In 2018, full-time physician assistant Caitlin Hastings was feeling a little burnt out from work. As a creative outlet, she began helping friends and mutual acquaintances incorporate houseplants into their homes. Soon, that blossomed into weekend pop-ups where she sold pre-potted plants with care instructions for novice plant parents. And when the side hustle’s growth outpaced her operation, Hastings took a leap of faith and opened Botanica, a modern houseplant shop specializing in tropical, desert, and rare plants in downtown Birmingham. Since opening in August of 2019, Botanica hasn’t stopped growing. In 2020, they opened a second location in Huntsville, and have no plans to slow down any time soon. We sat down with Hastings to learn more about her love for plants, her plans for Botanica, and the ridiculously cool spaces she creates in her stores.