Emily & Brian
Better With Plants | Emily & Brian
What was your first houseplant?
Emily: My first houseplant was a succulent that my roommate in college gifted me (about 10 years ago). It was a Portulacaria afra, which is actually Brian’s favorite plant!
Brian: My earliest memory of a houseplant was my mom’s Yucca when I was growing up. Much later in life, my mom gifted me a Fiddle Leaf Fig and a Norfolk Pine as my first houseplants.
What does your plant care routine look like?
Emily: I usually pick one day of the week to water all of our plants. We travel often so luckily most of our plants are okay with going 2-3 weeks without water. It always feels nice to get home and pick up my watering routine where I left off. I use a pretty small watering can to water all of our plants so I take a lot of trips back and forth to the sink! As I water each plant, I check them over to make sure I don’t see any pests, and I do a little pruning along the way. Sometimes I’ll place our larger plants in the shower under room temperature water to rinse off dust and give them a thorough watering.
What are your favorite types of plants, and why?
Emily: My favorite plant in our collection is our variegated String of Hearts. I love how dainty the leaves are, the flowers are beautiful, and it’s another great low-maintenance plant. I’ve also been collecting a lot of Hoyas lately. I love that they are so low-maintenance and there are so many different varieties to find.
Why should everyone have a house plant?
Brian: Keeping houseplants can bring so much joy to everyday life. The best part too, is that there really is a plant for everyone, it just comes down to choosing the right plant whose care needs align with your lifestyle.
What has having plants taught you?
Brian: Keeping plants in our home and office fills a unique role that artwork, furniture, and other belongings do not. We have realized this is the case because plants change over time and they require us to be attentive to their needs on a regular basis.
As a kid, I appreciated traveling to new places, and the more I learn about plants, I have realized that traveling to those places felt different because of the plant life that was very different from the plants that were native to where I lived. Houseplants offer us the ability to have tropical and desert life even if we live in a colder zone, such as Ohio.
Photos by: Emily Kellett
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