What lies beyond the horizon?

If the planet is to heal, we must restore harmony—which cannot exist without collaboration.

Water can conform to its container, or it can gather in force as whelming as a wave. What will you choose?

A journey along the axis of abundance and absence, proliferation and putrescence, life and death

An exploration of geographic location and freedom of action and thought

This issue seeks to answer the question: What does “natural” mean now?

Collect four volumes of Atmos at a special price.

The Sphere — Meet Our Community

The Sphere — Meet Our Community

WORDS BY HANNAH ROSE MÉNDEZ

Ultimate Plant Kween Christopher Griffin joins us to chat about the value of community, rest, and being a parent to over 235 plants.

Christopher Griffin, aka. Plant Kween, might just be the plant parent of our dreams. Their collection of 200+ plants (or as they like to call them, “green gurls”) is an ever-growing lush jungle haven. As a queer non-binary femme, Griffin found joy in creating their personal plant paradise. Today, they share their wealth of plant knowledge with over 350,000 Instagram followers to help others do the same.

In our latest edition of 60 Seconds on Earth, Atmos asks Griffin a series of rapid-fire questions to help you get to know them a little better. From their go-to karaoke songs to their best plant-care tips, Griffin embodies the kween energy through and through.

The video includes only a few of the questions, but you can read the full interview below.

To start things off, how are you?

Christopher Griffin aka. Plant Kween

I am enjoying my summer. Taking things really slow. Redefining what productivity means to me in this particular time. As an educator, the summers are an opportunity for me to ideate, dream, brainstorm, to figure out what I want the next academic year to look like. So, I’m enjoying every slow moment.

Where are you right now?

I’m currently in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, where I currently live. I’ve been living in Brooklyn for about 10 years now.

What is your favorite thing to do in New York?

There’s a few things that I love doing in New York—that’s why I’ve been here for 10 years. But, I would say my favorite thing to do is to ride my bike. I love biking near my neighboring park, which is Prospect Park.

What is your favorite plant species?

My favorite plant species, and I’m not going to let my other green girls hear this, would probably have to be the Monstera Deliciosa. There are over 48 varieties of the Monstera, so I would have to say that would probably be my favorite.

Nice. What’s the best place you’ve traveled to?

I would have to say Annecy, France in southern France. I went on a college trip—it was a beautiful town, this mountain bowl with a crystal clear blue lake.

If you eat one meal for the rest of your life what would it be?

If I were to eat one meal, it would probably be this custom salad that I get from Sweet Green. I get it every day I’m in the city, and I pair it with a little donut for dessert. So, a salad with a donut for dessert would probably be the meal I would eat if I could only choose one meal.

How many plants do you have?

I counted last night, and I believe I’m at 238 plants in my little Brooklyn oasis of an apartment.

When do you feel most confident?

There are probably two situations in which I feel the most confident. Number one is if I have a badass outfit on. Honey, if she’s looking good, she’s feeling good. Then the second would be when I’m surrounded by friends and family who love and support me, and we’re like lifting each other up.

So, when I’m surrounded by the communities I love and that love me. And when I’m rocking a badass outfit.

A post shared by CHRISTOPHER 🌱 (@plantkween)

What is your favorite childhood memory?

I grew up in Philadelphia and my grandmother was an avid gardener. She would take me on these little trips to nurseries in Philadelphia. I looked them up, they don’t exist anymore. We would go on these day dates, and I would get to pick out the plants and she would educate me on the different plant species and how to care for them. She’s the reason why I started Plant Kween. Plant Kween is the embodiment of how I saw my grandmother when I was younger.

What can you tell us about your book, You Grow, Gurl?

Yes! You Grow, Gurl is for all the folks out there who are looking to bring nature into their home with ease. Greening up your space can be an anxious process, but You Grow, Gurl takes folks through my journey and all the things that I learned. It includes tutorials and tips and tricks as well as breathing exercises and meditation. Then, obviously because she’s a queen that loves fashion honey, there are also fabulous photos with some fabulous outfits and wardrobe choices. But, in short You Grow, Gurl is a fun campy, playful guide to greening up your space.

How do you find rest?

