🪴HOW TO & TIPS
Well… here we are.
It’s Christmas week.
The house is a bit darker, the kettle is permanently on, and I’ve officially entered that cosy stretch of the year where productivity slows down whether I’ve asked for it or not.
So instead of another how-to or troubleshooting guide, I thought we’d do something a little different this week.
Welcome to the first-ever Sheffield Made Plants Festive Fernie Awards. 👏👏👏
(No physical trophies were harmed in the making of this email.)
In 2025, I uploaded more videos than I ever have in a single calendar year.
Some were practical.
Some were a bit experimental.
Some were… mildly unhinged.
But three stood out to me the most. Not necessarily because they performed the best, but because of what they reminded me about plants, care, and why I enjoy doing this in the first place.
So let’s count them down.
🥉 Fernie Award #3
This One Trick Keeps Cut Flowers Fresh for Weeks
This video was a bit of a curveball.
It wasn’t really about houseplants at all, but cut flowers. And yet, it ended up being one of the most enjoyed videos of the year.
I think the reason it landed is simple: it solved a problem we’ve all had.
We bring flowers home, dump them in a vase, add the little sachet, and hope for the best. A few days later, they’re slumped over like they’ve had a rough weekend.
What this video really explored was why flowers fail, not just what to add to the water.
And honestly, that lesson applies to houseplants too. Most problems aren’t dramatic or mysterious, they’re usually small things adding up quietly over time.
🥈 Fernie Award #2
Ranking Houseplants From Easiest to Hardest
This one let me get a few things off my chest.
I ranked popular houseplants from “basically indestructible” to “why do I keep doing this to myself”, and it was oddly cathartic.
What I liked most about this video wasn’t the ranking itself, but the honesty it allowed.
Not every plant is for every person.
Not every plant deserves the hype.
And struggling with a plant doesn’t mean you’re bad at plant care.
Some plants are just divas.
This video sparked a lot of discussion, disagreement, and a healthy number of “HOW DARE YOU PUT THAT PLANT THERE” comments — all in good faith, of course.
If nothing else, it reinforced something I believe more strongly every year:
choosing the right plant for your lifestyle matters far more than choosing the trendy one.
🏆 Fernie Award #1
How Plants Changed My Mental Health (It’s Not What You Think)
This one sits firmly at number one. No hacks. No rankings. No drama.
Just an honest look at how plants didn’t magically fix my mental health, but quietly taught me how to slow down, be consistent, and stop expecting instant results.
That video resonated with far more people than I expected, and I think that’s because many of us are learning the same lesson in different ways.
Plants don’t respond to panic, reward overcontrol, nor do they care how productive you think you should be.
They respond to steady care.
And sometimes doing less (but doing it well!) really is enough.
Before I go…
Since it’s Christmas week, I’d love to flip this back to you.
If you feel like it, hit reply and tell me one thing you’re reflecting on as the year winds down.
It doesn’t have to be about plants.
It doesn’t have to be profound.
Sometimes it’s just nice to pause, take stock, and acknowledge how far you’ve come — even if it doesn’t look how you expected.
Thanks for being here, for watching, reading, commenting, and caring about plants as much as I do.
Merry Christmas 🌿🎄