Nova Gardens

03/25/2022

✨ Morning Views ✨ This is most definitely one of my favorite spots in the house. I’ve rearranged it so many times but finally feel like I got it right.. for now 🙃 Bedroom plants have SO many benefits, both mentally and physically. Many houseplants can work to remove toxins and purify the air, increase oxygen levels, and also add the best aesthetic. They also work to improve focus, mood, and create a sense of peace. Do you have any favorite bedroom plants? 🌿

02/03/2021

This Fred Ives Cristata is one of my favorite weirdos I’ve collected over the years 🌟 Crested succulents and cacti form due to a mutation that occurs during the early growing process. The distinguishing feature is the flat, wide fan-like surface where a stem would normally be. Leaves & sometimes even normal looking rosettes will grow along the top of this ridge, and are usually very compact with no distinct pattern to their growth. This is a particularly large crest, and I actually cut it off of a cluster that had many normal stems and rosettes growing in order to propagate this section and grow it in a separate container. It has gotten even more interesting as it’s grown, and reminds me of a mermaid tail 🌊🧜‍♀️ Crested succulents and cacti tend to need a bit less water than their non-crested counterparts. Remember, these drought tolerant plants store water in their roots, stems, and leaves—so the larger surface area and numerous leaves allow for greater storage of this resource ☀️ I plant into an extra gritty mix (the same I use for my cacti, with a bit extra pumice and crushed granite mixed in) to avoid overwatering and rot, and only water when I notice the leaves are a bit limp. Mine lives under a grow light in the winter, but in the summer sits outside with 7-8 hours of direct morning sun each day. Do you have any crested plants in your collection? Let me know in the comments! ✨

01/17/2021

This HUGE aloe has so many offshoots, I stopped counting at 15! The colors shift between green, blue, purple, orange, and yellow... even the older leaves that are dying off as the new growth comes in add to the beauty of this plant 🤍 If I were keeping this I would pot it into a dark planter to really make the colors pop, but I think it would also look great in white or terracotta... I love that plants can fit the style of so many different decor preferences depending on the pot you choose ✨ Be sure to provide lots of sunlight & infrequent watering to maintain those bright colors.. you can make this yours through the link in my bio 💫

01/15/2021

Do you have any aloe? If so, which is your favorite? Aloe Aristata or ‘Lace Aloe’ is definitely in my top 5 ✨This particular variety can survive lower temps, so if you live somewhere that doesn’t drop below 10* F during winter nights, you can keep this outdoors all year...otherwise you’ll want to bring it indoors during the cold months. It grows most actively in fall & winter when the days are shorter, but still enjoys direct sun for part of the day. I water mine when it has completely dried out and I notice the leaves are starting to go limp. I just noticed some new babies growing around the base of this guy—it tends to be a fast growing Variety and can easily be propagated through removing some of the offsets and replanting them 🪴

12/13/2020

When going through recipes and doing smell tests in order to choose blends for my first collection release, I was immediately sure I wanted to use Restoration and Firmly Grounded. Not only do they both have amazing aromatic qualities, but the therapeutic properties of the oils they contain really resonated with me ✨

•Restoration• This blend contains therapeutic grade Lavender and Clary Sage essential oils. Lavender is by far one of the most well known and most versatile essential oils, and has been used for many years throughout history. Paired with Clary Sage, ‘Restoration’ is a blend meant to lift the spirits, detoxify the environment, and improve one’s general mood. Clary Sage, along with Lavender, has shown to reduce stress and increase feelings of happiness through several small studies. Both promote relaxation, and therefore can be beneficial for those who live with anxiety, depression, or insomnia. Lavender has also been known to aid in treating nausea, allergies and fungal infections. Both have antibacterial and antimicrobial properties making them great oils to use in skincare. Both have historically been used in meditation and spiritual practices. Clary Sage is useful for unlocking creativity, whereas Lavender is known to work wherever needed—love, peace, relaxation, and good health to name just a few!