I find rest by, honestly, just listening to my body. If I am tired, she’s not drinking coffee, she’s taking a nap. If I don’t have the energy for it, I say no. It’s really about establishing those boundaries for myself.

If you could be any plant, what would it be?

I would probably be the staghorn fern. I love the staghorn fern. She’s the apathetic plant that can grow on the surfaces of walls, trees and other plants. She always looks like she’s striking a pose. I would say that plant is a drama queen and I live for the drama. I live for the dramatic. So, I would have to stay the staghorn fern.

Are you a morning bird or a night owl?

I am a night owl yearning to be a morning bird, period. So yearning, so yearning, my God.

And is there a favorite green girl?

That is a difficult question. Cover y’all ears, everybody. I would probably have to say my most recent addition to my plant fam: it is a 30-year-old Monstera Deliciosa. She’s almost just as old as I am, but she’s just sprouted her fourth leaf and I am gagging because it’s absolutely beautiful. She’s serving new growth realness.

Can you share one super important plant care tip?

Honestly, it has nothing to do with the plant and all about you as the plant parent. It is to be curious. I think when we bring plants and nature into our home, we miss opportunities to learn.Each plant is a classroom, and I would encourage folks who are looking to green up their spaces to be curious and to learn about the history of that plant: where it comes from, how it made it to your living room, your bathroom, your office. Plants have a deep and rich history. I think it’s important that, as plant parents, we allow ourselves to journey into that history.

A post shared by CHRISTOPHER 🌱 (@plantkween)

What’s one affirmation you live by?

One affirmation I live by is that we are basically house plants with complex emotion. A lot of the things that our house plants need, we need: water, sunlight, nutrition, all those things. So, yeah, we’re all house plants with complex emotion.

What’s one thing that makes you feel most at home?

The one thing that makes me feel most at home is—is it obvious?—plants. I love when I have the opportunity to interact with nature, whether it is frolicking through a beautiful forest or whether it’s a cute little house plant. Plants make me really feel at home because they spark so many joyful memories for me, past, present, and what could be. So, plants are definitely the thing that make me feel at home.

What is your go-to karaoke song?

Oh my goodness, there are so many. It would either be “Emotions” by Mariah or “So Emotional” by Whitney Houston. There we go.

What’s your favorite show to binge watch?

I just finished Stranger Things. That was fun. But, oddly, for some reason I’ve been  binging The X Files. It’s interesting because there are some problematic things in that show. The things they were able to get away with back in the day, Lord have mercy.

What’s your climate vice?

I would have to say long showers. I love, love, love long showers, but I try to make up for it because I do have plants in my bathroom. I’m giving them humidity and there’s actually a window in my shower and I have plants on it. So, I’m actually like watering my plants as I’m taking a shower.

“Plants make me really feel at home because they spark so many joyful memories for me, past, present, and what could be.”

Do you play music for your plants?

Yes. I do play music for my plants and I love playing music for my plants. Yes I do.

What kind of music do you play for your plants?

I’m all over the board when it comes to playing music for my plants. Sometimes she’s listening to a little bit of Lizzo, sometimes she’s listening to a little bit of Celine, maybe some Beyoncé and Nicki Minaj. I’ve recently been playing Yo-Yo Ma’s 2015 album with Kathryn Stott called the Songs of the Arc of Life. It’s a beautiful compilation of instrumental songs, very soothing and peaceful and calming.

What’s the best plant to get for beginners?

The best plant for beginners would actually happen to be this queen right here. That’s a pothos. I have three. One of them in a little Mason jar and then two are in terracotta pots. It was actually my very first plant that sparked this entire journey.

Lastly, what or who is your biggest inspiration?

If we had to go with popular culture, I would say my biggest inspiration right now is Tabitha Brown, Auntie Tab. I had a chance to meet her during her book launch, and her energy is just transcendent. It literally transcends the screens of our phones and computers. Everything that she’s doing right now as a Black woman is just so beautiful to witness. Tabitha Brown would definitely have to be the person I admire greatly right now.

Great. That was 60 Seconds on Earth.

Oh my God. That’s 60 Seconds on Earth. Hope y’all enjoyed toodles. Period!

A post shared by CHRISTOPHER 🌱 (@plantkween)

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