Photo: Javier Iván Studio
Welcome to Agrochic! A woman-focus gardening lifestyle platform founded in 2009. Wellness, gardening, urban agriculture, and upcycling are our favorite topics.
Our core values are respect, positivism, creativity, intentionality, inclusivity, and knowledge-based content.
My name is Perla Sofía Curbelo-Santiago (Sofía is my middle name, and Curbelo-Santiago are my parent´s last names). I was born and raised on the tropical island of Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory. I currently live on the Island.
Since I was a kid, I was always interested in flowers and plants. I used to have my own garden lot in my parent´s backyard. I remembered going around the neighborhood collecting flowers to bring back home. I noticed how the vase with flowers changed the room’s mood and everybody around it. That was my early horticultural therapy experience. I´m interested in helping people, especially women, to adapt and use Nature/Gardening as a tool for their wellbeing.
I´m a professional communicator with a long experience in radio, television, and newspapers. I majored in Psychology, from the University of Puerto Rico, and hold a master´s degree, in Public Relations, from Universidad del Sagrado Corazón. I´m Certified in Horticulture Therapy (2019) from the Chicago Botanic Garden.
I´m a natural connector, educator, and speaker for corporate and general audiences. I serve as Regional Director (Region 7) of Garden Communicators International. Also, I´m a member of the American Horticultural Therapy Association, and a contributor to the BIPOC Hort Group, and the Spanish Association of Social and Therapeutic Horticulture (AEJHST).
I had worked/collaborated with well-known companies and brands like Ford Motor Company, Walmart, FirstBank, Garnier, National Lumber & Hardware, and Corona Tools, to name a few.
Besides Spanish and English, I speak fluent Italian. Love botanic gardens, The Secret Garden theme, reading, Netflix, baking, the Fall season, and going for a power walk.
I was named the 2021 recipient of the American Horticultural Society’s (AHS) B.Y. Morrison Communications Award, which recognizes effective and inspirational communication through print, radio, television, and/or online media, that advances public interest and participation in horticulture.
The accolade is one of the Great American Gardeners Awards that the AHS presents annually to individuals, organizations, and businesses that represent the best in American gardening. Each of the recipients has contributed significantly to fields such as scientific research, garden communication, landscape design, youth gardening, and conservation.
In January 2022, I joined the KidsGardening board of directors, an organization committed to creating opportunities for kids to learn and grow through gardening, engaging their natural curiosity and wonder.
If you´re interested to know more about our work in Agrochic or want to create a special collaboration, send me an email at perlasofia@agrochic.com
Thank you for reading!
Perla Sofía