Bract Botanical Living

Bract Botanical Living started with a simple idea — and a potting shed. Gunnar Ovstebo, a trained horticulturist who spent nearly two decades at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, had always dreamed of sharing his love of plants with a wider community.

The business name, ‘Bract’, takes its inspiration from botany — a bract is a specialised leaf, and it felt like the perfect way to root the brand in the natural world.

Together with his partner Bruce Harper-Ovstebo, they moved to Stonehaven and began selling houseplants from their garden shed. When demand grew, they invested everything to open a dedicated retail space at 11 Bridgefield — a place where plants, people and community come together.

Every plant and pot in the shop is personally chosen by Gunnar for its character and appeal. He thinks of pots much like frames — the right vessel can change the entire expression of a plant, as well as providing the practical home it needs to grow and thrive.