Owner Susie Turner nurtured her passion for plants and orchids while working for Smith & Hawken in the 90's as an interior plant and orchid buyer for their stores nationwide.
She soon started her home-based business, specializing in custom orchid arrangements, delivering fresh Holiday Greens, and placing the perfect interior plants into her client’s homes and offices.
Susie’s client base grew over the next 10 years, and in 2007, she launched her first store, green door design in Mill Valley.
Here you’ll find beautifully designed orchid arrangements, interior plants, and one-of-a-kind vintage and antique decorative containers as well as a selection of unique items for the home and garden, including candles, art and on occasion, antique furniture.
At green door design, Susie combines natural elements with eclectic design for a fresh approach to interior plant design.
Notes from Susie
“There are over 30,000 species of orchids.
Many of them are epiphytic - in nature, they grow from the bark of trees, up in the air - they don't like to sit in water, and in fact, don't need much water at all.
The number one mistake people make is over watering their orchids.
I recommend taking the orchid to the sink, let water run thru for a few seconds, drain and return to its decorative container. Water orchids once every week to 10 days: depending on the size of the plant, the potting medium, the time of year, and home environment. Be sure to ask about watering when you buy your orchid.
Many of my arrangements are mossed and can’t be easily taken apart – this is not a problem at all…
I give all of my clients simple, clear watering instructions for all of their orchids, based on the size of the orchids, the home environment and placement of the orchids.
With mossed arrangements that you don’t want to take apart:
Water with a small amount of water, poured slowly and directly on the top of each orchid.
About 1/8 to 1/2 cup of water per orchid, once every week or 10 days…. Less water for smaller grow pots, a little more for larger grow pots. It’s important that the arrangement has a liner, and that the orchids never sit in excess water.”
Some orchids just prefer a green house environment, with the right light, humidity, feedings and temperature - in which to re-spike and set out new flowers. That is why I offer the orchid trade program – my clients can bring in their dormant orchids (or I pick them up) and I give a small credit towards their next order.
However, if you wish to keep orchids through dormacy in your home, there are orchids that easily re-spike and set out new blooms, in the home environment. But they do need a few things: a lot of bright, indirect light, specific temperatures, and regular feedings. (there are many web sites and books that offer orchid growing how-to…)
The Phalaenopsis orchid - the "moth orchid"... is a good orchid to start with. It is probably the most suitable and adaptable orchid to keep in a home environment – it often will rebloom with minimal effort.
Or the lady slipper (Paphiopedilum) orchid, one of my favorites. Also, the Cymbidium, the large flower, big orchid, that, in the Bay Area's Mediterranean climate, is an outdoor orchid, and very reliably reblooms each year, with very little attention.
Susie Turner
Owner, green door design
