This women’s history month, we delve into Grounded, an online plant store established on Earth Day 2020 and run by DMV natives Mignon Helmsley and Danuelle Doswell. Grounded offers customers a wide range of goods and services, including but not limited to a monthly plant subscription; a variety of plants, pots, and waterers to purchase; an online quiz designed to match you with your perfect plant; and a blog stacked with a plethora of information on self-care, plant knowledge, and mental health awareness. You can also receive “planterior design” for your office spaces, homes, businesses, hotels, etc., which includes a consultation, proposal, and installation of Grounded greenery.
Helmsley and Doswell recognized (through social media) that they were both equally fascinated and passionate about plants. Since their April 2020 launch, they have swiftly grown into a successful Black-owned small business. Bringing the online store to fruition required a tremendous amount of teamwork, and fortunately, Helmsley and Doswell had a strong support system that was especially helpful during their earlier days. Helmsley’s family assisted with local deliveries, Doswell’s mom housed hundreds of plants, and their friends supported by packing orders. Together they have packaged and distributed over 25,000 plants, which was no easy task, although Doswell says half-jokingly, “yeah, we ate that.”
The online storefront has alleviated the stress of being a novice plant owner by offering accessible information on plant care, providing free office hours with their plant specialist, and matching you with greenery that suits your lifestyle. They strive to improve people’s knowledge and appreciation of all that nature and plants offer us; Helmsley says, “we always like to say that everyone can have a ‘green thumb,’ [and] maybe you don’t have the right plant for your space or don’t know how to take care of it, but we’re here to help.” At Grounded, regardless of your plant knowledge, you’re accepted with open arms.
Alongside sharing plant knowledge with their community and the world, Helmsley and Doswell are also devoted to music, art, fashion, nature, graphic design, research, psychology, friendship, self-care, and so on–they’ve successfully brought all they cherish into the structure of Grounded. Doswell shares, “our attitude [is to] do what we want and dream and envision unconventional lives–and I feel like that subconscious intention has been a catalyst in how grounded has evolved.”
Outside of selling plants, Grounded has held multiple community activities, including hikes through rock creek park, a collaborative bouldering night with Archteryx and D.C. bouldering, pop-ups with Patagonia and Sandlot Georgetown, as well as teaching various groups of children about the joys of plant care. Doswell passionately shared that “seeing how open and receptive [children] are to our mission– being able to cultivate and build that connection [to plants] at an earlier age…will help [them] in adulthood ”. Helmsley and Doswell’s style of incorporating all they are passionate about with their business has sent a magical feeling through their community.
Attending the Grounded bouldering event helped change how I felt about rock climbing. For one, other Black people were climbing, but the event included a dope DJ (@tyrathezombie) who played familiar black music and an underlying connectedness throughout the entire group; the vibes were remarkable. Everyone present fostered a sense of purpose, value, confidence, and a great deal of ease throughout the evening. Bringing together music, community, plants, and movement was genius! I got to experience this magic for myself!
After speaking with Helmsley and Doswell, it is clear that they work tirelessly to bring together a meticulously curated wellness hub connecting black people and the world to a community-based, transformative, and limitless state of existence. Grounded will elevate your space(s) with its greenery and challenge you always to embody your most genuine self.
We at the Bridge thank Mignon Helmsley and Danuelle Doswell for their commitment to giving everyone a green thumb and bringing the community together.
You can expect more pop-ups, especially as the weather warms up! To shop and stay connected, visit them online @ http://feelgrounded.com; Instagram: @groun.ded
