Ammesha Brown shares her growth as a plant mom

The connection between humans and nature can be a truly beautiful experience, with greenery breathing life into any space. And for Ammesha Brown, that connection has blossomed into something deeply personal. In full bloom and in love, she has dedicated her time and energy to being a proud plant mom.

“Plants add vibrant colour and character to any space. Because I am big on the environment and conservation, my garden babies bring a certain level of clarity and calmness to my world. They purify the air [and] enhance [both] indoor and outdoor [spaces]. A lot of plant parents will say that plants are good for your mental health. Seeing them grow is the best feeling,” she told Saturday Living.

Brown grew up with a deep appreciation for nature and loved exploring the green life around her. Her interest in having her own garden, and growing her own food, bloomed into the thought of becoming a farmer one day.

“My first real walk with nature opened my eyes to the possibilities of growing plants and seeing how they would add to the overall aesthetic of a person’s space. Hope [Botanical] Gardens soon became my place of inspiration,” she explained. She also recalled getting excited about seeing freshly cut plants at her church.

Noting that she didn’t have a green thumb from the jump, Brown is grateful that it developed over time. “I always had the intention of growing my own garden, but I hadn’t started taking care of plants until my adult years. When I lived with my parents, that was their thing, and I would help out by watering the plants,” she said.

It wasn’t, however, until she began living on her own that she truly started her journey and developed a natural green thumb. Living in a townhouse didn’t deter her goals. In fact, it encouraged her to get creative and design her very own container garden. That bold step inspired her to research the plants she was growing and eventually launch a website to share her knowledge with new plant lovers.

“If you were someone who didn’t have much land space, but you wanted to grow what you eat and eat what you grow, then it would be the place for you. The information included what I have learned over the years, what has worked for my space, what did not, and what to avoid,” she shared.

Now living in a larger space, Brown is rebuilding her garden, which includes several varieties of bromeliads, philodendrons—one of her favourites—snake plants, monsteras, ZZ plants, and crotons. She has an abundance of ZZ plants, gifted by her gardener, and has successfully propagated new ones from them.

Crotons are her all-time favourite, and she believes every garden in Jamaica and across the tropics should have at least one.

It took a few months to establish her garden and grow her plant collection, but Brown knew exactly what she wanted. It also helps that there is a thriving online plant community offering guidance, along with numerous local plant stores and nurseries.

Gardening requires a lot of research, and one of the first things Brown considered was her space. Understanding your environment is key to choosing plants that will thrive. Each plant has different lighting and oxygen needs, especially indoor ones, so those elements are essential to healthy growth.

“You can’t just buy any plant and put it into your house. You have to figure out if your home has enough lighting to facilitate its growth and development. Inside plants need light and oxygen. And if they’re not getting enough of those, they’re not going to do well,” she added.

Starting and maintaining a garden requires a lot of work, according to Brown. And having an interest is mandatory because it will take some time, “Currently, it takes me close to two hours to water the garden. From the backyard garden to the front lawn and plants on the car port, verandah, and outside. You have to pace the watering and clean up the plants along the way.”

As for advice to beginners, Brown says common mistakes include overwatering, overexposure to light, and poor environmental choices. She encourages plant parents to learn as much as they can and never give up.

“Start with one plant. See how that baby manages in your space, and take it from there. Plants are expensive, and they require time and attention. You don’t want to do too much and then the conditions aren’t suitable for growth. You have to place plants on a schedule because if you miss watering them, they could dry out. Find the ones that work for you, and have fun being a plant parent,” she highlighted.

krysta.anderson@gleanerjm.com