The Native Plant Center Welcomes Robin Gavriel The Native Plant Center's new manager, Robin Gavriel, has exciting plans for the center. Gavriel made the Island her home recently after, "seeking refuge from the insanity of Covid and a lower elevation." She also hopes to move her herbal alchemy business, "Blue Rose Alchemy."
"I found my sweet spot," said Gavriel after explaining her fascination with the wild beaches, unique Flora, and ability to wildcraft native plants and use them as remedies and essential oils. "I found everything I was looking for here on the beaches of South Padre Island."
Gavriel, a western coastal traveler, was born in Louisville, Kentucky, and raised in Peoria, Illinois, and Sarasota, Florida. Soon she moved to Cedaredge, Colorado, in 1990, which was "just the beginning.” While living in a double-decker motorhome with her family, she traveled all over the west coast of the United States. "We lived all over Alaska. We spent a winter in the Arctic then moved to Kodiak Island, to southeast Alaska along the Inside Passage, to the Big Island of Hawaii and back to the mainland, the San Juan Islands off the coast of Washington State, then southwest New Mexico and coming full circle back to Colorado by 2013. That is where I have lived the past eight years," says Gavriel.
Before her arrival to South Padre Island, Gavriel owned and ran a green cleaning business and an herb business. "I made all my natural cleaning products and cleaned homes for a unique clientele high up in the San Juan Mountains near Telluride. They appreciated a clean, non-toxic home. I did very well, and still make and sell my cleaning products through my herb business."
In her free time, Gavriel enjoys many things being a "Renaissance sort of woman." Further, she explained her love for the arts and being a mother and grandmother. "I love the arts and feminine ways of the women of the olden days as I believe a woman's strength is in her femininity." She also enjoys reading non-fiction books, gardening, swimming, biking, fishing, music, and dance.
"I've yet to accomplish spinning, but plan to and enjoy crochet and jewelry making (especially with items I've collected).”
Her excitement to expand and grow the Native Plant Center is a "dream come true. We are hoping to be up and running by July 4th 10am - 2pm from Thursday - Sunday, so please plan on a visit and come see the addition of my Blue Rose Alchemy line of Essential oils, Blessed Blue Healing Oil, Plant-based Cosmetics, Remedies, Tinctures, Teas, and Electuaries!"
After running a successful plant nursery and taking classes from gifted herbalists, such as Michael Moore, Ryan Drum, and being a student of Michael Tierra's East-West School of Herbology, Gavriel is excited for the journey and future of the Native Plant Center.
Gavriel plans to start distilling essential oils, in addition to also teaching distilling classes. "I'm really jazzed about the opportunity at the Native Plant Center to serve the local community to save and protect our ecosystems by doing dune restorations and promoting the cultivation and uses of our native plants."
Other plans for the center include classes on alchemic herbalism to give residents or visitors the knowledge to make their own remedies and heal themselves. "I would like it to be a place where people can come to expand their knowledge of plants, value their importance, and recognize the many ways they serve us and make life on our Island good."
Gavriel also shared the possibility of a retail plant nursery coming soon for the fall, "Plants literally keep this Island together!"
Open: July 4th Hours: 10am-2pm Days: Thursday - Sunday Closed: Monday - Wednesday
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