Four years ago, Yvonne Cottrell moved to Maryland and became a regular at the Crofton Library. Over time, she noticed that the plants seemed to be multiplying.
“Sometimes I come here just to get out of my house. The plants are my favorite. I mean, it’s as if they’re little babies everywhere. Personally speaking, it just enhances the experience,” said Cottrell. “Seeing the plants grow is my favorite part.”
The library is home to more than 150 plants. Each has a label with the plant’s common name, it’s scientific name and a QR code that links to more information and care instructions.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the library had plastic sneeze guards hanging from the ceiling to protect those working at the service desks. But there were large gaps between the guards, and librarians worried people might stick their heads through them.
Catherine Jellison, a literacy expert and librarian at the branch, had a solution. She proposed placing plants in the gaps. With the ample natural light in the building, the plants flourished, and Jellison began giving out cuttings from them.
When winter came around, Jellison proposed bringing in a few more plants that needed warm homes. The collection grew organically from there.
When other customers started asking questions about the plants, Jellison thought labels could help customers learn and gain tips for their plants at home.
Jellison grew up caring for plants with her mother, who taught her the knowledge and skills she now shares with the Crofton community. As she and her mother grew older, their caretaker roles reversed. Jellison cherished the time they spent working in their garden and greenhouse together until her mother died in 2023.
“I came to really value the quiet time that you spend and the appreciation of the different leaf shapes and colors and textures and the way they grow and they flower,” said Jellison. “It helps me feel closer to her.”
Her coworkers at the library are supportive of the expanding plant collection and eager to help out. Even the chief executive officer of Anne Arundel County Library, Skip Auld, praises the plants and the impact they have on the community.
“I think it’s just incredible. I just love what she’s done,” said Auld. “When I’m there, I always try to walk around and just see what’s there.”
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Catherine Jellison, Library Associate II, a.k.a. The Plant Lady, leads a discussion at The Houseplant Club. The club meets Monday’s at Crofton Library. This week’s topic is; Shopping for Plants. The Library has created a Plant Library, complete with plants and educational QR codes. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff)
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Catherine Jellison, Library Associate II, a.k.a. The Plant Lady, leads a discussion at The Houseplant Club. The club meets Monday’s at Crofton Library. This week’s topic is; Shopping for Plants. The Library has created a Plant Library, complete with plants and educational QR codes. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff)
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Catherine Jellison, Library Associate II, a.k.a. The Plant Lady, leads a discussion at The Houseplant Club. The club meets Monday’s at Crofton Library. This week’s topic is; Shopping for Plants. The Library has created a Plant Library, complete with plants and educational QR codes. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff)
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Catherine Jellison, Library Associate II, a.k.a. The Plant Lady, leads a discussion at The Houseplant Club. The club meets Monday’s at Crofton Library. This week’s topic is; Shopping for Plants. The Library has created a Plant Library, complete with plants and educational QR codes. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff)
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Members of The Houseplant Club listen to the presentation from The Plant Lady, Catherine Jellison, Library Associate II. The club meets Monday’s at Crofton Library. This week’s topic is; Shopping for Plants. The Library has created a Plant Library, complete with plants and educational QR codes. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff)
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Plants were available for the plant exchance at the The Houseplant Club. The club meets Monday’s at Crofton Library. This week’s topic is; Shopping for Plants. The Library has created a Plant Library, complete with plants and educational QR codes. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff)
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Plants were available for the plant exchance at the The Houseplant Club. The club meets Monday’s at Crofton Library. This week’s topic is; Shopping for Plants. The Library has created a Plant Library, complete with plants and educational QR codes. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff)
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Plants were available for the plant exchance at the The Houseplant Club. The club meets Monday’s at Crofton Library. This week’s topic is; Shopping for Plants. The Library has created a Plant Library, complete with plants and educational QR codes. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff)
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Members of The Houseplant Club listen to the presentation from The Plant Lady, Catherine Jellison, Library Associate II. The club meets Monday’s at Crofton Library. This week’s topic is; Shopping for Plants. The Library has created a Plant Library, complete with plants and educational QR codes. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff)
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Catherine Jellison, Library Associate a.k.a., The Plant Lady, right, talks with Ramona Pedersen, of Gambrills, about a Stromanthe Sanguinea, one of the 150 plants in the library. The Crofton Library has created a Plant Library, complete with plants and educational QR codes. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff)
