The Cactus Kiss in Dover has paired style with spikes as lush and green products take centre stage, writes Marijke Hall

A cactus vending machine, a ‘prick and mix’ and bright pink pampas grass, lit with neon signs; we may just have found a slice of house plant heaven.

It’s fair to say the cactus hasn’t always been afforded the same affection as other plants, but having one nowadays could leave your house looking quite, erm, sharp (sorry).

Add in a few succulents, a monstera and maybe even a yucca and you’ll be there with the rest of us that have allowed this obsession with house plants to take root.

For Wendy Reed, this surge in popularity has made for a whirlwind 18 months or so after launching The Cactus Kiss (@thecactuskiss) in Dover last January with mum Jean and TV producer daughter Georgia.

Starting out as a tiny market stall in the Dover Co-innovation Centre, the business burst to life as the world shut down and Wendy’s kitchen soon became a working plant shop as she powered through online orders.

“It was rammed to the rafters with plants,” she explains.

“People just wanted to buy houseplants during lockdown - they were stuck inside and it went bonkers.

“My daughter built a website and it went from there.”

She admits it was all fun and games and led to where they are now, in a botanical boutique in Bench Street, sharing the space with another business, Sew Useful.

One glance at The Cactus Kiss Instagram page and you’ll get a feel for what they’re about; it’s stylish and cool, and lush and green. Pull up a chair and you’ll be lapping up that extra oxygen and telling those plants just how much you love them.

And forget what you’ve ever thought about dried flowers. No longer reserved for your great gran’s house, they’re one of the biggest trends of the past year and The Cactus Kiss stocks a selection.

Plant savvy Wendy, who was a florist for years like her mum - who is the dedicated house plant doctor - says their cactus vending machine has been a particular hit, too.

“I’ve called it The Cactus Kiss ‘Prick and Mix’ because it features lots of little baby cactuses and people can choose five for £10,” she explains.

“The idea is an imitation vending machine. It’s a bit of a gimmick with a pretend coin slot but it does get people through the door.”

Wendy says there are many benefits to having house plants.

“They purify the air, they emit oxygen and the colour green can make you feel better just by looking at it,” she said.

She says studies have been carried out which have also found your productivity increases when you’ve got plants around you. So if you’re feeling a little unmotivated, you know what to do.

Wendy says succulents, cactus and dried flowers are particularly fashionable right now, but that overall, the love of house plants in general has boomed.

“Everywhere you look you see house plants now, even in adverts, they’ll be there in the background; they’re everywhere.

“The larger plants, they are a focal point of a home. They make a room more welcoming. A house isn’t a home without a plant.

“Maybe I could have done this sooner, but I think I hit the market at the right time when they became really popular.”

So what’s next for The Cactus Kiss?

“I’d like to have a coffee shop,” says Wendy.

“Not massive, the plants would still be the bestseller, but I’d like a little coffee machine with some handmade muffins and a couple of tables.”

But for now she’s happy, and it’s no wonder, surrounded by all those plants everyday.

www.thecactuskiss.com