About

Hi — I'm Mara Devlin, and The Potting Notes is my running notebook on keeping houseplants alive in ordinary homes.

I started it after years of doing everything wrong: drowning succulents, parking sun-lovers in dark corners, and reading care labels that said little more than "water occasionally." Eventually I started writing down what actually worked for each plant — the real light it needed, how often it truly wanted watering, and what its yellow leaves were trying to tell me. Those notes became this site.

How the guides are written

Every plant here is one I keep, or have kept, myself — usually in a flat with mixed light and an inconsistent watering schedule, which is probably a lot like yours. Each guide opens with a quick-care box (light, water, difficulty, pet safety) for the gist, then goes deeper into watering, light, and the common problems with what they actually mean. I try to write the guide I wish I'd had before I bought the plant.

No ads, no affiliates

The Potting Notes carries no advertising and no affiliate links. I don't earn a commission if you buy a plant or a pot, and nobody pays to be featured or recommended. It's a personal project, kept deliberately simple, so the advice stays about the plants rather than the sale.

A small disclaimer

I'm an enthusiast, not a botanist. Everything here is general guidance from personal experience — plants vary, homes vary, and climates vary, so treat these as starting points and always watch how your own plant responds. When something here disagrees with what your plant is clearly telling you, believe the plant.