A shop full of orchids

While the plants may appear at first glance too fragile to last long, it’s possible for orchids to grow virtually anywhere in the world, not only to just grow but to survive and thrive.

So, it’s not surprising that there are numerous plants doing well in a shop on North Hamilton Street a few blocks north of Gonzaga University.

Erin Nelson, co-owner of the new store, Small Hill Orchids, said there are only a couple of places in the world where orchids can’t grow, and one of them is Antarctica.

The small, bright shop at 2207 N. Hamilton St., doesn’t just feature orchids, but bonsai and bamboo plants as well along with a variety of items to help them thrive.

Unpacking a plant shipment recently, on just the third day the store had been open, Nelson said it was the first store for herself and husband Steve.

“It’s a little scary,” she said. “There’s a lot of responsibility.” Along with considerable preparation: She and her husband painted the store’s interior walls yellow, put in new beige carpet and erected racks of shelves and lighting for the plants.

Erin Nelson is a slender, fair-haired young woman enthusiastic about her wares, apparently knowledgeable and obviously capable of leading interested customers into orchid-growing.

The Nelsons met at Spokane Falls Community College, progressed to Eastern Washington University, where she majored in fine arts and he in psychology before he became interested in work as a chef. Steve is currently managing Deer Park Bistro.

The store offers about 150 orchids, anything for beginners to the advanced home gardeners, and they are not hard to grow, Erin Nelson said. “People think you need a greenhouse. I have mine at home in the kitchen window. You can have them long enough to pass along to your grandchildren.”

She stresses that her orchids are all hybrids, combinations of species, which means they are less temperamental. It also discourages single-species harvesters from damaging rain forests, she said.

And growing bamboo plants is simple as well, she said. The store has woven and variegated bamboo and “lucky trees.” It’s as easy as placing the cut stalks in water, she said. “The lucky trees are supposed to bring luck to a home, so they make a nice housewarming gift.”

To go along with plant food, plant bark and small gardening tools, the store offers interesting hand-thrown orchid pots made by Debbie and Rudy Nelson of Quail Creek Pottery in Lacey, Wash.

In addition, there is a small assortment of amusing greetings cards with the trademark of Too Dumb Dogs, one of Nelson’s artistic efforts. She calls the cards “cartoony,” and they are sold through a number of local outlets, including the Rockwood Bakery plus Boo Radley’s and the Made in Washington store downtown.

Erin also has sold her greeting cards at craft shows, and she’s committed to some weekend shows this summer. That means that Steve will also have to be available at the store on a few weekends.

Later plans call for Sunday seminars on the store’s offerings, perhaps on one Sunday a month.