Meet Paul the
Plant Whisperer.

Paul’s love of plants took root at the age of 7 when a seed he planted in a Styrofoam cup at school became a 10-foot-tall sunflower! An avid gardener all his life, he studied landscape horticulture at Merritt College in Oakland where he got inspired to remove his home’s front lawn and replace it with water-wise plants. After several neighbors followed suit, he realized, much to his surprise and delight, that he’d started a garden revolution. The result? Less water used, more pollinator visits, and a greater sense of community beautifully cultivated.

Paul’s garden was twice featured on the Bay-Friendly Gardening Tour, each time attracting over 200 visitors, and he became the resident green thumb on his street thanks to a neighborhood garden tour he helped organize and grow over the past several years. Having worked as a journalist and marketing creative, he has had plant and garden articles published in The American Gardener, Pacific Horticulture and Sunset.

In 2022, Paul launched Paul-Lee-Nation Plant & Garden (a cheeky mashup of ‘pollination’ with his first and middle name) after having grown his indoor plant collection from zero to 100—thanks to the discovery of plant swaps during Covid and connecting with other plant lovers online.

Plant life in all its forms—from a bold tropical specimen thoughtfully placed in a living room to a patio surrounded by beautifully curated potted plants—has the power to connect us with the spaces in which we live, work and explore. Through his passion for plant life, Paul hopes to inspire others to make the most of this connection.