My green fingers have typed a bestselling book about houseplants, founded an online plant publication and won a nature writing scholarship with the British Council.
Extracts
1. The Nature of London - These are tales for anyone who lives beyond the bluebell woods, in paved fields with concrete skies. Where sleepers shield their eyes from bright nights, and yet never see the stars. Here the rat king roams and pot plants dream of tropical homes. Here grows the city’s nature, of a nature unknown..
2. The Fatberg - Under your house, under your bed, under your street, it lies. Lurking in the sewers. A man-made monster of congealed fat with used wet wipes, Tampons and nappies wedged in its crevices. A composting coral-like creature lying in the juice of a thousand bins. Or a massive melted mars bar, depending on your appetite. As we grow above, it grows below. Feeding off fats and oils poured down our drains. Sundays are its favourite day, all that gravy, oozing. Some people have tried making traps in their sink - pouring the fat into the bin instead of the monster's belly. But that won’t stop it. The loo is where it gets its goodies.
‘Send in the Flushers’ cried the council. The Flushers unblock the sewers. It’s a family business handed down through the generations. But no generation has ever seen this before. Larger than the Tower of London, longer than two Wembley Stadiums. Two. They couldn’t see the end. So they sent a camera instead. Somebody posted the footage online. The Internet gagged. The council gave the Flushers special suits, but they didn’t cover their noses. So they held their breath. And down they went. Looming out of the darkness, wet wipes peeped out, trapped like flies in the fats web. Strings of congealed oil falling down like stalactites, dripping. They hacked it with shovels and hosed it with jets. Fatty fatty Fatberg, Fatty fatty Fatberg, they cried. Three weeks later, they were still crying.
3. Extract from How Not to Kill Your Plants -
Cactus: I like to think of myself as a cactus collector, hunting for different textures, colours, shapes and sizes - the wonkier the better. Despite their spiky exteriors, cacti are seriously laid back. The majority of cacti grow in the desert (desert cacti) with bright sunshine, high temperatures and dry air. There are some species that grow in rainforests (forest cacti) that need shade and humidity. A general rule of pricked thumb is that forest cacti can be recognised by their flat, trailing leaves, so when it comes to looking after your cacti, make sure you do your research. We’re concentrating on the desert variety, so sunscreen on, we’re going in.
Back To The Roots: In the desert, cacti sometimes have to wait years for their next drink, so whatever you do - don’t over water. Most cacti are happy with a good drink every once in a while and never re-water until the compost is completely dry. My advice is to get to know your cactus: when cacti are watered their bodies swell and they become firmer to touch. Lift the plant to see how heavy it is - if the pot feels lighter than usual, top it up. They like well draining soil that keeps their roots dry so potting soil just ‘ain't gonna cut it. Opt for cacti soil instead. Give them as much sunshine as possible but watch direct sunlight in summer because the sun’s rays can magnify the glass and cook your cacti! They are happy with average heat in the day and cool nights. Deserts tend to be dry with low levels of humidity so lose the mister.
4. Words from Grace & Thorn’s plant publication, THE CUT - founded by yours truely.
1. The Nature of London - These are tales for anyone who lives beyond the bluebell woods, in paved fields with concrete skies. Where sleepers shield their eyes from bright nights, and yet never see the stars. Here the rat king roams and pot plants dream of tropical homes. Here grows the city’s nature, of a nature unknown..
2. The Fatberg - Under your house, under your bed, under your street, it lies. Lurking in the sewers. A man-made monster of congealed fat with used wet wipes, Tampons and nappies wedged in its crevices. A composting coral-like creature lying in the juice of a thousand bins. Or a massive melted mars bar, depending on your appetite. As we grow above, it grows below. Feeding off fats and oils poured down our drains. Sundays are its favourite day, all that gravy, oozing. Some people have tried making traps in their sink - pouring the fat into the bin instead of the monster's belly. But that won’t stop it. The loo is where it gets its goodies.
‘Send in the Flushers’ cried the council. The Flushers unblock the sewers. It’s a family business handed down through the generations. But no generation has ever seen this before. Larger than the Tower of London, longer than two Wembley Stadiums. Two. They couldn’t see the end. So they sent a camera instead. Somebody posted the footage online. The Internet gagged. The council gave the Flushers special suits, but they didn’t cover their noses. So they held their breath. And down they went. Looming out of the darkness, wet wipes peeped out, trapped like flies in the fats web. Strings of congealed oil falling down like stalactites, dripping. They hacked it with shovels and hosed it with jets. Fatty fatty Fatberg, Fatty fatty Fatberg, they cried. Three weeks later, they were still crying.
