Vivero La Lechuza was formed by the couple of Tom Enderlin and Mónica Quesada as a sudden notion hit them while out shopping for something other than owls.

The name may mean “Owl Nursery” in English, but it is actually the growing locale for many varieties of cacti, aloe and agave. Tom Enderlin and Mónica Quesada were trying to find a few plants when they ended up buying an entire nursery when a search on Google yielded one for sale. They named their new enterprise after the owls that frequent their property in Sabanilla, Costa Rica, but the mainstay of the organization are the arid plants they sell at local farmers markets.

The Feria Orgánica El Trueque in Zapote is home to Vivero La Lechuza’s mini landscapes every other Saturday, as is Feria Verde de Aranjuez close to Morazon Park in San Jose every Saturday. The cacti, agave and aloe produced by Tom and Mónica are indeed individualized miniature landscapes. In making each of their planted products, they use terracotta pots, driftwood and old wine bottles to craft singular pieces that don’t need tons of attention to take care of. In fact, Tom and Mónica wouldn’t recommend overdoing it when trying to watch over the plants, but instead just a little bit of care and the plants should thrive.

Cacti are extremely resilient and some varieties have been found living in the driest places of the earth including the Atacam Desert. Aloe is also a hearty form of succulent that is primarily known for its medicinal uses, but the varieties have far more applications than sun burn curatives. Agave has many uses in the area of gastronomy, and is often found in a number of tequilas. All three plants make for lovely ornamentation for any garden.

The plants are also easy to be made to reproduce, and one plant can spawn hundreds of progeny. The way to make new cacti, agave or aloe is simply by taking cuttings of the original plant and potting the fragment. Over time the cutting will begin to grow roots, and, therefore, become its own plant. A single plant can be used over and over to make new ones. Tom and Mónica’s plants are also sold separate from their artistically designed and potted creations as they might be intended for a larger garden.