The flowers weren't meant to inspire a business.
They were there to honor a daughter.
Five years ago, Shane Erwin and his family transformed their backyard into a wildflower garden for the celebration of life of his daughter, Savannah. Patio tables overflowed with blooms. Butterflies fluttered through the garden after family members released painted lady butterflies, one of Savannah's favorite symbols, into the California sky. Around each patio umbrella, pots of flowers were wrapped in burlap, creating a simple but beautiful centerpiece where loved ones gathered to remember a young woman whose greatest calling was caring for others.
People couldn't stop talking about them.
"They kept saying how beautiful the tables looked," Shane recalled. "That's when the idea started."
That quiet moment of beauty, born from unimaginable grief, became the beginning of Savannah's Planters.
But the company Shane would eventually build was never just about creating a new product. It became a way to carry forward his daughter's legacy.
A life devoted to caring for others
Savannah Erwin was only 25 when she passed away.
She had already chosen a path that reflected who she was. Working as a certified nursing assistant in hospice while studying to become a nurse practitioner, Savannah intentionally cared for patients at the end of life. Families later told Shane how much comfort she brought during some of their hardest days.
"I knew she was an angel," Shane said. "She wanted to help people when they needed it most."
After losing his daughter, Shane struggled with how to continue the life of service she had begun.
"I couldn't just ask people to donate," he said. "I wanted to build something that could continue helping others."
Today, proceeds from Savannah's Planters help support the Savannah Erwin Scholarship Fund, which awards scholarships to students pursuing careers in healthcare and extends Savannah's compassion to future generations.
An idea takes root
With a background in manufacturing and injection molding, Shane began designing a planter unlike anything already on the market, one that wrapped neatly around patio umbrella poles instead of sitting awkwardly beside them.
Inspired by the flowers surrounding the umbrella poles at Savannah's celebration of life, he envisioned a planter that would transform patio tables into beautiful centerpieces while carrying a much deeper meaning.
Growing hope
As the prototype took shape, Shane found himself making frequent trips to his neighborhood Lowe's in Corona, California.
The Garden Center became more than a place to pick up plants and supplies. It became a place where he could ask questions, test ideas and share his vision with Garden Center associate Collete Cox.
Cox still remembers when Shane first returned after purchasing flowers for Savannah's celebration of life.
"He came back about a month later and said, 'I wanted to share with you what my plan is to remember my daughter's memory,'" Cox said. "He showed me pictures, and it was a product I had never seen anywhere in the marketplace. It was unique."
As prototypes evolved, Shane continued stopping by the Garden Center, asking for feedback and bouncing around ideas.
"He kind of used me as a sounding board," Cox said. "It was kind of exciting for me as well."
Looking back, Shane says many of the product's earliest design decisions were shaped during those conversations.
"All of the research and development happened there," he said.
For Cox, what stood out most wasn't just the product itself. It was Shane's determination.
"He took this extremely emotional and tragic time in his life and put all of his energy into making something," she said.
Today, seeing Savannah's Planters on Lowe's shelves is more than a business milestone for Shane. It's a reminder that a daughter's legacy can continue to grow through kindness, community and the people who believed in his vision from the very beginning.
For Cox, supporting Shane was never about the planter.
"Sometimes all people need is a good listener," she said. "I think I was there for him at that time."
More than a planter
Every detail of the brand points back to Savannah.
The butterfly logo honors her love of butterflies.
Sunflowers, another favorite, remain part of the company's identity.
Even Savannah's signature, the one she wrote in the last Father's Day card she gave her dad, has been preserved as part of the brand.
For Shane, none of it is accidental.
"It's still my way of being her dad," he said. "I still get an opportunity to spoil her."
While the business continues to grow with new products and expanding retail partnerships, Shane says its purpose has never changed.
Every scholarship awarded.
Every planter sold.
Every family that learns Savannah's story.
Each one carries forward the legacy of a young woman whose greatest gift was caring for others and of a father determined to make sure her light continues to bloom.
For more information on Savannah's legacy and Shane's work, click here.