3. Extract from How Not to Kill Your Plants -
Cactus: I like to think of myself as a cactus collector, hunting for different textures, colours, shapes and sizes - the wonkier the better. Despite their spiky exteriors, cacti are seriously laid back. The majority of cacti grow in the desert (desert cacti) with bright sunshine, high temperatures and dry air. There are some species that grow in rainforests (forest cacti) that need shade and humidity. A general rule of pricked thumb is that forest cacti can be recognised by their flat, trailing leaves, so when it comes to looking after your cacti, make sure you do your research. We’re concentrating on the desert variety, so sunscreen on, we’re going in.
Back To The Roots: In the desert, cacti sometimes have to wait years for their next drink, so whatever you do - don’t over water. Most cacti are happy with a good drink every once in a while and never re-water until the compost is completely dry. My advice is to get to know your cactus: when cacti are watered their bodies swell and they become firmer to touch. Lift the plant to see how heavy it is - if the pot feels lighter than usual, top it up. They like well draining soil that keeps their roots dry so potting soil just ‘ain't gonna cut it. Opt for cacti soil instead. Give them as much sunshine as possible but watch direct sunlight in summer because the sun’s rays can magnify the glass and cook your cacti! They are happy with average heat in the day and cool nights. Deserts tend to be dry with low levels of humidity so lose the mister.
4. Words from Grace & Thorn’s plant publication, THE CUT - founded by yours truely.
Recommendations
“Katie has wonderful imaginative flair and the ideas to pull it off...” ~ Derek Niemann, Nature Writer
“Katie has wonderful imaginative flair and the ideas to pull it off...” ~ Derek Niemann, Nature Writer
I ghostwrote this book for Nik Southern and we beat Alan Titchmarsh on Amazon, sorry Alan.
![]()
Extracts
1. As more people cram into cities, space is becoming sacred. The houses we buy are smaller, landlords prevent us from personalising our properties, and owning a garden... who does? But we’re reclaiming the space around us as our own urban jungles. When I travel across London, I see nature tumbling over balconies, taking over windowsills and blocking up walkways. And within these walls, nature is taking over too. Greening up your gaff is an easy, inexpensive way to style our home, breathing life into it without having to do much at all.
2. Before we get started, let’s get one thing out in the open. Everyone kills plants. Me, probably Monty and most definitely your mate with green fingers. There I said it. My advice? Don’t be a fusspot. Did you know, one of the easiest ways to kill a plant is overwatering it? Watering can down! To keep your plant alive, we need to go back to the root of the problem. You have to understand where your plant has come from - where its roots are. Think about it this way: plants have evolved over thousands of years to adapt to specific conditions, be it succulents storing water in the dry desert or ferns needing less light under the damp canopy of the Amazonian rainforest. Sure you might not be able to put Tarzan up for the night, but your house already presents many microclimates which recreate these natural wonders of the world. From a hot south facing window sill, to the top of a kitchen cupboard that gets all the steam from your kettle, you just have to think a little differently about your space. And the same goes for what you give your plant. If it only rains twice a year in the desert, does your cacti want all that water? Or if a fern has evolved on the forest floor, why is it scorching on your unshaded windowsill? Once you understand these principles, may you all live happily ever after.
3. Psst! Take a leaf out of other people’s plants... Ok, not literally, but looking at where other people keep plants happy is a shortcut to success. Is there a Chinese restaurant on your street with a big happy jade in the window? Or when you peer into your neighbour's front room (we all do), do you spy a healthy fiddle fig? Does the balcony three floors down bloom with bamboo or is the girl with the desk opposite you smuggle watering her cacti collection? If these people can grow these plants in those places - so can you.
1. As more people cram into cities, space is becoming sacred. The houses we buy are smaller, landlords prevent us from personalising our properties, and owning a garden... who does? But we’re reclaiming the space around us as our own urban jungles. When I travel across London, I see nature tumbling over balconies, taking over windowsills and blocking up walkways. And within these walls, nature is taking over too. Greening up your gaff is an easy, inexpensive way to style our home, breathing life into it without having to do much at all.
