Meet the Team
Heather Shouse
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Susannah Donne
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Demetrius Williams
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Katie Fortney
Hometown: Springfield, MO
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How long in Chicago and how did you end up here: I was ready for a change and decided to move to Chicago on a whim, to live with a high school friend. I've been here for the past 9 years!
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I've always loved working with kiddos, so I was a nanny when I first moved to Chicago. It only took a year and a half for me to miss floral work and get back into the industry. I've now been working in floral for over a decade. CRAZY! Additionally, I've been a plant shop manager, as well as a plant tech for Bottler & Branch, so I'd like to think I have a green thumb.
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My favorite flower is a heleborre; I love its muted tones and airy structure. PLUS, they are one of the first flowers you see pop up in the Spring, which means warmer weather is in sight!
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Favorite season: I love Summer here in the city, for obvious reasons, but I really love Fall weather and all the changing colors that come along with the season.
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Hobbies: I love spending time with my family! Whether we are traveling or exploring our neighborhood parks, I am truly savoring this stage in our lives. Of course, I love seeing my friends as well and trying out new Chicago restaurants/bars!
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Fun fact: I graduated high school a year early and spent the following 6 months living in Norway, traveling through Europe, and volunteering in Nepal. This is where my love for travel and experiencing new cultures really started!
Kate Fox
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Amy Innis
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Luci Ramirez
Hometown: Chicago southwest suburbs
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Prior to horticultural endeavors, I previously worked in New York environmental nonprofits to bring access to local food and sustainability initiatives via famers markets and community gardens. Inspired by the producers at my markets and volunteering at Brooklyn Grange, In 2015 I moved back to Chicagoland to apprentice with organic growers and horticulturists to learn the trades and business models.
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Whether it’s urban farming for Chicago’s top chefs, caring for the giant palms at the former Crystal Gardens, or Account management for iconic Chicago landscapes, I’ve worn many hats in the industry. Ultimately, I fell in love with Interiorscapes and working with clients to create indoor environments for people to gather and enjoy year-round.
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Stromanthe triostar has become my favorite plant to add to unique interiors. It has a bold pattern with a pink, green, and white tri-color palette that lights up spaces. Stromanthes are a challenge to care for and to get to flower, but that’s what makes it even more enjoyable when it works in a special location with bright indirect light. In Mexico City, you often see stromanthes create stunning borders under dappled canopy light - it’s gorgeous!
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End of summer is the best time to add plants to the Interiorscape. By September, the plants have had all season to grow and fill out before finding their new homes inside to enjoy in the cooler months. The fall outdoor season is the best because ornamental grasses are nice and tall and look great with colorful annual displays.
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Besides horticulture, music , comedy, and traveling are my other passions. On weekends you’ll usually catch me hanging with my two cats in the yard (yes, like the song), at a show or comedy set, checking out Chicago’s food scene, or hitting a bike trail.