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Crofton Library Branch Manager, Rachael Troianos Halbig, places a plant book on a plant display. The Crofton Library has created a Plant Library, complete with plants and educational QR codes. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff)
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The Crofton Library has created a Plant Library, complete with plants with educational QR codes that can be scanned to read information about the plant. Library Public Services Specialist, Katrina Threat, is seated behind the counter. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff)
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Yvonne Cottrell, of Crofton, uses the Self-Checkout. She said that she loves all of the plants at the library. The CroftonLibrary has created a Plant Library, complete with plants and educational QR codes. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff)
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The Crofton Library has created a Plant Library, complete with plants with educational QR codes that can be scanned to read information about the plant. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff)
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The Houseplant Club meets Monday’s at Crofton Library. This week’s topic is; Shopping for Plants. The Library has created a Plant Library, complete with plants and educational QR codes. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff)
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Hannah You, a student at UMBC, studies for school, surrounded by plants. The Crofton Library has created a Plant Library, complete with plants and educational QR codes. Ellie Coy, 16, a Library Page, right, returns dvd’s to the shelves. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff)
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Plants are seen among the books, as the Crofton Library has created a Plant Library, complete with plants and educational QR codes. Ellie Coy, 16, a Library Page, right, returns dvd’s to the shelves. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff)
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The Crofton Library has created a Plant Library, complete with plants with educational QR codes that can be scanned to read information about the plant. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff)
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The Crofton Library has created a Plant Library, complete with plants with educational QR codes that can be scanned to read information about the plant. Library Public Services Specialist, Katrina Threat, is seated behind the counter. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff)
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The Crofton Library has created a Plant Library, complete with plants with educational QR codes that can be scanned to read information about the plant. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff)
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The Crofton Library has created a Plant Library, complete with plants with educational QR codes that can be scanned to read information about the plant. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff)
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The Crofton Library has created a Plant Library, complete with plants with educational QR codes that can be scanned to read information about the plant. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff)
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Ramona Pedersen, Gambrills, looks at some of the 150 plants in the library. The Crofton Library has created a Plant Library, complete with plants and educational QR codes. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff)
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A Hippeastrum plant sits on the counter of the library. The Crofton Library has created a Plant Library, complete with plants with educational QR codes that can be scanned to read information about the plant. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff)
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Catherine Jellison, Library Associate II, a.k.a. The Plant Lady, leads a discussion at The Houseplant Club. The club meets Monday’s at Crofton Library. This week’s topic is; Shopping for Plants. The Library has created a Plant Library, complete with plants and educational QR codes. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff)
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In July 2023, after Jellison noticed customers’ conversations about the plants were flourishing, she started the Crofton Houseplant Club.
The club meets once a month and welcomes all, regardless of experience. Jellison gives a talk on that month’s topic, and people are encouraged to bring their plants from home, either to show them off or get care advice from the group.
Although she cares for more than 500 plants at home, Jellison considers the club a learning opportunity for her.
“I have never formally studied plants, so I come at it with we’re all learning together,” said Jellison.
The club met Monday, and roughly 30 people, ranging from toddlers to the elderly, attended, causing staff to add chairs to the room to meet the demand.
Nicki Johnson attended the club for the first time and brought in a wilting prayer plant. It was her first time at the club, and she shyly held up her plant for the group to inspect. After a series of questions from all over the room, they had an answer. The pot was too big.
“I’ve been going to this library ever since my kids were little, and I noticed a year ago, ‘My God, the plants in here are so beautiful,’” Johnson said. “I was so nervous thinking people are going to judge me, but everyone was so helpful.”
Jellison and other club regulars usually bring plants to share. At the end of the meeting, they pull names from a jar, and each person selects a plant to bring home.
Have a news tip? Contact Bridget Byrne at bbyrne@baltsun.com or 443-690-7205.
Originally Published: May 21, 2025 at 5:00 AM EDT
