THE Sunshine Garden Centre is a new business that intends to pay keen attention to the emotional appeal of plants and the installation of decorative garden pavers to enhance and beautify surroundings.
This business was among dozens on display at the Providence National Stadium, East Bank Demerara, where UncappeD Marketplace was held. The two-day event which targeted Guyana’s agro-processing industry and other types of businesses, and which was organised by the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA), concluded on Sunday.
UncappeD Marketplace having returned this year following a two-year hiatus, attracted new businesses that were spawned during the COVID-19 pandemic.
One such business was the Sunshine Garden Centre which according to its proprietor Nerissa Thornhill, came out of a passion and love for planting and nature.
In an interview with this publication, she said, “Farming and gardening has [sic] mostly been a family tradition and over the years my love for flowers, plants and their beauty just grew, and during the pandemic there was more time to focus on planting and the gardening aspect along with the realizations that creating your own beautiful space is a wonderful thing.”
Thornhill said her tagline, “Where there is no sunshine, create your own,” motivated her to create and invest in decorative garden pavers to also stimulate the participation of children, while beautifying any given space where memories of a lifetime are created.
“My mom once said to me, what are you going to do with all these plants? I said when I retire, I am going to open a plant shop. So, she said, why do you have to wait until you retire? I said you know what mom, that is an excellent idea and there is no reason why I can’t do both. So, despite the challenges, when you love something it’s not considered work,” she explained to the Guyana Chronicle.
The businesswoman related that she is not simply selling plants or garden pavers, but rather a dream or experience of tranquility and the bliss associated with beautifying spaces or gardens.
“Beauty is all around us, we need to appreciate it and give thanks,” she said before extending her appreciation to the GMSA for the UncappeD exhibition that provided the opportunity to showcase her small business.
There is no permanent location for the business at the moment, but anyone interested in ordering something can contact Thornhill on 667-5353.
