Today we meet Niki Grimm of The Grimm Botanist.
I am a home-based nursery operating out of Crafton. I went to college for Graphic Design at The Art Institute of Pittsburgh, graduating in 2013. I worked as a professional Graphic Designer for 3 years until I realized that it wasn’t a fit for me.
Through a dear friend, I found my way to the world of plants and was introduced to the Bidwell Training Center Horticulture program. After 8 months of homework, trips to business in the industry to learn firsthand, an externship, and immersing myself into the colorful world of plants, I had a diploma in Horticulture. After graduating I worked as a farm technician at a vertical hydroponics farm growing leafy greens and fresh herbs.
While I love growing food, my true passion is ornamental, tropical, and indoor plants. I landed a job caring for plants in businesses all over the Pittsburgh area and worked there until the pandemic. I started propagating and growing plants to sell and trade to stay busy during quarantine, and then The Grimm Botanist was born. I just celebrated 1 year in business on the 27th of July!
All the plants I bring are grown by me! I occasionally bring artwork from Sarah Sweeney and alternative growing media for people to try.
This is my first year at the Bellevue Farmers Market. You will see me and my friend, Lauren Eicher, at the booth each time we visit. She owns her own business, Moondust Salon, and loves plants just as much as I do!
I love talking with everyone about plants! It’s so much fun getting to meet everyone in the area, the other vendors, and trying all the delicious food!
A fun fact about me is that I raise ducks! I have 5 backyard ducks: 1 male and 4 females.
You can check out the Grimm Botanist on Facebook or Instagram
While her site https://www.thegrimmbotanist.com is not live yet, you can sign up for email notifications for when it sprouts.
In the fall Niki will sell products online, offering in-person local delivery, shipping, and pick-up of plants. For now, she occasionally runs sales on Instagram and local Facebook plant groups.