Cultivating our Community

with Moei Daniels, (re)plants Founder

(re)plants is a woman-owned and operated landscape and garden design studio located in New York, NY. Founded by Moei Daniels, she aims to help humans thrive via interactions with plants, and for nature to blossom while interacting with humans. Moei beautifully brings nature into our design projects. Her thoughtful work seamlessly blends the natural world with residential and commercial spaces.

H&Co: Was there a certain experience that led to your love and appreciation for nature?
MD: I wouldn’t say there was one specific experience. I grew up upstate and spent a lot of my time outdoors as a child. It was always where I felt the most free and the most myself.

H&Co: Could you explain more about the importance of human connection with nature, and how you facilitate this at (re)plants?
MD: It’s all about interconnectedness. I spend a lot of time thinking about this. I strive to enhance built environments for people by integrating natural elements like live plants. People feel good when connected to nature. Equally important to me is building natural environments (outdoors) that function with our existing ecosystem and not against it. This means using native plants that serve as food for pollinators, composting organic material, and avoiding pesticides that are harmful to people, beneficial insects, and the animals that eat them.

H&Co: What’s something people don’t know about plants or would find surprising?
MD: Plants can communicate with one another through chemical signals and sound. The root system in a forest is like a highway network of communication signals among trees.

H&Co: What is your favorite plant?
MD: I have too many to choose one, but my favorite plant this week is Elymus hystrix (bottlebrush grass). It’s a shade tolerant, native grass. It reminds me of summer upstate.