CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) - Jen Gouldstone grew up in China and as a child, she loved everything nature.
"When I was a kid, I probably had a pet of every animal you could think of," she laughed. "I had goldfish, I had silkworms. Growing up in China, I bought little baby ducks off the street. I had bunnies. When I came to the U.S., I saw a plant at a grocery store, and it was a plant my Grandma had on her balcony back home in China. My love for plants grew from there," she recalled.
Even though she spent 20 years in the technology industry as an engineer, her childhood passion grew into more than just a hobby.
"I'm a master gardener, I'm a trained florist in my part-time life," she laughed. "I'm really into it."
In 2018, her hobbies became a full time job. She started in plant design and maintenance that incorporated live greenery to offices and buildings. Then, she offered creativity and crafting workshops for corporate team building. During the pandemic, she taught others how to bring nature into their own homes.
"We put together kits with everything you needed to make a succulent terrarium and we shipped it to everyone's home addresses, and then I hopped on zoom and showed everyone how to make a succulent terrarium, how to look after it. The response was so great so we developed that," Gouldstone said.
Studio by Garden Streets offers a variety of terrariums, like the one pictured above in this old wine bottle.Lisa Fielding
In November of 2022, she opened a brick and mortar space on Halsted in Lincoln Park, in the New City Plaza. "Studio by Garden Streets" is filled with greenery, flowers and art where she offers workshops and group classes.
"The walk in experience is so you don't have to book anything. We have a dry floral bar, a moss bar, and a succulent bar. You can put together your own bouquet, but we do more than just plants. We do origami, we do water color, we do chunky blanket making, moss art, we do pouring mediums and we'll have resin in the New Year. There are so many different things to do here," she smiled.
Today, Gouldstone is leading a class on how to create succulent terrariums.
"You can pick your vessel- a round glass bowl or even a wine bottle. We have moss, dirt, rocks, gravel, plants and the tools you need to make a terrarium," she instructed the class.
Gouldstone said she's found more people want experiences and a way to bond with others, being around nature and plants, something called biophilia, which is known to boost mental health.
Studio by Garden Streets owner Jen Gouldstone advises patrons during one of her terrarium class.Lisa Fielding
"Biophilia is about humans and how they are drawn to other things that are living. It's like if you have view and nature, it grounds you. There's another principle about whether you feel safe and protected, and you feel you have enough resources to survive. Just being next to nature or a plant or to see it, that is so basic to our survival instincts. Having nature in a hospital help people heal. There is a lot of research about biophilia being good for you. Even fake plants will do that for you to a certain extent," Gouldstone said.
Gouldstone now has two studios in Chicago and in Boston and she offers 140 different programs online. She hopes her new space in Lincoln Park serves as an escape for people to create and bond with nature and others.
"It's about getting your hands dirty, and it's about being together," she laughed. "We have date nights, moms and daughters, dads and daughters, kids and adult parties. It's multi-generational. We can have the whole family come together as well. Plus, you have something that you made and you can take it home with you. It's DIY,." she noted.
Studio by Garden Streets, located in Lincoln Park, offers three different workshop bars- a dry floral bar, a moss bar, and a succulent bar.Lisa Fielding
Gouldstone said whether you think you're creative or not, everyone discovers their inner craftsman.
"At the end of the day, we just want people to think of us when they are feeling creative or wondering what they should look for. If they are looking for exploration, connection, discovery, creativity, that's what we want to be associated with," she smiled.
Workshop participation costs start at $35 and are updated seasonally. Guests simply purchase tickets online prior to the workshop date. Walk-in experiences do not require any prior booking or reservation. Private events are usually booked weeks in advance.
For more information about the new space, hosting a DYI party or about online workshops, log onto studiogardenstreets.com.
Studio by Garden Streets promotes biophilia, a way to bond with others by being around nature and plants.Lisa Fielding
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