Walking into Leaf + Quiet on a cold snowy Missoula day is like walking into a warm hug. Owner Clare Cornberg has fashioned her indoor plant store so that bright green foliage—some standing a few inches high, some reaching to the ceiling—fills every space enveloping you with a sense of peace and quiet, or leaf and quiet.
Clare opened Leaf + Quiet in Missoula’s historic Northside neighborhood in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I always toyed with idea of opening a store but thought it would be much later in life,” said Clare. “Then I saw this space come available and I signed a lease within a few days. I just thought 2020 was such a bizarre year that I just had to try it out. And it’s been incredible.”
In looking at all of those thriving plants, you would have no idea that Clare has no formal training in horticulture. In her words, her “addiction” began when she got her first plant while living in a tiny studio apartment in Philadelphia.
“I got lucky with understanding plants and how they work and my addiction to indoor plants grew” said Clare. Her addiction then became an obsession after she moved to Missoula.
“At one point I had a 700 square foot apartment and had about 250 plants. It was a jungle.” In addition to her plant-rearing history she credits her years of retail and service industry experience in teaching her how to cultivate relationships with her customers.
The retail side of Leaf + Quiet is the main focus of Clare’s business but she also shares her expertise in the form of in-home and business consultations with those of us who wish to add indoor plants to our lives. Clare will come into your home or office, consult with you about your needs, time, space constraints, and experience and then find just the right plants for your lifestyle.
Clare can list a number of benefits that plants bring to your work or living space. She tells of numerous studies that have shown that productivity in a work environment increases when people are surrounded by living things. Plants also help purify the air and remove toxins. Then there is a calming aspect, which is evident when you walk through the door of her shop.
“Most of us humans are so nurturing. I think having something that you’re able to take care of and help grow and thrive is great for our general well-being,” said Clare. Then of course there is the aesthetic side. Plants make any place warm and inviting.
“I’m fairly uncomfortable in places where there are no plants,” she said.
When asked about what to take into account when adding indoor plants to a home, Clare said light is the number one factor. You can’t choose a plant simply based on how it looks and expect it to survive.
“You have to think about exposure and how far it will be from a window,” she said. “Water is important but you have control over it. You can’t control the light coming into your house.”
Another factor to take into account is how much time you have to care for the plant. Does your busy schedule make caring for a plant the last thing on your daily list? Your own background and expertise with plants also comes into play. According to Clare, there are plants that are easy to care for and those that are not.
“When people are starting out I want them to succeed and be empowered. The sale is secondary,” said Clare.
Clare doesn’t believe in the theory of being born with a green thumb. She tells the story of her favorite plant, the Ficus Audrey (Ficus benghalensis).
“I killed the first one I had. They’re absolute divas,” she said. “I remind people I have killed so many different plants. It’s just a matter of finding the plant that fits your lifestyle. Brown thumbs are not a thing.”
