Growing Joy with Plants - Wellness Rooted in Nature, Houseplants, Gardening and Plant Care

By: Maria Failla- Happy Plant Lady and Author of Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness
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  • Summary

  • Looking for free, natural ways to decrease stress and increase joy and calm in your life? The answer might be simpler than you think: houseplants, gardening and nature.

    On Growing Joy with Plants, learn alongside Happy Plant Lady, Maria Failla to care for plants, engage with nature, and use them to manage your overwhelm, anxiety and experience happiness and calm you thought was only available on vacation.

    Plant care is self care. Come grow some joy with us. Follow along on socials @growingjoywithmaria
    © 2017 Bloom and Grow, LLC
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Hygiene & Healthy Living Psychology Psychology & Mental Health
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Episodes
  • How to Use Plants to Heal From Grief

    How to Use Plants to Heal From Grief
    Mar 11 2025
    Grief is so heavy that it can feel like an impossible weight to carry. But if you think about it, you can use plant care as a method to process grief and loss. Like plants, people can also grow and find resilience. They don’t rush and don’t demand. They just grow… little by little, day by day.In this episode, I want to share the story of my dear plant friend, Wade Lee, also known as Plants by Wade Lee. His story is so much more than houseplant care. It’s about loss, grief, healing, and finding joy again, one leaf, one root, one seed at a time.In this episode, we learn:[00:00] How plants can help you heal from grief[04:22] Wade’s story with grief and plants[10:10] Finding solace in plants[15:14] Find tranquility in every breeze this 2025 with Wind River Chimes![16:55] Learn how to grow more food with less space and effort with the 4th edition of ‘Square Foot Gardening’![18:08] Honoring Steven and new beginnings![22:32] How we connect with the spiritual realm[25:39] How Wade secured a gardener position[29:38] How to use plants as a therapeutic tool for grief[33:43] Finding grace in dead plants[36:28] At what point did Wade begin using social media?[39:53] What are some methods for using plants to heal from grief?[42:44] What is nature in different forms?[45:49] Where can you find Wade on social media?Mentioned in our conversation:Leonardi's NurseryThe Cummer MuseumSoutheast Plant ShowWade Lee’s Hair PortfolioFor Wade's recommendations on how to use plants as a therapeutic tool,check out the full show notes and blog here!Follow Wade:WebsitePodcastInstagramFacebookTikTokYouTubeTwitterThank you to our episode sponsors:Wind River ChimesVisit windriverchimes.com and use code GROWINGJOY to receive free engraving on your chosen wind chimes.Quarto: All New! Square Foot Gardening, 4th EditionGet your copy of All New! Square Foot Gardening, 4th Edition today at your local bookstore, bookshop.org, Barnes and Noble, quarto.com, or amazon.com. Follow Maria and Growing Joy:Order my book: Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness (and Plants) by Maria Failla, Illustrated by Samantha LeungJoin the Bloom and Grow Garden Party Community Platform & App AKA the plantiest and kindest corner of the internet! Get your FREE 2-week trial here!Take the Plant Parent Personality Quiz (Get the perfect plants, projects and educational resources for YOUR Lifestyle)Support Bloom and Grow Radio by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon!Instagram: @growingjoywithmariaTiktok: @growingjoywithmariaSubscribe to the Growing Joy Youtube channel! /growingjoywithmariaWebsite: www.growingjoywithmaria.comPinterest: @growingjoywithmariaOur Sponsors:* Check out Armoire and use my code BLOOM for a great deal: https://www.armoire.style* Check out Graza: https://graza.co/MARIA* Check out Graza: https://graza.co/MARIA* Check out HelloFresh: https://hellofresh.com/hellofreshpodcast* Check out Manukora: https://manukora.com/BLOOM* Check out Ollie: https://ollie.com/MARIAAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
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    51 mins
  • 5 Signs You're Overthinking Plant Care (And How to Relax)

