Tour Plant Kween Christopher Griffin’s Houseplant-Filled NYC Apartment

Plant Kween, aka Christopher Griffin, is an enby influencer, fashionista, author of "You Grow, Gurl! Plant Kween's Lush Guide to Growing Your Garden" and an avid indoor gardener who loves to share their passion for plant care with the world. But their blooming Brooklyn abode is so much more than a social media rival to the borough's most popular botanical garden. It’s a space that offers a simple reminder that when plants need sunlight, water and physical care, we do, too. "Plant Kween is about providing opportunities for folks to learn about the wonders and beauty that is indoor gardening," Christopher says.

A generation of hands in the dirt drove Christopher to follow their passion for houseplants. “I got into plants with my grandmother — she was really into gardening, and it was a space for her to create moments of joy and healing,” Christopher says. “When I was younger, she would take me to some of her favorite nurseries in Philadelphia, and it was a magical experience, especially as a little baby queen looking at this luscious, magical jungle of a nursery. So at a very young age, my grandmother was nurturing the nurturer in me."

Plant Kween is a serious planner when it comes to passionate plant care. "One of the first things I did when I got the keys [to the apartment] was order food, sit on the floor, and watch the sun move throughout the space," Christopher says. "I had a little playlist and was in a very zen mood. And as the sun moved throughout the space throughout the day, I marked those particular spots [that] would be good for a particular plant."

But in order to pass the test, Plant Kween had one main goal for their new space: lots of the right windows. "Whenever I step into a [new] space, I whip out my phone and I pull up the compass app," Christopher says. "Then I’m like, 'Oh! What direction are the window’s facing?'" The deal was done when Plant Kween realized all five windows in the Brooklyn space were south-facing. The very best light for indoor houseplants comes from south-facing windows because they provide direct sunlight and lots of warmth.