I later went on to attend college in Durango, Colorado, gaining a bachelor’s in business administration and marketing from Fort Lewis College.

    Upon graduation, I immediately went to work at a local marketing firm and soon found myself traveling all over the U.S. One day, I woke up and realized I needed a change, so I moved back to Boulder and began working on an organic farm. After several seasons, I began managing the indoor greenhouse and houseplants at Sturtz and Copeland in Boulder, where I remained for the last seven years before opening Plante.

    We opened Plante not just because we wanted to make plants more accessible to everyone, but also to educate and empower people to be more successful with all plants.

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    What inspired you to open your own plant boutique?
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    After my seven-year experience at Sturtz and Copeland, I was ready for a change and a new challenge. Opening my own plant boutique made the most sense to me. I have always enjoyed helping people with their plants and building relationships within the community through plants and conversation. At Plante, I get to do both.
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    How does the offering at Plante enhance the lives of your customers?
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    At this point, just about everyone knows that plants can help detoxify the air, but we think that more people are realizing the positive effects that plants have on their own overall mental health and well-being. We also recognize that, while many people have a growing affinity for greenery, plants still hold a stigma in their minds as being difficult to care for and keep healthy.

    We opened Plante not just because we wanted to make plants more accessible to everyone, but also to educate and empower people to be more successful with all plants.

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    Tell us about your relationship with plants.
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    Plants have always played a key role in my life since I was a kid. From planting my own vegetable garden, to working on an organic farm, I have always enjoyed getting my hands dirty. There’s something about working with plants and trying to figure them out that has always been intriguing and enjoyable to me.

    Maybe it’s because there are so many different kinds of plants — or perhaps it’s discovering their similarities — that keeps me guessing and striving to learn more about them. Ultimately, I know that I will never understand them all, and knowing that there’s no ceiling keeps me climbing.

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    To what do you attribute your success?
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    Mostly failure. I lost count a long time ago on the number of times I have messed up, whether with plants or just life in general. In many cases, the only way I learned what to do was by continually finding out what not to do.

    Not everything has been trial and error, though. I think being passionate about what you do is critical to being successful, and my passion for plants has only grown over the years. I also have an incredible support team and circle of friends and family that have been so supportive along the way.

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    In what ways do you manage a work/life balance?
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    It’s been hard distinguishing one from the other these days, but I think that’s a good thing. Up until now, I have always seen work and life as two very different sides of the same coin. Lately, work has felt a lot less like “work” and more aligned to what I would want to be doing in “life”. That said, there always has to be a balance. That’s why we open at 10 a.m. — so I can sleep in!
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    In your opinion, what makes a house a home?
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    I think the most important thing is feeling comfortable. There’s nothing worse than not feeling at home in your own house. Whether it’s a pet, a partner, a plant or a piece of art, I think people like to surround themselves with things that make them happy and healthy.
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    Define your home’s style in two words:
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    Alive and fresh.
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    If you could recommend any pivotal books or podcasts, what would you recommend?
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    There are a lot of great authors and resources on houseplants. Some are very educational and some are inspirational and artistic. A few of my favorite educational books include: The House Plant Expert by Dr. D. G. Hessayon, How Not to Kill Your Houseplant by Veronica Peerless, Root, Nurture, Grow by Caro Langton, Rose Ray and Erika Raxworthy and How to Houseplant by Heather Rodino. If you want to be inspired, a few authors I recommend include: Rose Ray, Carol Langton and Hilton Carter.

Discover your inner plant whisperer by visiting Trevor in-person at 375 McCaslin Boulevard in Louisville, or by shopping online at weareplante.com.

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