Dr. James | Pistils & Pollen

A few favorite plants from my greenhouse! 🌿 Some have been with me for years. Others surprised me once they settled in. Plants have a way of quietly transforming a space over time. Full greenhouse tour is up on YouTube (and in the Pistils & Pollen app).

We've had some lovely early spring weather here in Chicago over the weekend! The Galanthus elwesii, commonly called giant snowdrops, have been blooming in my Pollinator Parkway garden since last week and they're a most welcome sign of spring.

This greenhouse is where the real work of growing happens for me these days. 🌿 Full tour on YouTube or inside the Pistils & Pollen app.
#houseplants #greenhousetour

Lingering in the Frick’s courtyard garden conservatory this weekend 🌿 A peace lily in bloom + a philodendron leaf hardening off—two different stages of growth, both beautiful.
Do you prefer bold blooms or glossy foliage?
#PeaceLily #Philodendron #Conservatory

One plant. One win. One step.
That’s enough. 🌿
#PlantReset #Houseplants

I don’t keep many orchids at home, so I love visiting them at the Lincoln Park Conservatory. This Brascidostele Gilded Tower ‘Mystic Maze’ in bloom was a quiet reminder to slow down and simply enjoy plants. What blooms inspire you most? #Orchids #PlantInspiration

Identity shapes habits. You can choose who you’re growing into. 🌱
#PlantParent #PlantCare

A Snow Queen pothos leaf hardening off in my greenhouse 🤍 Slow, steady growth is part of the joy of caring for plants. PlantPals VIP = 20% off plants + community support. What plant is growing with you right now? #EpipremnumAureum #PothosCare

Winter isn’t empty. It’s preparatory. 🌱
Full video on YouTube.

Monstera adansonii finding its way up the moss pole—one node at a time. 🌿 PlantPals VIP gets community support + 20% off in the plant shop. What plant are you guiding right now? #MonsteraAdansonii #AroidCare

Winter gardening ritual = hope in motion. 🌿 Full video is live on my YouTube channel.

I stopped by the Lincoln Park Conservatory and fell in love with this lovely little orchid. If you have President's Day off today, is anyone else spending it in a park, conservatory, or a botanical garden?

Valentine’s Day doesn’t need roses.
A plant says: “I’m willing to tend this — with you.” 🌿 Slow growth. Long care. Real meaning. What plant feels like love to you?
#ValentinesDay #Houseplants

Courtyard gardens always stop me in my tracks 🌿 Visited the Flagler Museum this weekend and soaked in the lush, intimate beauty of its courtyards. Classical design + dense planting = joy for me!
#CourtyardGardens #GardenInspiration

Reset = realign.
Not more. Just better fit. 🌿
#PlantReset #PlantCare

My Ficus umbellata reminding me that some plants are just easier to live with 🌿
So much less fussy than a fiddle leaf, with the same big-leaf drama.
#Houseplants #FicusUmbellata

Hard ≠ failure.
Hard = signal.
Listen closely. 🌱
#PlantCare #Houseplants

Clean leaves = better winter light 🌿
A quick spray down for my Philodendron goeldii and giganteum helps them use what little sun we get right now.
Do you clean leaves in winter?
#Houseplants #PlantCare

Growth hides in small choices we forget to celebrate.
Name your wins—they’re your foundation. 🌿
#PlantWins #PlantCare

A new frond on my Platycerium elephantotis—slow, steady, and worth the wait. Growth doesn’t rush, and neither do the best lessons. 🌿
What’s your slowest grower right now?
#Houseplants #PlantCare

Most plant struggles aren’t about knowledge—they’re about unnoticed patterns. Clarity changes everything. 🌱 Watch the full reset on my YouTube channel + download the free guide.
#PlantCare #PlantReset

I used to think my plant mistakes were mine alone to solve. But I’ve learned that every leaf is a lesson better shared. For 2026, I’m changing my approach. Here is how we’re going to grow in community this year...and you're invited.

This year, I'm thinking of leaning in and growing my collection of cacti and succulents. What about you? #euphorbia

Ever feel like your space needs a fresh start? Plants are more than just decor—they’re powerful symbols of the intentions we set. Let’s talk about the lucky plants for 2026.
#LuckyPlants #Houseplants2026

Sun-kissed leaves on this majestic Alocasia macrorrhizos. Isn't it marvelous?

What are you hoping for in the year ahead?

Happy New Year! May your dreams and goals for the year ahead be at least as large and magnificent as this Elephant Ear Alocasia.

Final call 🌿 Founder’s rate closes soon.
Real help, real savings, real community — for $19.99/year. 💚

This Pachypodium lamerei has slowly become one of my favorite plants—spiky, patient, and full of character. Some plants earn your love over time. 🌱 What plant surprised you?
#PachypodiumLamerei #FavoritePlants

Longform, intentional storytelling. Full video live on YouTube.