The idea is simple but potent: We can help people through this pandemic with something as humble as a houseplant.

With all the stay-at-home ordinances, many of our favorite plant businesses have shuddered their doors—at least temporarily. But many shops are coming up with clever ways to keep their employees and get plants to people—through Instagram sales, online shopping, curbside pick-up, and even gift cards.

To help our local plant businesses, a number of us have started to participate in the #PlantOneForward initiative, for which over 100 plant shops, garden centers and nurseries across the world have responded. The idea is simple: help your favorite local or online plant shop by purchasing one plant and sending it to someone you think could really use some cheering up…maybe it’s a loved one, a friend, or someone you have fallen out of contact with—whomever you think could use it most. ⁣

If even 100 of us do so, we’ll positively affect the lives of 300 people (you, the person who owns the shop, and the person you give the plant to); 300 becomes 900; 900 becomes 2,700; 2,700 becomes 8,100; 8,100 becomes 24,300; and so on and so forth. It’s simple acts such as these that not only help our communities—but also help us stay connected to one another.

In an effort to help people find plant shops, we have created a public form where people can submit their shop and tell us how they are now selling their plants. Additionally, the below spreadsheet shares what plant shops are participating in #PlantOneForward.

Feel free to share this to your favorite plant shops and garden centers so that they can be included.

Support Plant Shops in the Pandemic:

Find Plant Shops in your area and find out ways in which they are getting plants to the public. As news and restrictions change everyday, you should check directly with the plant shop first before making a purchase to ensure they are still operating.

(Please note: this is not meant to be a comprehensive list of plant shops that are operating during the pandemic).

Submit Your Plant Shop:

If you are a Plant Shop, Garden Center or Nursery working on alternative ways to get plants to people during this pandemic, please feel free to submit your shop.