2. Before we get started, let’s get one thing out in the open. Everyone kills plants. Me, probably Monty and most definitely your mate with green fingers. There I said it. My advice? Don’t be a fusspot. Did you know, one of the easiest ways to kill a plant is overwatering it? Watering can down! To keep your plant alive, we need to go back to the root of the problem. You have to understand where your plant has come from - where its roots are. Think about it this way: plants have evolved over thousands of years to adapt to specific conditions, be it succulents storing water in the dry desert or ferns needing less light under the damp canopy of the Amazonian rainforest. Sure you might not be able to put Tarzan up for the night, but your house already presents many microclimates which recreate these natural wonders of the world. From a hot south facing window sill, to the top of a kitchen cupboard that gets all the steam from your kettle, you just have to think a little differently about your space. And the same goes for what you give your plant. If it only rains twice a year in the desert, does your cacti want all that water? Or if a fern has evolved on the forest floor, why is it scorching on your unshaded windowsill? Once you understand these principles, may you all live happily ever after.
3. Psst! Take a leaf out of other people’s plants... Ok, not literally, but looking at where other people keep plants happy is a shortcut to success. Is there a Chinese restaurant on your street with a big happy jade in the window? Or when you peer into your neighbour's front room (we all do), do you spy a healthy fiddle fig? Does the balcony three floors down bloom with bamboo or is the girl with the desk opposite you smuggle watering her cacti collection? If these people can grow these plants in those places - so can you.
Reviews
“Well writren. Funny and informative.”
“It is a truly fantastic read from start to finish. Full of useful guidance and tips to make the most of plants, flowers and nature in general.”
“Not only is this book beautiful to look at it's also genuinely useful.”
I help brands find their personality and use words to bring them to life. Mostly at W+K, now on my own two feet.
Meta 🌟 Uber 🌟 NotCo 🌟 Chambord 🌟 IKEA 🌟 Tommee Tippee 🌟 Accor 🌟 Nike 🌟 Google 🌟 Lurpak 🌟 Unilever 🌟 Honda 🌟 Three 🌟 Orange 🌟 Prada 🌟
You can peep at more of my creative work here ![]()
Notes & Extracts
I updated IKEA Family’s tone of voice for over 100 million members in 26 countries. Want to know more? Say ‘Hi’ to a member of staff, and let’s get you settled in.
I defined the voice of new normal milk. You can slurp NotMilk, enjoy my words, and protect the planet. All at the same time. You’re welcome.
I helped Uber launch in Australia, inspiring drivers to follow their dreams. Whatever drives you, drive with Uber.
I helped MSquared rewrite the rules of reality. How? By articulating Improbable’s vision of a truly interconnected metaverse, powered by their own technology, MSquared.
I brought More People together with Facebook. Connecting Communities over shared interests and experiences, all through Facebook Groups.
I started a global carbon movement with Puro.Earth. The client had a groundbreaking idea that needed rapid visibility with clear messaging and an attention-grabbing brand. On it!
I wrote the social copy for everyone’s favourite pink drink. Why? Because no reason.
Hungover? I can fix that. Meet Ohayo. Drink before bed, wake up, feel good. Let tomorrow say thank you. Kampai!
Oh, and I can write a pitch-winning manifesto, or two... Just ask.
I updated IKEA Family’s tone of voice for over 100 million members in 26 countries. Want to know more? Say ‘Hi’ to a member of staff, and let’s get you settled in.
I defined the voice of new normal milk. You can slurp NotMilk, enjoy my words, and protect the planet. All at the same time. You’re welcome.
I helped Uber launch in Australia, inspiring drivers to follow their dreams. Whatever drives you, drive with Uber.
I helped MSquared rewrite the rules of reality. How? By articulating Improbable’s vision of a truly interconnected metaverse, powered by their own technology, MSquared.
I brought More People together with Facebook. Connecting Communities over shared interests and experiences, all through Facebook Groups.
I started a global carbon movement with Puro.Earth. The client had a groundbreaking idea that needed rapid visibility with clear messaging and an attention-grabbing brand. On it!
I wrote the social copy for everyone’s favourite pink drink. Why? Because no reason.
Hungover? I can fix that. Meet Ohayo. Drink before bed, wake up, feel good. Let tomorrow say thank you. Kampai!
Oh, and I can write a pitch-winning manifesto, or two... Just ask.
Recommendations
“Katie is a force of creative nature, who I had the pleasure of working with
(for many years) at Wieden + Kennedy. If you want a creative leader, conceptual
thinker / doer / activist then look no further” ~ Sam Brookes
“It was a pleasure to work with Katie at W+K. She is a creative thinker who understands digital and interactive work inside out. I'm proud to have worked with her. If you ever get a chance to hire her, don't hesitate.” ~ Roo Reynolds
I am a lecturer on Narrative & Voice at Central Saint Martins, London.
Extracts
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
