Re-emerging Botany: The New Wave Botanists
I sat down with Atlanta Botanists Britaney Simone and Briana St. Holder to have a conversation about the sudden rise of plant culture and the future of Botany. Britaney is a local gardener and plant installation designer who currently works at GardenHood. Briana is the founder of Eargardn, a plant consulting business, and FreeplantsATL, an event that works with local nurseries to give away free plants to the local community.
If you’ve never heard the word Botany, don’t worry. It’s a fancy way to say the scientific study of plants. It’s no surprise as we spend more time than ever in our homes that people are interested in owning plants. If you scroll on Instagram you’ll be inundated with photos of house plants, gardens and flower shops. The pandemic has certainly caused this movement to pop-off however, there is more reasoning behind why plants are becoming the new avenue of wellness.
Britaney Simone
Any area of wellness, whether yoga, meditation, acupuncture or massages, provides people with a feeling. In the same sense people are drawn to plants because they provoke a feeling. They’re living, they have a vibe and change the energy of a space. While it would be great to get weekly massages or acupuncture, many areas of wellness that provide healing energy are expensive and therefore inaccessible to some groups of people. “Before, the areas of wellness like yoga and home decor were only represented by certain people and when you don’t see your people in a community, it’s hard to feel interested in it” says Briana. People want to connect with something that makes them feel good and plants provide an avenue of wellness that is accessible to everyone.
It’s easier now more than ever to get involved in the plant community. Instagram is one of the biggest catalysts for this movement by increasing the accessibility and circularity of information. While it may feel like everyone is a plant expert these days, Britaney says “anything that
Briana St. Holder
makes people feel better is a good thing, whether it’s trendy is irrelevant.” We have to think about the bigger picture. People are gaining access to something which brings them positive energy and allows them to feel good in their space. “Plants are nature and will exist regardless of whether people know about it or not,” says Briana. Botany, unlike other trends, will live on just as plants live on. Something that keeps giving has staying power. Something that gives back, people will cling on to. Aside from accessibility, what keeps people involved in plant culture? Like anything, personal connection always peaks interest. “People can tell our enthusiasm and passion. It’s something relatable,” says Britaney. Anyone can have a plant, anyone can learn about plants. “You can buy a $5 plant from Home Depot!” exclaims Briana, “I believe the reason this is taking off so much is because when you have a small community, that growth happens organically. I was the catalyst for my friends. Then they tell their friends, and so on. When it happens this way, it’s bound to be popular. It's a positive, easy, low pressure thing.”
So what’s next for the future of botany? Briana speaks to increasing accessibility and part of that is her upcoming tour of her free plants event (@freeplantsatl). “I wanted to make plants more accessible so I needed to actually do that,” she says passionately. Britaney describes continuing to study more and hopes to set up educational programs where people can learn more, not only about plants, but gardening and how to grow their own food too.
While botany may look like the newest trend, it seems like it’s here to stay. Botany is neither exclusive nor inaccessible, unfocused on who got there first or who looks the part. Anyone can own a plant regardless of what they look like, their age or their background.