    5 Signs You're Overthinking Plant Care (And How to Relax)
    Mar 4 2025
    Have you ever found yourself overthinking over a yellow leaf and wondering, “Is this overwatering or underwatering? Does it need water? Is this normal?” You’re just like the rest of us, plant friend! It's something I've done many, many times, and I know it's something that people in our community do all the time. We all want to get it right, but overthinking plant care can suck the joy right out of it. But in 2025, we need as much joy and as little stress as possible. So here are 5 signs you might be overthinking your plant care and how to fix it!In this episode, we learn:[02:57] Common overthinking traps in plant care[03:54] Five tips to stop overthinking plant care[04:33] Sign #1: You Google every little thing[09:34] Sign #2: You’re watering on a rigid schedule (and believing plant care cards)[12:55] Alternative to a finger test[14:10] Sign #3: You panic over every yellow leaf[15:37] Grow healthier plants, indoors and out, with Espoma Organic’s premium products![18:06] Sign #4: You throw the ‘kitchen sink approach’ at small issues[19:40] Sign #5: You think you need to be a 'perfect' plant parent[23:34] How to relax & enjoy your plants moreMentioned in our conversation:  Growing Joy with Plants Masterclass - use code OVERTHINK to get it for $ 49Moisture MeterGrowing Joy Episode 276: Houseplant Confidence: The Mindset Shift That Changes EverythingWant to lessen your stress over plant care?Check out the full show notes and blog here!Thank you to our episode sponsor:Espoma OrganicLessen you're overthinking, make sure you're using nontoxic products on your houseplants! Espoma Organic is dedicated to making safe indoor and outdoor gardening products for people, pets, and the planet. They have an amazing variety of high-quality, organic potting mixes, garden soil, fertilizers, and pest control products that are organic and eco-friendly. To top it all off, they have a huge sustainability commitment with a 100% solar-powered plant, zero waste manufacturing, and eco-friendly packaging.Visit espoma.com to find your local Espoma dealer or check my Amazon storefront.Follow Maria and Growing Joy:Order my book: Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness (and Plants) by Maria Failla, Illustrated by Samantha LeungJoin the Bloom and Grow Garden Party Community Platform & App AKA the plantiest and kindest corner of the internet! Get your FREE 2-week trial here!Take the Plant Parent Personality Quiz (Get the perfect plants, projects and educational resources for YOUR Lifestyle)Support Bloom and Grow Radio by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon!Instagram: @growingjoywithmariaTiktok: @growingjoywithmariaSubscribe to the Growing Joy Youtube channel! /growingjoywithmariaWebsite: www.growingjoywithmaria.comPinterest: @growingjoywithmariaOur Sponsors:* Check out Armoire and use my code BLOOM for a great deal: https://www.armoire.style* Check out Graza: https://graza.co/MARIA* Check out Graza: https://graza.co/MARIA* Check out HelloFresh: https://hellofresh.com/hellofreshpodcast* Check out Manukora: https://manukora.com/BLOOM* Check out Ollie: https://ollie.com/MARIAAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
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    30 mins
  • Houseplants for Kids: Raising the Next Generation of Plant Parents

    Houseplants for Kids: Raising the Next Generation of Plant Parents
    Feb 25 2025
    “Start ‘em young.” That’s my motto. Well, it’s not really mine but I say it all the time when it comes to houseplants. And for this episode, I’m sure plant parents are gonna be happy to learn how to connect the younger generations to plants and nature at a young age. So I want to share this conversation with my plant friend Priscille Joseph, who is a Canadian author, illustrator, and plant lover. She wrote My First ABC Book of Houseplants and she’s all about helping kids connect with nature.In this episode, we learn:[03:07] How did Priscrille become a plant lady?[06:04] How ‘My First ABC Book of Houseplants’ was created[10:46] Launching workshops with sustainable brands[13:12] What are the ways to engage kids with houseplants?15:22] Nurture your plant babies safely from toxic chemicals with Espoma Organic’s premium gardening products![16:57] Let kids enjoy a sensory experience[17:27] Connect plants with stories[21:39] Involve kids in hands-on activities[22:34] Make it interactive[24:18] Get creative with plants[26:52] Bonus tip: give kids responsibility[28:46] Where can you get Priscille’s book?Mentioned in our conversation:Download Priscille’s books:My First ABC Book of Houseplants: Exclusive EditionMy First Abc Book Of House Plants | IndigoMy First ABC Book of Houseplants | AmazonFree Greenhouse Scavenger Hunt PrintableJournal of Education in Science, Environment and Health (JESEH)The Bug Girl: A True Story by Sophia SpencerWant to engage your kids more with easy plant tasks?Check out the full show notes and blog here!Follow Priscille:WebsiteEventsFreebiesInstagramYouTubeThank you to our episode sponsor:Espoma OrganicVisit espoma.com to find your local Espoma dealer or check my Amazon storefront.Follow Maria and Growing Joy:Order my book: Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness (and Plants) by Maria Failla, Illustrated by Samantha LeungJoin the Bloom and Grow Garden Party Community Platform & App AKA the plantiest and kindest corner of the internet! Get your FREE 2-week trial here!Take the Plant Parent Personality Quiz (Get the perfect plants, projects and educational resources for YOUR Lifestyle)Support Bloom and Grow Radio by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon!Instagram: @growingjoywithmariaTiktok: @growingjoywithmariaSubscribe to the Growing Joy Youtube channel! /growingjoywithmariaWebsite: www.growingjoywithmaria.comPinterest: @growingjoywithmariaOur Sponsors:* Check out Armoire and use my code BLOOM for a great deal: https://www.armoire.style* Check out Graza: https://graza.co/MARIA* Check out Graza: https://graza.co/MARIA* Check out HelloFresh: https://hellofresh.com/hellofreshpodcast* Check out Manukora: https://manukora.com/BLOOM* Check out Ollie: https://ollie.com/MARIAAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
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    33 mins

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