PLEASE GROW

Discover the life lessons plants can teach you--from the importance of putting down roots to leaning on others for support and nourishment--in this charming, illustrated guide.

If you've ever grown a finicky plant, you know their needs can vary based on the individual plant - how much water and light it needs and whether it will flourish indoors or outdoors? People are pretty similar. Much like plants, people have seeds of boundless potential inside them, and we need to give ourselves individualized attention to let those seeds blossom.

Every idea, relationship, or project begins with a seed. A seed of creativity, a flicker of hope, an inkling of motivation. In PLEASE GROW, Testere takes us on a journey through the life of a well-tended plant or garden--from nourishing a seed to propagating, protecting, pruning, and beyond--relating the lessons we can learn from the natural world to our everyday lives,

Plants can teach us a lot about thriving. Both the houseplant and wellness industries have ballooned in recent years and we don't need to tell you how the pandemic effected plant sales and encouraged people to reconnect with nature through gardening, houseplants, or simply spending more time outdoors.

This book is a guide to self-care for those who can't get enough of nature. With sweet, vibrant art, ecological sidebars, and a sprinkling of practical plant care tips, PLEASE GROW is a gentle reminder of life's cyclical, ever-blossoming world around us, and how can learn more about ourselves by digging in to nature.

Alex Testere is a writer, illustrator, and former editor at SAVEUR. His work has also appeared in New York, Food52, Taste, and others. When he's not drawing or writing, he's probably trying out a new recipe, or tending to his ever-growing menagerie of plants. He currently lives with his partner in Woodstock, New York.