I started Greeni in 2018 at the age of 26 in borrowed office space in a tiny walk-up in New York City’s Chinatown. The idea had sprouted years before when I found myself in my first adult apartment.
My Mom, an immigrant who stayed connected to her Filipino roots through gardening, recommended I get some houseplants. Little did I know tapping into my family’s generational love of plants would grow into the small but mighty company that is Greeni.
I instantly became passionate about plants, and keenly aware of the impact being around plants had on me growing up. There’s something in the simple act of being around and caring for plants that improves our mood, and, added bonus, beautifies the spaces we live and work in. It’s been shown every exposure to nature—from indoor gardening to forest bathing—mitigates the modern condition, that stressed-out state we find ourselves in all too often.
That (plus a lot of dirt, sweat, and hustle) is how Greeni came to be.
So I invite you to join me—whether you’ve never had a plant before or are adding to a budding collection—in cultivating a space, and a life, with plants. I know firsthand how wonderful it can be.
Oliver is a certified soil technician and enjoys using his microscope to examine the plant related benefits of the microbial world in the soil. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Ornamental Horticulture and is currently finishing a Master’s in Sustainable Agriculture & Food Environment. As a kid, he came home from the thrift store one day with a 400+ page book on house plants so he could learn all the scientific names of mom’s plants. Ever since, he has been on a never-ending quest to know all the plants. He has worked in landscaping, nurseries and operated an award winning on-farm restaurant.
Mia is a horticulturalist from Southern Arizona who owns a small succulent nursery. You’d be hard pressed to find a succulent question she can’t answer. She has helped operate farms and nurseries around the country, holds a Bachelor of Science in Horticulture and a certificate in Urban Organic Farming. In Karly’s spare time, she pretends she has interests that don’t involve plants, but can be found tending to her community garden plot, scrolling through pictures of plants and bending corners in seed catalogs.
Amelia Cooper is a Florida certified horticulture professional, board certified entomologist, beekeeper. She holds an Associates of Science in Horticulture Technology, A Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry, a Master’s of Science in Entomology with a specialization in Integrated Pest Managemen. Her three favorite things in the world are insects, plants, and talking to people about insects and plants which she is fortunate to do as a Greeni! When not working, Amelia spends as much time as possible exploring the diverse habitats of Florida and educating others on the unique insect and plant life present in our own backyards.
Monifa owns and operates a small silvopasture farm in the Pacific Northwest. He is an environmental lawyer and professor, but her love of nature lured her away from law and into the world of horticulture, botany, and sustainability. Known to her friends and family as an agent for “plant protective services”. He's the go-to person they call about gardening, landscaping, or botany. Monifa has made it her life’s work to study and care for a vast array of species.