Indoor plants are a popular way to decorate and add life to a space, but many people don't have the knowledge to care for these plants properly and get stuck in a cycle of purchasing beautiful greenery only to watch it die. This often result in them either giving up on plant ownership entirely or spending more on continually replacing sick or dead plants.

Through this independent design project, I set out to bridge this knowledge gap by creating Greener Thumb, a plant care assistant that transforms plant anxiety into plant confidence. My research began with comprehensive user interviews and journey mapping to understand the emotional and practical challenges of plant ownership. This revealed that users needed support not just during active care routines, but throughout the entire plant ownership lifecycle—from initial selection through ongoing maintenance and problem-solving when issues arise.

The resulting app design centers on four core components: a personalized plant catalog, individualized care recommendations, diagnostic tools for plant health issues, and a user profile that adapts suggestions based on lifestyle and experience level. Through iterative design and two rounds of usability testing with four participants, I refined the user experience to focus on photo-based plant identification and care guidance. The visual design embraces a clean, playful aesthetic with custom illustrations that make plant care feel approachable and enjoyable rather than intimidating.