Plants Are My Favorite People: A Relationship Guide for Plants and Their Parents

by Alessia Resta

This “snappy [and] terrific” ( The New York Times ) guide from the plant influencer behind Apartment Botanist proves that anyone can be a plant parent, no matter where you live, how small your space is, or how busy you are.

Plant Parent (n.): Any person who has ever cared for or dreamed about caring for at least one plant.

Whether you are an aspiring plant parent or already care for a junglelike brood, plant-stagram influencer Alessia Resta (aka Apartment Botanist) has distilled everything you need to know to start and grow your collection in this plant-care bible. It covers all the basics, like understanding light sources, choosing and buying plants, planning for seasonal care, and watering regimens. Alessia also dives into more sophisticated plant care, such as managing humidity, propagating, and mixing your own soil mediums.


• A quiz to help you figure out your parenting style 
• Profiles of twenty-six popular house plants to swipe right on
• Hard-learned lessons on battling pests, avoiding scams, nursing plants back to health, and more
• Five soil recipe cards to get you started

With an emphasis on building a collection that fits your personality and lifestyle, everyone from aspiring newbies to green goddesses will find their perfect plant matches.

Genres: Nonfiction, Plants, Gardening, Nature

192 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 2022

Reviews

[Lorelai Raedeke · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would give it 4 stars, but i can't handle the title

[Claire Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just read this book as a fun plant book to look at and more of a casual read, so it was definetely more of a skimming book for me. I really did enjoy this book though and it had the cutest pictures and designs. It was a super fun book that I would definetely recommend!

[Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. The plant parent quiz at the beginning was very fun and the illustrations were delightful. I just wish we'd been given more than a quick paragraph about each plant.

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun guide. Has a quiz for what type of plant parent you are and what plants will work best for you. Enjoyable even if you know an above average amount about plants.

[Melissa Douglas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick and to the point. Gave me new ideas for plants to add to my collection

[Valentina Sanchez · Rating 4 out of 5]

So ready to be a plant mom

[Morgann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is gold!! I need to own it!!

I made a list of plants I want, but sadly most of them are not pet friendly :(
-fiddle leaf fig, monstera, velvet alcocasia😿

A watermelon peperomia has been on my list for quite some time and I read that it is pet friendly and easy to take care of!

“Some of my favorite plants are the ones I’ve received from friends because they are associated with that
person and that day, and it always brings a smile to my face when I look at those particular plants. This natural bond happens, and it's such a joyous feeling.”
🥺🥺 when I look at my plants I think of the memories of when I got them and naming them! It fills my cup. I’m also a very emotional person who clings to happy memories.

[Roy Kenagy]

DMPL Not useful for propagation

[Rev · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy to read and understand, perfect for a plant parent who is just learning the ropes.

[Yeti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awh!! Absolutely loved all the illustrations and content of this book!!!

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sooo cutely illustrated, simple, can't wait to decorate my new house with plants with the new info I've learned!

[Kaylee Robertson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is beautifully illustrated and had some good, helpful tips for plant parents. I thought some of the organization was a little haphazard, and it wasn’t quite as informative as I was hoping. BUT it had some cool recipes for making your own houseplant soil and has me wanting to go out and buy some more plants. I could see myself referencing this book in the future and will definitely set it out on my plant shelf, as it is very cutesy.

[Aleah Voss · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the approach the author had to writing this book. I felt like my bestie was teaching me about her experiences with plants! This book has lots of great information about everything involved in caring for your lil plant babies. I have been growing my plant collection for a couple years now and had no idea certain plants enjoy certain types of soils and you can make your own potting mixes! Like WHAT? I’m so excited to take my plant parenting to the next step, thanks to this sweet author. Wish I could thank her in person!

[Loren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some decent info for beginners (not sure that it is detailed enough, and actual photos of plant types instead of artsy designs would benefit newbies more I think) but for anyone who has kept plants for a long time there is nothing new. I was mostly interested in specific plant types and soils, but there just isn’t enough detail. It’s very much about becoming a “plant parent” and vibing which makes sense as I think the author is an influencer. Cute coffee table book or something you take photos of (cover/art work is very cute) and there’s advice for self-care in here, soo yeah.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is no one book that will satisfy the needs of all plant parents, in my opinion, but this is a wonderfully engaging primer. I enjoyed the plant parent quiz and made note of a variety of great tips, including plant soil recipes, adding humidity to plants, and gauging sunlight in my home. The illustrations were engaging, and I certainly now have a list of plants I’d like to add to my collection!

[Breanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in 3 days. It was a very easy read, good info about plants - of course it didn't go into major details about those plants because that would be an entirely different book. This book more goes into the different types of "plant parents," what house plants would be best for each one, and a lot of tips revolving around raising house plants. I'm a major plant nerd. I'm not a novice but not an expert. I still found this book helpful, fun, and easy to read!

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very simple, straightforward guide to caring for plants. I would have liked a little more guidance (just more information in general) and real pictures (not drawings) would have helped a lot. But because this is such an easy reference, and because I like the soil recipes, I think this is a great book for beginning plant parents

[SassieMolassie · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an experienced houseplant fanatic I thought this was a fun book and really got a kick out of the “what kind of plant parent are you” quiz. Decent information in there and l thought the explanation of good plant care was a very good starting point for people looking to start caring for needier plants.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really love the information in this book about buying plants by mail & in the internet. This is the updated plant info anyone from newbie to long time plant parent can use in these IG plant obsessed times.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great little book for people who love houseplants but are not experts at having houseplants. I learned some great tips here and will definitely refer back to this from time to time. A fun, easy read and also super useful.

[Kitty · Rating 4 out of 5]

When you are feeling like a discouraged plant parent this is THE book for you. So much helpful advice and gentle encouragement in these pages. So approachable for a beginner and enough advanced help for an experienced planty person.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5// As a seasoned plant parent, this info was all stuff I already knew, but it still makes a super cute coffee table book 👍🏼 some parts seemed repetitive (like treating pests was mentioned in multiple places, ECT). But it would make a good gift for the beginner plant person in your life.

[Katherine Raines · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute book about plants, growing plants, what to look for when selecting plants, etc. I believe anyone who is interested in keeping plants, from experienced plant people to total novices, can gain something from this book.

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

The illustrations in this book are nice, however, this should be marketed as a children’s book in my opinion. I was hoping to learn more as a beginner to caring for plants but substance is lacking here. This would be a great book for kids that want to learn about plants.

[Alana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a really nice guide and plant primer. I found it really informative and fun to read. A wonderful reference for all plant lovers.

[Corrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great intro for beginners or refresher for plant parents. Love the fun illustrations!

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

a guide to taking care of your houseplants. I like the breezy tone. Some good information, but not really enough to justify buying the book. Excellent to borrow from library

[Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Helpful and quick info. Beautiful illustrations. Atrocious font.

[Ronda Canary · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cute book with basic helpful info. Maybe not needed for a pro-plant parent but some of it was helpful to me, a reformed plant killer but no plant expert yet.