Plant Kween gets a grand tour of Sophia Bush’s next-level garden—and you’re invited
When Instagram’s favorite plantfluencer Christopher Griffin, aka Plant Kween, heard about Sophia Bush’s lush Los Angeles garden—a full-fledged “hobby farm” complete with towering cacti, bees, chickens, avocado trees and more—an IRL meet-and-greet was only a matter of time.
When the pair of plant lovers met for the first time, they became fast friends, immediately swapping knowledge about cacti propagation and planting a bee-friendly garden.
“I don’t feel like the term ‘garden’ is enough for what you’ve built here,” Christopher tells the actress and activist. “The intentionality, the native plants—you took your time.”
Sophia spent years developing her terraced working garden, informed by thoughtful research into the plants historical to the region and the people who’d lived on the property in the past. “Our ecosystems have a legacy,” she says.
Putting down roots
Christopher shares how to propagate a green gurl to keep your plant fam growing:
■ Step 1: Remove the piece you want to propagate, cutting it off at its base.
■ Step 2: In a small planter, layer potting soil, fir bark and perlite—a compressed volcanic rock that’s light enough to allow roots to grow easily.
■ Step 3: Place the little green gurl inside, nestling more soil and bark over the top to keep it upright.
“All good things take time. We all love some new growth,” says Christopher. “Let it be like writing a love letter to yourself.”
Want more of that sage advice? Plant Kween’s Lush Guide to Growing Your Garden—on pre-order now—focuses on the joys and self-nurturing benefits of plant parenthood and breaks down the TLC plants need.
Magic, honey
“I’d intended for years to have bees and started planting a bee-friendly garden to prepare,” Sophia says. But the lavender, Pride of Madeira and coastal rosemary held more power than she thought. Before Sophia could source the bees, they came to her. With her outdoor reno in progress, a giant beehive formed in an excess lumber pile.
She worked with Honeylove to give them a proper home and welcome more—for a total of about 70,000. The nonprofit rescues bees around LA and teaches people how to bee keep.