Project Overview

Grounded Nursery is a startup offering customized native plant landscape packages in the Mid-Atlantic. Early in the project, we collaborated with the client to define their vision: an e-commerce platform to deliver curated plant packages, along with a community resource to educate customers about native plants.

Our team developed the brand identity and designed a high-fidelity prototype. The MVP featured a responsive desktop and mobile website enabling plant purchases, resource browsing, and community interaction. We also conceptualized a companion app to further enhance the customer experience.

Market Research

I conducted a competitive analysis, starting with direct competitors like DIY-friendly retailers such as Home Depot and other online native plant distributors. I then explored an indirect competitor: the subscription box market. While Grounded Nursery isn’t a subscription service, the popularity of curated, delivered-to-your-door boxes led me to hypothesize that incorporating similar elements could provide significant value for the nursery’s customers.

Branding

Before our involvement, the business was initially named Monarch Nursery. Through our research, we determined the name didn’t fully reflect the company’s vision. A team branding exercise and user A/B testing revealed that users preferred a name evoking earthiness and joy.

Based on these insights, we recommended the name Grounded Nursery. User testing confirmed this choice, with people connecting the name with nature, trustworthiness, confidence, and strength, validating our decision. As one user commented:

Visual Design

The brand’s visual identity is designed to connect customers with nature. Organic shapes and earthy tones create an approachable, warm aesthetic.

For typography, I chose a lighthearted font for headlines, while prioritizing readability with a clean, legible body font.

We found that most participants preferred some form of pre-curated package, either fully curated or with the option to customize. Additionally, all participants valued a platform that allowed them to continue learning about the plants they own.

Experienced gardeners enjoyed gardening as a hobby but were hesitant to buy plants online. Amateur gardeners, while open to online purchases, anticipated needing more guidance as they progressed.

Surveys

To evaluate the desirability of a companion mobile app, we conducted a user survey. The findings revealed that while users preferred purchasing plants through a website, they viewed an optional mobile app as the ideal platform for after-purchase support.

71% of survey participants said they would use an app to help troubleshoot if a plant looked unwell, and already use their phones to keep track of things like health. 

We identified the following features and elements of the MVP:

Personas

We developed two personas to better understand Grounded Nursery’s target customers. Lilith represented the experienced gardener, hesitant to purchase plants online but confident in her gardening abilities. Brandon, on the other hand, embodied an amateur gardener who was comfortable buying plants online but required significant guidance to get started.

Journey Map

I developed a customer journey map to gain deeper insight into Lilith’s needs and pain points as an experienced gardener hesitant to purchase plants online.

Ideation

Through wireframing, we identified key features to enhance the user experience:

• A package selection quiz to provide a less intimidating guided entry point for amateur gardeners.

• A resource library catering to users of all experience levels.

• An educational section highlighting the importance of native plants.

Prototyping

To validate our proposed features, we conducted four user tests on the wireframes and five on the high-fidelity prototype. These tests revealed two key issues:

1. Users were unclear whether they would receive seedlings or mature plants.

2. Users underestimated the environmental impact of native plants.

We addressed these issues by clarifying product terminology on the homepage and adding a new section to the educational page focused on the benefits of native plants.

Following these updates, 100% of tested users reported feeling confident in Grounded Nursery’s process and expressed trust in purchasing plants through the site.

Screenshots of the final prototype are shown below.

Next Steps

Developing a companion app should be a top priority. This addition is key for customer retention, as users overwhelmingly indicated they would rely on it for post-purchase support to maintain their gardens.

We also recommend introducing alternative package sizes (small, medium, and large). The current offering of at least 35 seedlings per package was noted by several participants as being too large for their properties.

Finally, our testing revealed that three out of five participants preferred sustainable packaging and environmentally friendly delivery methods. Incorporating eco-conscious elements into the business model could significantly broaden Grounded Nursery’s appeal.