The tears of Minnesotans everywhere splashed onto laptops, workspaces and schoolwork when it snowed after a blissful week of spring weather. Jackets, ice scrapers and gloves were put away, all just to be brought out again when the false spring exited. Nevertheless, Hamline students are forcing spring into their dorms and houses by decorating with plants.

First-year Naomi Breazeale has an aloe vera plant, a haworthia and a heart leaf philodendron in her off campus residence. First-year Lexi Borgesen also has an aloe plant, as well as succulents, an iron cross plant and a snake plant. First year Kathleen Kelley has an aloe plant and pixie plants, as well as other miscellaneous plants. 

While the plants students have vary, they all share a love of their green friends. 

“Green is my favorite color and being surrounded by plants just makes me so happy,” Breazeale said. “I specifically love vine type plants that climb everywhere because they remind me of vine covered houses in New England.” 

Because of the unusual circumstances this year, specifically for first years, many live alone and see people less. The feeling of bringing life into an isolated dorm was echoed by many. 

“My plants are pretty and bring more life into the dorm because sometimes it gets stuffy and sad, especially when you’re stressed,” Borgesen said.

Kelley echoed with similar remarks. 

“I wanted something alive in my room that I could take care of,” Kelley said. 

Some students may feel turned off to bring plants into their spaces because they fear they lack a green thumb. However, resources like Google and other apps have made the process much easier. 

“I still kind of don’t know how to take care of my plants, but my mom has a green thumb, so I learned from her,” Kelley said. 

“Honestly I just looked up the plant names online and did what they said,” Borgesen said.

Breazeale struggles with knowing when to water her plants, yet she has kept them alive.

“I have an app that tells me when to water them because I’m terrible at remembering,” Breazeale said. “But my family had a garden growing up plus we always grew plants in elementary school, so I know how to take care of plants in general.”

When speaking about where to get plants in the Midway area, one place in particular popped up in nearly every conversation: Tay’s Secret Garden, owned by Shontay Evans, is a Black-owned plant shop run out of Evans’ house in St. Paul.

“The plants are super pretty and she’s very informed about how to take care of them,” Borgesen said. 

“The plants are absolutely gorgeous,” Breazeale said. “For any other plants I get, that’s where I’m headed.

Tay’s Secret Garden is located at 1054 Arundel Street in St. Paul. It is open from 1–9 p.m. daily. Her instagram is @shontayevans and her Facebook can be found by searching “Tay’s Secret Garden.”