Meet A Woman Who Has Been Growing 500 Plants In Her New York Apartment For 6 Years

Self confessed “crazy plant lady” Summer Rayne Oakes decided to turn her Brooklyn apartment into a forest after her roommate moved out six years ago.

Since then she has expanded the collection in her 1,200 square foot apartment and now has more than 150 plant species including a full forest wall, pineapple plants and even a banana tree.

Summer Rayne said: “It’s hard to walk into a plant shop without wanting to buy a plant.

“I would say that this is a borderline obsession.”

Despite being a successful eco-model the 32-year-old has sacrificed her closet and turned it into a kitchen grow garden for herbs and vegetables.

“I have everything from fiddle focuses - which are fig trees, to a bunch of vegetables, green plants, willows and pothos,” added Summer.

“I can probably say so many different names but only plant lovers will know what they are.”

Summer typically spends $100 a month to grow her plant collection and even has a 150ft water hose that she plugs into her sink to make watering easier.

Summer added: “It takes me like 30 minutes a day but for me it’s like a moving meditation - caring for my plants and at weekends I spend a little bit more time with them.”

She got her first plant six years ago and has not stopped buying them since.

“When my friends and strangers come into my house they don’t say anything at first their jaws just drop,” added Summer.

“When people come in to the house I like for them to feel that they’re walking through a forest.

“My friends would always get wacked in the face with a branch but I was like that’s the point”

The Pennsylvanian native hopes one day to fully homestead from her Brooklyn apartment.

She said: “I would like to carry this on to the future by getting a plot of land in the community garden, continuing gardening and inspiring others to garden.

“I’m going to be like a crazy plant lady when I get older. I’m already the crazy plant lady.”