“I was born in Guatemala, so it’s heaven to grow anything out there,” Burton said, noting her great-grandmother and parents raised her around plants and gardening. “I don’t think I ever really truly enjoyed it until I moved away, and then it was kind of a sweet reminder. Now, my mom and I have a really great bond over it.”
Burton graduated from college with a degree in interior design and worked for an architecture firm in Houston for a few years. However, Burton said the birth of her child forced her to reconsider her profession.
Today, Burton is carrying on her family’s green-thumb tradition. She opened Dote On, which sells an assortment of indoor plants and gardening tools, in October 2021 as a renovated cargo trailer that she takes to various markets throughout the Greater Houston area. In March, she opened a brick-and-mortar location in Kingwood, although she said she still takes the trailer—lovingly referred to as “Ms. Dottie”—to markets throughout the year.
According to Burton, the idea of opening her own store stemmed from her love of interior design and house plants.
“I’ve always wanted to have a store, and I knew I wanted it to be around house plants,” Burton said. “They bring such a happiness into a home, and it really feels like it’s being lived in when there are house plants.”
Burton said Dote On sells a variety of interior tropical plants and supplies for gardeners of all skill levels. She noted one of the most important aspects of keeping any plant alive is understanding its needs.
“My No. 1 saying is, ‘Nobody has a black thumb. You just don’t have enough information to keep a plant alive,’” she said, noting she provides customers with all of the lighting and watering requirement for any of the plants they purchase. “As long as you have the information, you can become great at it.”
In addition to plants, Burton said Dote On sells a number of pots and accessories, including the WallyGrow Planter, which allows individuals to hang plants on the wall without sacrificing its drainage needs.
Burton noted Dote On also offers private and public workshops aimed at helping gardeners sharpen their skills. She said she is renovating the back room in the shop to expand those workshops in the future.
Looking back on her first year of business, Burton said she most enjoys being able to help customers keep their plants healthy and thriving.
“Our [social media direct messages] are always open for conversation,” Burton said. “I think that’s really where we stand out—the fact that we have that communication, and that’s always really rewarding.”
Dote On
3033 Woodland Hills Drive, Kingwood
[email protected]
www.shopdoteon.com
Hours: Wed.-Sun. noon-5 p.m., closed Mon.-Tue.
