Today we’d like to introduce you to Maddy Roberts
Hi Maddy , so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I like to say my love of plants is genetic. The women in my family are/were plant people- garden club presidents, greenhouse workers, overall flower-lovers. Their knowledge was passed down to me in critiques of the landscaping in a Cracker Barrel parking lot, in tours of historic homes spent marveling over the yards, in their own backyard gardens.
I have physical representations of this love in plants that have been passed down and distributed through generations. Cuttings of my grandmother’s begonia Lucerna have been distributed to my cousins and myself. The irises in my front bed are taken from my late aunt’s house, which she took from her aunt’s house, which makes them at least three times my age.
But until pretty recently, plants were just a hobby. I graduated with a theatre degree into an industry decimated by the pandemic and rising costs. This left me working an office job that made me very unhappy. I felt stuck. My mom, who works in finance, has always had an entrepreneurial spirit. She was finally in a position to be able to invest in her own company, and I was sadly clacking away at reports that made my brain melt out of my ears, so I was ready to jump into something with her. I feel very lucky that she brought me in and trusts me to run the majority of the day-to-day operations. I also feel very lucky that she has an MBA and incredible business sense so I never really have to learn what “EBITDA” means (kidding, Mom! I definitely know what that acronym stands for…). She still works full time at her finance job, and helps out on the weekends at Flower Tent because she is that dedicated and awesome.
So now I’m your local garden center nepo baby, using the communication and people management skills I got from my theatre degree to educate our staff and customers about the wonders of plants. I’m always learning, too, and I’m excited to continue to find new ways to fuse my interests, like posting educational plant videos on social media.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There’s always struggles when entering a new field. My mom and I were hobbyist plant lovers, not green industry professionals, so there was a steep learning curve. Flower Tent also has a unique setup for a live plant business, so uncommon questions like “How are we going to keep thousands of plants adequately watered in the middle of a parking lot?” become common occurrences (answer: fire hydrants). There’s also your typical, women-owned business struggle of not being taken seriously. Fortunately, for us this mostly comes in the form of clueless customers who assume any man who works at the tent must be The Boss. Our lovely workers have no problems politely correcting them and pointing them over to my mom or me.
And then, of course, there’s the struggle of keeping a calathea happy. iykyk.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Flower Tent Atlanta?
We are pop up retail garden centers that set up in large yellow and white tents in the Spring. We sell annuals, perennials, vegetable plants, herbs, houseplants, hanging baskets, and patio pots. Our plants are grown by small growers who don’t sell to big box stores because they prioritize quality over quantity. The majority of our plants are Georgia grown. Customers appreciate the wide variety of plants we carry and our stellar customer service.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
This is on brand: I love the greenery in Atlanta. I love being in a “city in a forest.” I love how many trees and plants are around even the most urban areas. I love the dense gardens in the front yards of historic bungalows. I looooove the frog mosaiculture sculpture at West Peachtree and 10th St.
I am unoriginal and my least favorite thing is the traffic. I have a long commute because I live in East Atlanta and our tents are in Alpharetta and Cumming, but I at least appreciate the trees along the way.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @flowertentatl or @georgiaplantlady
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/flowertentatl
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@GeorgiaPlantLady
- TikTok: @flowertentatl or @georgiaplantlady
Image Credits
Maddy Roberts
