Not long into her high-stress career as a physician assistant, Caitlin Hastings realized she needed a relaxing, creative hobby for her off-hours. She already had a love for beautiful houseplants, and that love began, shall we say, growing as she read books to gain knowledge and help her plants thrive. Soon, friends were asking Caitlin to assist with their own plant purchases — and before anyone knew it, the seeds of a business had sprouted. “Long story short, I started doing consultations for people who wanted plants but didn’t know where to start,” Caitlin explained. “Then my husband said, ‘why don’t you make this a side hustle?’”
That “side hustle” is now Botanica, a houseplant boutique offering interiorscape services. From humble beginnings as a pop-up shop, Botanica opened an indoor plant emporium in August 2019, six months before Covid — a time, fortunately, when everyone wanted to enhance the home. The business expanded to include a second boutique in Huntsville by September 2020. Today, Caitlin educates on how to add natural beauty to interiors. Her newest offering, Plantscape by Botanica, consists of consultations, installations and maintenance — replacing plants as needed and providing care so homeowners don't have to.
“People don’t know they need plants until they have them,” Caitlin mused. “I work with businesses and homes to make the spaces greener.”
