SPOTLIGHT ON GYNELLE LEON
Meet the face of London’s first cacti and succulent boutique
Born and raised in London, Gynelle Leon spent her 20s in the worlds of finance and fraud prevention, before a blossoming love of plant life encouraged a career change. ‘My family is originally from St Lucia, where I spent childhood summers surrounded by tropical palms, mango trees and birds of paradise,’ she recalls. As Leon grew, so did her love of nature.
On entering her 30s, Leon enrolled on a floristry apprenticeship at a time when diversity in the industry was limited. ‘Happily, more people from different backgrounds are now feeling empowered to enter horticulture, which generates a more diverse and creative industry,’ she says. Before long, Leon identified a window of opportunity: ‘I observed how popular houseplants had become, but also how few specialist shops there were, so I decided to create something to feed that need.’
Prick, Leon’s aptly named cacti and succulent venture, found a home in Dalston in 2016, with months of travel, research and a membership of the British Cactus and Succulent Society preceding the opening. The contemporary space showcases an abundance of sculptural succulents and cacti sourced from growers across the UK, Netherlands, Spain and Italy. ‘We style plants as we would at home: arranged in artisanal ceramic pots. It ensures the form, structure and character of each shines through,’ explains Leon. ‘Plant care is self-care,’ she says. ‘I felt the benefits of living with plants when I introduced them to my flat. I had no outdoor space, so I created an indoor jungle instead. The time spent caring for my plants is like meditation.’
Leon celebrates the virtues of caring for greenery in her latest book, Plant, which she penned as the pandemic took hold. ‘As we were forced to stay home, people looked to houseplants as a way of preserving a bond with nature and reducing stress. My first book, Prick, focused on cacti and succulents, so it felt natural to write a sister title with the same understandable approach to other houseplants,’ she says.
And as for Leon’s home, the ethos and aesthetic of Prick are plain to see. ‘It’s a new-build townhouse in leafy Chigwell. My style is simple but bold. I have plants in every room; on window sills, stands and sideboards,’ she smiles. When it comes to shopping for homewares, Leon’s go-to stores are independent ventures much like her own: ‘My favourite shops include Habiib, Our Lovely Goods, Pelicans & Parrots and Grain and Knot.’ Plant (Mitchell Beazley, £15) by Gynelle Leon is out 1st April