Welcome to Plant Dad
Welcome to Plant Dad, a place that focuses on all the fun, unexpected and wonderful ways that plants intersect our lives. This company is relatively new, but was born of a life-long interest in plants - from helping my mom with our massive home garden and fruit trees to my own experimentations with plants in my home. What started as a few plants while I was living in NYC really blossomed (puns always intended!) when I moved back to my home state of California in 2014.
Moving back to California not only allowed me to expand my plant collection, but it coincided with other major moments in my life - fatigue with my 14-year job as a public relations executive, my own substance abuse issues, my mother’s cancer diagnosis and my father’s sudden death from a heart attack. With all those events taking place within a matter of months in 2017, I found myself lost and in total chaos, grasping for anything that brought joy, stability or peace.
For me, plants filled a void that seems bottomless - when tending plants, I felt at peace. It not only connected me with nature and the broader world, but occupied my mind with positive things - growth, beauty and connections to others.
It is perhaps not a coincidence that my company launched on Jan. 1, just before the Covid 19 virus completely changed the world and has thrown us all into turbulent times. We all need to find ways to stay happy, sane and connected.
Bloomberg included me in an article around Covid-19 that expresses precisely these sentiments:
Most people divide the world into green thumbs and black thumbs, but “the reality is not so binary,” says Eric Shoemaker, a plant aficionado who maintains more than 200 of them in his Los Angeles home. Sure, a peace lily may require less attention than a bonsai, but the simple presence of a plant has been shown across a number of studies to improve concentration, productivity, and creativity as well as reduce anxiety, stress, and negativity.
Especially now. Gardening, like baking bread, has become an outlet for caring—and sharing. “For those dealing with anxiety and depression or who have trouble outreaching to people and find themselves isolated,” Shoemaker continues, “having a plant hobby can connect you today to a worldwide network of really diverse, creative plant folk. The conversation is completely positive and a breath of fresh air.”
Having experienced both the beauty and healing benefits of plants - I want to share that experience with others and make it my life’s work. Plant Dad therefore will focus on everything from designing and installing plants to creating great products that others can use to grow their plant collections. Having fun with plants is the whole point - so content and blog posts will not only provide helpful tips and the latest plant studies, but also touch on the hilarious ways plants intersect our lives and culture. Yes, crazy play lady is the new crazy cat lady. I hope you enjoy and interact and make this a safe and positive space to share, inquire and enjoy ourselves in these troubled times.
Love what you see in the featured image?
You can get it in two days on our Amazon store.