•Firmly Grounded• A combination of therapeutic grade Blue Tansy, Spruce, Frankincense, and Rosewood essential oils, this blend is meant to facilitate emotional balance, internal peace, and general well-being. Spruce and Blue Tansy both have anti-inflammatory properties, and along with Frankincense and Rosewood can act to influence grounding and sedation in the body, along with feelings of peace and relaxation. Rosewood is extremely soothing to the skin and especially useful in topical application. Frankincense has a history of being used in spiritual practice and ritual, as well as a long list of medicinal uses ranging from treating of respiratory issues to reducing anxiety.

🌙 These blends will be used in the creation of my first line of aromatic and soothing self-care products, and also be available in 5ml bottles on 12/30 at 7PM EDT 💫

12/11/2020

•Restoration• What is something that brings you back to yourself? For me, the act of tending to my Garden lifts me up and returns me to my truest state & happiest self. What started as a few succulents on a windowsill spiraled into starting my own business, and Nova Gardens was born. Starting this small business has sparked a deeper interest in so many things that have, in many ways, always been a part of me. This past summer, in addition to succulents, I grew some of my own herbs, and became really interested in learning more about herbalism & natural plant medicine. Tending to my plants brought me back to the days of helping to pull weeds or collecting vegetables from my dad’s garden. In studying herbs and other plant medicines, I remembered the smells of essential oils filling our home as my mom studied aromatherapy and created her own recipe book of blends. When she passed this book down to me, the desire to create natural products that feature Essential Oils and herbal infusions took hold, and I decided to create a new line of products for my shop. As time moves forward, each of us evolves in different ways, and for me that meant shifting my business model away from only selling succulents. I will likely always have some succulents for sale at Nova Gardens, but moving forward, it will not be my main focus. As I continue to learn and grow, I want my business and line of products to reflect that. Thank you to everyone who is supporting me on this journey—whether you’ve been here from the beginning or are just joining, I couldn’t continue to do this without all of you! Tomorrow I will go into some more detail about the specific products and the two scent blends that my first collection will feature—‘Restoration’ and ‘Firmly Grounded’ ✨

12/02/2020

I love these little succulent teacups! All of the succulents used were grown by me through leaf propagation or by cuttings. Leaf propagation is the slower of the two processes, but I love the little babies it produces and they are the perfect tiny size to use in creative projects. This red cup and also an icy blue one (shown in my stories) are both available! If interested, shoot me a message and I can package and ship them out to you, or if you’re in the Bellevue area local pick up is an option 🤍❄️ What succulent crafts are you making this winter? I really want to try a succulent Christmas tree!

09/17/2020

These are the types of community projects that need our support! I really believe that community education in sustainability and teaching people about growing their own food can create big changes across our society. You can grow food anywhere, whether in a nice large garden plot, or in an old laundry basket on your front porch. Helping people realize this power can provide independence, physical and mental health boosts, and foster a sense of pride in what they can achieve. Let’s help this farm reach its goal so they can continue to grow and teach others!

Oko Urban Farms (Oko Farms) is NYC’s only Aquaponics Farm and Education Company located in Brooklyn, Ne… Yemi Amu needs your support for OKO FARMS MUST MOVE

09/10/2020

Working on adding some items to my Facebook shop, but you can always check out my Etsy to see what I have available. Here’s a few colorful beauties that are ready to ship! Link can be found in my BIO 🌙✨

08/30/2020

Excited to share the latest addition to my shop: Haworthia Fouchii https://etsy.me/32AeZqU

08/08/2020

I love the range of textures and colors in this selection of rosette babes 💫 These beauties and a few others will be coming to the shop early next week—exact date and time to be announced soon 🌙

08/05/2020

On Wednesdays we plant Pink 💕 Do you have any pink succulents in your collection? If so, let me know in the comments ☀️ If not, tell me what pink plant you would love to acquire 🌙