Between Two Thorns is every instagrammers haven! The cosy workshop is tucked away in Brighton's Upper North Street, and provides the perfect combo of houseplants & coffee. The space also hosts regular creative workshops - with everything from terrarium making, to Lino cutting to arm-knitting! And of course, they stock a selection of our colourful greetings cards.
We caught up with owner and founder Alys Dobbie to talk about how the workshop got started, and her ambitions for the future.
In a sentence, how would you describe Between Two Thorns?
A hub for plant buying, workshop learning, coffee drinking and greenery-marvelling.
Tell us a little about your background and how the shop started.
I retrained to be a florist after being an antique dealer for 14 years, and needed a workshop for all the events I do throughout the year (weddings, styled shoots etc). The shop came up and I fell in love with its quirkiness - my workshop is a non-scary dungeon. Plants came about as I didn't want to get into the cut flower game and am like everyone else at the moment - obsessed.
![](//cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0025/3424/4416/files/DSC_0935_1_1024x1024.jpg?v=1556107279)
When did you decide to start working with local creatives on your workshops?
I just really wanted to create more than just a plant shop. I joke that there are 4 businesses in 1 - but there really are! I love how people can use the space and a lot of my workshops are plant related too. There are usually at least 6 workshops on every month, but I have room for more if there are any other creatives out there?!
What is the first thing I would notice when I walk into Between Two Thorns? Plants. You can barely see me hidden behind them all. I usually have around 300-400 plants in stock and the space is only 3m square.... it truly is an urban jungle.
![](//cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0025/3424/4416/files/DSC_0953_1_1_1024x1024.jpg?v=1556107376)
![](//cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0025/3424/4416/files/DSC_0951_1_1024x1024.jpg?v=1556107457)
Do you find that Brightonians crave plants and coffee?
Is the Pope Catholic? Most Brightonians I know don't have gardens and want to bring the outdoors in...and they want to do that whilst glugging on a oat milk flat white (most popular drink ordered - fact).
What’s next for the Between Two Thorns?
More workshops, more events, more unusual plants and I'm going to throw a baby into the mix too as I'm due on September 15th.
![](//cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0025/3424/4416/files/DSC_0939_1_1024x1024.jpg?v=1556107539)
You can visit Between Two Thorns yourself at 67 Upper North Street, Brighton (BN1 3FL) or check them out on Instagram and Facebook. (Photography: Colourbloc Photography).
We caught up with owner and founder Alys Dobbie to talk about how the workshop got started, and her ambitions for the future.
In a sentence, how would you describe Between Two Thorns?
A hub for plant buying, workshop learning, coffee drinking and greenery-marvelling.
Tell us a little about your background and how the shop started.
I retrained to be a florist after being an antique dealer for 14 years, and needed a workshop for all the events I do throughout the year (weddings, styled shoots etc). The shop came up and I fell in love with its quirkiness - my workshop is a non-scary dungeon. Plants came about as I didn't want to get into the cut flower game and am like everyone else at the moment - obsessed.
![](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0025/3424/4416/files/DSC_0935_1_1024x1024.jpg?v=1556107279)
When did you decide to start working with local creatives on your workshops?
I just really wanted to create more than just a plant shop. I joke that there are 4 businesses in 1 - but there really are! I love how people can use the space and a lot of my workshops are plant related too. There are usually at least 6 workshops on every month, but I have room for more if there are any other creatives out there?!
What is the first thing I would notice when I walk into Between Two Thorns? Plants. You can barely see me hidden behind them all. I usually have around 300-400 plants in stock and the space is only 3m square.... it truly is an urban jungle.
![](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0025/3424/4416/files/DSC_0953_1_1_1024x1024.jpg?v=1556107376)
![](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0025/3424/4416/files/DSC_0951_1_1024x1024.jpg?v=1556107457)
Do you find that Brightonians crave plants and coffee?
Is the Pope Catholic? Most Brightonians I know don't have gardens and want to bring the outdoors in...and they want to do that whilst glugging on a oat milk flat white (most popular drink ordered - fact).
What’s next for the Between Two Thorns?
More workshops, more events, more unusual plants and I'm going to throw a baby into the mix too as I'm due on September 15th.
![](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0025/3424/4416/files/DSC_0939_1_1024x1024.jpg?v=1556107539)
You can visit Between Two Thorns yourself at 67 Upper North Street, Brighton (BN1 3FL) or check them out on Instagram and Facebook. (Photography: Colourbloc Photography).