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Dig In

Dig In

by | Apr 25, 2023 | May 2023, Real Estate & Home

Getting dirty in the garden has never felt so clean.

We’ve all grown up hearing the phrase “a little dirt never hurt” (thanks, Dad), and the words ring truer than ever with  Good Dirt’s new Dirt in a Box. Just in time for spring planting, the Raleigh-based garden supplies biz has released its proprietary potting mix in sustainable (and totally chic) packaging made entirely from post-consumer waste materials. 

In keeping with their mission of simple, successful and sustainable, founders Al and Suzy Newsom decided to say “see ya” to virgin plastic in their packaging and create an industry-disrupting alternative that would be as Earth-friendly as their one-of-a-kind potting mix.

“One of the things we were always talking about was that we’re working in a zero-waste manufacturing facility; we’re doing all the things we can for what’s in the product to be sustainable, chemical-free, and vegan- and nut-free—but then there’s the plastic,” says Suzy, whose marketing background complements her husband’s lifelong career in horticulture. “So, we did a ton of research and came up with what we kept calling Dirt in a Box. … But it had to be more than a box because anybody can ship dirt in cardboard. It had to be a box that was sustainable, a box that was a compostable, a box that you can use in your garden and would suppress weeds.”

In addition to constructing the box from 100% post-consumer waste, Al notes the company uses local resources whenever possible, driving a circular economy that ensures sustainable growth and keeps the company’s carbon footprint low. “We’re not perfect, but we strive to be,” he says. 

Did we mention the box is also gorgeous? Featuring a lively watercolor print by Seattle artist Sarah Simon
(@themintgardener), the elevated packaging speaks to the Newsoms’ own appreciation for art (they are avid collectors and heavily involved in Raleigh’s creative scene) and is a far cry from the industrial-looking garden products carried at most big-box stores. “We really wanted to bring the human element to all of our products,” Al shares. 

In short, Dirt in a Box doesn’t harm the environment, looks fabulous on a shelf and can be renewed once empty (take Raleigh City Farm’s lead and lay out the corrugate as mulch). What’s not to love? And the good news is Good Dirt continues to innovate, thrive and grow, both here in Raleigh and beyond. “The collaboration with different people is a huge gratification for us,” says Al of the local community. Adds Suzy, “In general, I believe plant people are the best people.” Select Target stores, Grove Collaborative and getgooddirt.com

(Jessica Todd-Marrone)
A New Kind of Neighborhood

A New Kind of Neighborhood

by | Feb 3, 2020 | Buzz, February 2020

There’s a lot that goes into making a neighborhood a neighborhood: The houses and the people that live in them, of course, but also, the opportunities neighbors have to connect with one another. At The Cottages at Filmore, nestled between Five Points and Glenwood South, you’ll find three—soon to be seven—cottages clustered around a shared community courtyard and garden. 

Good Dirt, a local sustainable gardening supply company, designed the space for residents to relax, hang out together and grow produce to swap and share. Rich Realty Group selected Good Dirt owners Al and Suzy Newsom to create the gathering area to round out the second phase of what the realty group describes as a “pocket neighborhood,” defined by a shared green space. 

“Good Dirt was like our knight in shining armor,” says Charlotte Quinn, the co-broker in charge of the property. “We wanted a space that everybody could use and enjoy and feel like it’s their own but also shared with one another. They made this whole project come together.” 

Before the Newsoms took over, the space consisted of yellowing grass and a line of holly trees concealing a water retention filtration system. 

“Frankly, it was an eyesore,” says Al.

Rich Realty Group wanted the neighborhood to embrace the outdoor area so, to rejuvenate the space, the Newsoms added in a courtyard using gravel sourced from Chapel Hill, with a mobile fireplace and chairs and boulders for sitting, plus stone steps leading up to a terrace that houses seven raised garden containers—one for each cottage. 

The Newsoms replaced the hollies with native plants, wildflowers and pollinators that will provide year-round color and attract additional wildlife, including birds and rabbits, while showcasing the retention system which will fill with water once all of the cottages are complete. 

“We wanted to beautify instead of hide the space and make it into a point of interest [for the residents],” explains Al. 

In addition, each of the cottage’s porches was adorned with container gardens of their own using Good Dirt’s chemical- and pesticide-free products. Al and Suzy hope that the central courtyard and garden will create a tight-knit community within The Cottages at Filmore, as well as the rest of the neighborhood. 

“The biggest reward is getting realtors excited,” says Suzy. “We thrive on collaboration.”

For more information or to tour the cottages, visit thecottagesatfilmore.com.