Sarah's Green Oasis: Bold Wall Color, Eclectic Styling, and the Magic Behind Her Happy Houseplants
All photography owned and copyrighted by: Lindsey Gregory, of Nashville Plant People & Lucid Linds Photography
Big thanks to Flora for sponsoring this month’s featured plant person article!
Flora is giving everyone 20% off your purchase when you mention "Nashville Plant People" at the checkout. Valid July 13th-July 31st.
If you want to shop online you can use code: NPP20 and save 20% there t00!
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Flora is located at: 305 E Trinity Ln #103, Nashville, TN 37207
Happy Plant Shopping y’all!
Ok, plant lovers! Lindsey, your plant-obsessed guide to all things plants in Nashville, TN, here. Get ready to meet Sarah, the mastermind behind her rad plant pad that may make you and your houseplants green with envy. Sarah is our Featured Plant Person for July and she’s sharing her vibrant world of bold wall color, expert plant styling, and plant-person magic with all of us.
Let's dig into Sarah's plant journey and find out how she fell head over heels into the green abyss. Her story of how a single sunflower turned her into a true plant person at a very early age is a funny one.
I asked Sarah where her plant person journey began:
“When I was in 7th grade I won the “Green Thumb Award” (which was also created specifically for me lol), after being the only one in my class to successfully grow a sunflower from a seed. Between that and my grandmother… it was inevitable that I would become the “crazy plant lady” I am today. I even have a few of my grandmothers plants/cuttings.”
With her grandmother's green influence, it was written in the stars (or soil) that Sarah would become the self-proclaimed "crazy plant lady" she is today. She proudly still owns some of her grandmother's precious plants and cuttings, continuing the legacy of the green goddesses before her.
This was her grandmothers plant. It’s a Clivia plant, a beauty of the houseplant world, it boasts striking clusters of vibrant orange or yellow flowers when it blooms.
Sarah said this plant from her Grandma was bought at a church yard sale for $5 between 1990-1994.
This is a cutting Sarah is water propagating from her bigger potted Monstera that has been passed down to her through family.
After Sarah’s photo shoot she texted me saying,
“I just asked my mom about the ages of the plants I got from my dad/my grandma and I was very wrong, but in the coolest way! The Monstera: likely obtained between 1983-1985!!! So both [the Clivia and the Monstera] are older than me, but the Monstera is 100% the oldest plant in my collection BY FAR!”
What brings Sarah the most joy when it comes to collecting and keeping houseplants is not just about watching them grow and thrive under her care (although that's pretty darn satisfying). She also gets an extra kick out of sharing her plants with friends, family, and anyone who appreciates the beauty of plants. *cough cough* Oh hey there, new bestie. *wink wink*
Sarah said she tends to opt for smaller plants when she buys new plants because she has a small-ish living room that she shares with two humans and 3 cats.
2 of those cats we had the pleasure of meeting.
Meet Tim
A friendly fellow with a pretty rad haircut.
Meet Monty
Quite curious and interested in all things we were up to.
Let's take a moment to get to know Sarah a little better. Originally from New York, she's been in the Nashville Plant scene for six years (music scene, what music scene? This is a plant scene now, HA!) By day, she works her magic as an Events and Catering Manager at the Country Music Hall of Fame, bringing people's visions to life.
Sarah said:
“I try to incorporate plants in any way I can because while florals are awesome…. MORE PLANTS ALWAYS!!”
We couldn't agree more, Sarah.
So how many indoor plants does Sarah have? Brace yourselves, folks, because we're talking about a plant army of nearly 100 strong (or maybe even more—counting is hard when your green babies keep multiplying).
“Close to 100 if not a little over. I try not to count.”
We get that too.
Sarah’s house is bursting at the seams with the color green from her plants to her walls. Some of you may be asking the burning question, “What color green is that on her walls?”. Don’t worry, that was one of the first questions I asked too. It’s called “Backcountry Green” from Sherwin Williams. I’m obsessed and plan to paint my home office walls that color in the very near future.
Sarah’s decorating skills are on point. Eclectic, bold and cozy all at the same time. Houseplants help any room feel amazing, but add in all the other fun decor she has and she’s winning the could-be-found-on-Pinterest game.
Now, let's spill the soil on Sarah's favorite local plant source. She has a few local spots she likes to frequent, but swears by the quality of the plants from Flora, (coincidentally, our sponsor this month. I promise, I’m not making this up, but I did combine the two on purpose, it only makes sense!). Sarah told us she thinks the only reason the Calathea (you see in the image below) is thriving is because she purchased it at Flora. Calatheas are tough for most people.
Calathea Care Tips
Give them the spotlight, but not the Hollywood treatment. Bright, indirect light is their jam, but no intense direct sunlight. They're kinda like celebrities that would prefer a cozy dimly-lit restaurant, lol.
