Our story

Hello there,

Before I tell you about Rootshell Planters, I want to thank you for visiting my site and supporting small businesses like mine. Without you, independent artists and studios like mine would simply not exist.

Thank you so much for your support.

Connor Wilson-Groark

Let's start from the beginning.

I started Rootshell Planters in November of 2019 with a goal of designing and creating small, indoor cement planters for people with limited space for planting.

Cement is my material of choice because I think it’s an incredible artistic medium, and suits planters very well.

While I found success on Etsy by creating more functional cement pieces like geometric planters and bookends, I really began to find my niche when I designed and 3D-printed a cute happy face planter on a whim, one evening. Something about its little face struck me as so funny and cute, so I shared a photo of the design on Reddit. The comments section filled with responses of friendly folks asking where I bought the little planter, or if I was selling them myself.

I spent a week or two tweaking the design and creating the mold, and released the cement version on my website. Between my website and Etsy, I sold over 150 of these happy pots between September and the end of December 2020.

This little happy fella was by far my best selling product on my store during the holiday season of 2020, and continues to be my best seller today. I love creating planters that bring smiles to peoples’ faces, and hope to continue doing so for my incredible customers.

I love my customers!

My customers have been an incredible source of inspiration for me and my business. Every review I’ve received on Etsy and on my old website has brought a smile to my face and has made my work feel valuable.

Knowing that my art has made someone smile and brought a touch of positivity into their life is an incredible gift. I owe a heart-felt thank you to my customers who continue to visit my store and enjoy my work. Read through some of my customers’ reviews and testimonials to see how they feel about their new happy little planters.

Making unique pieces is fun.

As I mentioned above, each and every cement piece is special and unique. Even two planters from the same mold, on the same day, will have distinctive features that, upon close inspection, will stand out from its brothers and sisters.

Check out this page to see how and why each planter is special.

Here's what's next.

I’m excited for the future of Rootshell Planters, and look forward to creating more unique products.

I can’t wait to show you the new stuff that I’m working on, so let's connect by signing up for my mailing list to stay up to date on my newest products and designs.