We had the good fortune of connecting with Christine Keller and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Christine, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
The essence behind our brand is community. The house plant community as a collective group is our number one priority. Being available and engaging the community in a meaningful matter is what it’s all about. Plants, in many ways, bring joy to people, and being able to provide a support structure is crucial for success.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Dade Plant Co. is different in the sense that it was born from our collective hobbies and passions. When developing our goals and mission statement, there were some components that we felt needed to be highlighted across the board. Firstly, we needed to ensure that our customers felt a sense of trust working with our company – we want every customer who purchases from us to enjoy the experience of caring for their plants as much as we do. This means we keep an open line of communication at all times. By utilizing social media platforms, like Instagram and Facebook, we are able to not only connect with our customers on a more personal level but build lasting relationships.

Secondly, we stress the importance of education. Our relationship with our customers does not end once the plant is delivered. We spend a great deal of time and energy each day, creating informative and useful content, corresponding with other plant lovers to assist them in helping their personal collections thrive, as well as posting regular “AUA” sessions (“Ask Us Anything”) on our IG stories. This helps us understand areas of concern for our followers and allows us to serve the community better overall. And we don’t just educate! We, ourselves, are constantly researching best practices and speaking to leaders in the field to expand our own wealth of knowledge and expertise.

Lastly, quality over quantity. We cultivate on a much smaller scale to ensure we are only offering the highest quality plants to the community. Every plant posted is inspected, from root to leaf, to ensure the plant will not only survive traveling across the country but will acclimate quickly to its new environment.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Breakfast would definitely happen at Tinta Y Cafe in Coral Gables. Their dirty Chai Latte is just what you need for the next leg of the journey – Fairchild Tropical Botanical Gardens!

Fairchild Gardens is world-renowned and for good reason. It’s 83 acres of tropical landscape that houses some of the rarest plants in the world. If you’re lucky, you might catch them on one of their many festival weekends – the Chocolate festival is one of our personal favorites. Shout-out to Chad Husby, their chief explorer, and curator. One of the nicest and most knowledgeable people you’ll meet in the plant community.

Dinner would have to be at Root & Bone in South Miami. Drinks are made to perfection and the food selection is spectacular.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Absolutely – there are so many people who have inspired and guided our journey; not just as business owners but also as plant enthusiasts. Their knowledge and guidance have been monumental every step of the way. Titi, Pablo’s grandfather, is probably the pinpoint for initiating a curiosity into the world of botany. Even at 84 years old, he still has a passion for all things plants and is an endless book of knowledge.

Dr. Rosita Stoik, a retired rheumatologist, is an old family friend who is not only renowned in the orchid and rare palm society but is a fierce teacher and dear friend. She was kind enough to gift us some of our first rare plants and help us learn everything we needed to know to help them thrive.

We have been blessed to not only have their encouragement in this endeavor of ours but also their never-ending love and support.

Website: dadeplantco.com

Instagram: @dadeplantco

Facebook: Dade Plant Co.

Other: Sister Boutique: catandvine.com / @catandvine

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutMiami is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.