Hydration without drowning. Keep their soil moist, but let the top inch dry out between waterings or else prepare for the drama.
Picky eaters with a taste for luxury. Feed them a balanced houseplant fertilizer, but don't go overboard. It's like serving them a gourmet meal without overwhelming their delicate taste buds.
Remember, Calatheas are divas who deserve just a little extra attention. Embrace their sass, show’em a little love (and a touch of sarcasm), and they might just try to steal the show in your plant collection!
You’ll find lots of green goodness with a visit to Flora, and don’t forget your 20% off hook up for MORE PLANTS!
Sarah’s Mounted Staghorn
Sarah also took a Staghorn Mounting class at Flora which is where this beauty came from. Let me know in the comments if anyone wants to do this as much as I do and I will try to arrange it.
Sarah is a wealth of plant knowledge. She has volunteered to teach a class for us which I hope to be able to put together in the near future too. She told me things about perlite, sunlight, and propagating that I did not know. Here’s what Sarah says about light for your houseplants:
“Don’t be afraid of light!!! Depending on the windows, direction, etc., what you think is bright light is essentially the equivalent of being inside the mouth of a cave. Yea, you can see the sunlight, but your plants aren’t. Sun coming in through a window is not the same as sun outside. You may not want your plant to sit in direct outdoor sunlight for 6 hours, but 4 hours through a window will make it thrive. Every plant parent needs a light meter!! Bright indirect light is such a wide range and knowing how much light you really have changed my entire plant journey. I personally have 2 [ligh meters], 1 is from Amazon and the other is from a plant person I follow on Instagram. The more expensive one is worth the $$ and it supports a “small business” for lack of a better word for the 1 person I follow on Instagram that made an awesome light meter”.
Sarah recommends these two light meters:
Sarah’s String of Turtles
The succulent with adorable turtle-shaped leaves, loves bright light. Sarah said that’s why her’s is so full on the top, because the top gets really bright light directly in her window.
Remember, String of Turtles enjoys a snug pot and doesn't require frequent repotting, so let it be cozy in its container and watch it gracefully trail and cascade, while adding a touch of charm to your indoor jungle.
Remember these little succulents are content with their cozy pots and happy to be a part of your houseplant collection with enough light to thrive.
Before you see the rest of Sarah and her gorgeous plants and home. I would like to switch gears a second and talk about Sarah's photo shoot experience, just in case any of you reading this are on the fence about applying to be a Featured Plant Person.
I asked Sarah if she enjoyed her shoot/interview and here’s what she had to say:
“YES!! It was so fun and I felt so comfortable with both Lindsey and Bella [Gumball Media, the one behind all the videos of plant people shoots you see on our social media pages].
I was nervous at first bc I always compare myself to others and thought ‘my collection’s not that big’ or ‘my space is cool, but maybe only I think that’, but I knew I’d regret not at least applying to be a F.P.P. [Feature Plant Person]. The second that Lindsey walked into my house all of my fears were squashed and I’d do it again in a heartbeat!I’d recommend this (and Lindsey) to anyone. It was so great to just chat with people who also love plants and not worry about being bored. Lindsey/Bella are also a great at telling you what to do and seeing them smile from behind the cameras made it even easier to “pose” because you could see how much they loved doing what they do best.
*blush* It’s awesome to hear that Sarah’s experience was as much fun for her as it was for me and Bella. If I’m being honest, it feels a little weird to add this part to the blog, but I also want you to hear about how these features go from someone besides me. If you are proud of your plant collection, want to show it off and love to talk about plants, being a Featured Plant Person might be a fun experience for you too. You can inspire our community of plant people to boot. To apply you can go here.
Now check out all these amazing shots of Sarah and her plant pad:
Even though I could write a short novel on all that Sarah taught us and shared, I better wrap up this article. I’ll be sure to put more tidbits out on all of our socials, so stay tuned in our private Facebook group and on Instagram for those.
Thank you Sarah, for introducing us to your beautifully styled plant-filled home and for sharing part of your plant person journey with our community. From humble beginnings as a seventh-grade sunflower superstar to the proud owner of a hundred (or more) green babies, Sarah, you are living your best plant person life. I can attest after meeting you that your happiness and mental health thrive because of it. Thanks for inspiring so many more people to do the same. It was such a pleasure to work on this project with you!
Now go forth, fellow plant enthusiasts, and let Sarah's story inspire you to fill your house with plants...and maybe even paint a wall or two. It’s ok to be a “crazy plant person”, YOU are among your people here. And remember, you can never have too many plants.
I’ll see many of you at a plant swap soon!
This picture from Sarah’s place was too perfect to not sign off with!
Peace, Love and Plants,
Lindsey
Nashville Plant People
P.S. Check out all of the exclusive offers you get just for being a Nashville Plant Person. Click that green button below. ;)