Good Earth Plant Company can’t imagine the holidays without poinsettias – and we don’t want you to miss out! Order now! Photo: Jill Wellington, Pixabay
One week ago today, a record 89 cargo ships were anchored or floating off the coast full of goods waiting to be unloaded at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, according to the Marine Exchange Vessel Traffic Service. Even when they are off the ships, loaded cargo containers are piled up, waiting for a ride by truck or train to their final destination.
If you’ve tried to buy furniture, cars, bicycle parts, and now plant pots and containers, the wait can be weeks or months. So you better start thinking about the holidays. Yes, they are right around the corner! On a 90-degree day, it’s hard to imagine: as of Friday, Sept 24, it’s 90 days until Christmas. Yikes.
We’re planning ahead, and we don’t want to let our clients down. Because of the supply chain issues, we are finding shortages of plant containers in general. This holiday season, we’re most concerned about poinsettias. For us at Good Earth Plant Company, it’s simply not the holiday season without our big beautiful Southern California poinsettias! We should be able to get enough – BUT we encourage our clients to order ASAP if you want a specific size or color – or a lot of them. We might not be able to guarantee your preferred delivery date without your order being placed soon.
Deadline Day: October 18
We’re excited to offer Good Earth Plant Company clients the chance to work with a holiday decor specialist this year – Whinnery Design. Photo: Courtesy Whinnery Design
How soon? The absolute deadline to guarantee your poinsettia orders Is barely a month away – October 18. Make a note, don’t get caught short on November 23 – although we will always try to take care of you! And start your holiday gift buying while you’re at it.
Another thing you learn when you’ve been in business for four-plus decades like we have: play to your strengths and bring in skilled people when you need a hand. It’s so much better for our clients and for expert professionals to focus on exactly what they do best.
For years, Good Earth Plant Company tackled the holiday décor needs of our clients. The designs please our clients, but we’ve never been completely satisfied we’re delivering the absolute best at this important time of year.
Now that the pandemic seems to be easing off, we know our clients will want to celebrate with exceptional holiday decorating this year. Even if their offices aren’t fully open just yet, it’s a symbol of optimism.
Welcome Susan Whinnery and Whinnery Designs
Whinnery Design created a five-foot-wide custom Santa hat for this display. Find out what they can do for you. Photo: Courtesy Whinnery Design
So for the first time, Good Earth Plant Company is bringing in a new partner. I’ve known interior designer Susan Whinnery of Whinnery Designs for more than 30 years. She is a San Diego-based commercial holiday design specialist. This is all she does, and she does it well! Whinnery Designs invents and installs unique designs for commercial properties, corporate offices, hotels, car dealerships, malls, shopping centers, and much more. These are the same clients we work with at Good Earth Plant Company.
You’ve probably seen Susan’s award-winning work during the holidays and didn’t even know it: The San Diego Marriott Hotel & Marina lobby, Flower Hill Promenade in Del Mar, even the San Diego International Airport.
Whinnery Design decorated the lobby for our clients at 655 West Broadway in 2020 – see our living wall in the back! Photo: Courtesy Whinnery Design
In 2020, Susan and her team provided holiday decorations for our client, 655 West Broadway. They were spectacular – and we loved how everything looked around our towering living wall in the lobby.
On her website, Susan says, “Each year, we attend several holiday markets to source the latest in decor trends, colors, and styles to add to our extensive inventory. Creating your winning design starts with the selection of premium and unique ornaments, beautiful floral picks, and quality gorgeous ribbons. Our live trees are tagged ahead of time specifically for each client in Oregon and installed freshly cut. Our artificial trees, wreaths, and other greens are selected and or custom made to meet our standards in quality, look, and proportions.”
Susan says she’s always enjoyed holiday decorating, back to when she volunteered to help her hometown in Montana with its holiday décor. She used to work as an interior plantscaper but saw the need for this creative specialty. Susan explains it’s a little more like being a florist. So her business was born.
“My job is to provide my client a beautiful design for the holidays that brings joy to all who see it!” says Susan. “I don’t just fill orders. I’m not cookie cutter and give you a choice of blue and silver or burgundy and gold. I do all custom orders.” Whinnery Designs and Good Earth Plant Company share this philosophy.
The Christmas tree Good Earth Plant Company created for our client Illumina in 2020.
Sometimes it takes a long time for an idea to simmer. We are so glad to finally have this brainstorm and ask Susan to work with our clients. “I thought, it makes perfect sense!” says Susan. “Jim and I thought, why hasn’t anyone thought of it sooner?”
We can’t wait to see what the Whinnery Design team creates for you! Like everyone, supply chain issues are a concern this year. The good news: Because Susan has been in business so long, she has a lot of inventory.
If you want to book Susan and work with her team, NOW is the time to do it. If you’re a current client, all you need to do is let us know, and we’ll make the connection. If you’re not, send us a note through our Contact Us page here, and we’ll put you in touch. We guarantee she will enrich your holiday with her creativity like Good Earth Plant Company does with plants.
In the meantime, don’t let the warm weather stop you from getting into the holiday mood. We deserve a great one this year, don’t you agree?
