It’s July, one of the coldest months of the year. The skies are low and grey, and everything feels damp.
In many neighbourhoods and estates on the outskirts of Nairobi, you will notice balconies covered in lines of damp laundry—from jeans and sweaters to school uniforms, as it takes days for clothes to dry.
A 45-minute drive from Nairobi's central business district (CBD) leads to the peaceful Ngoingwa estate in Thika, where Dominic Gift lives in a rental apartment.
Apartments in his neighbourhood are similar to those in the city, with balconies that have been turned into drying racks. However, Dominic’s balcony tells a different story.
Rather than damp clothes, his has become a small, and a slowly thriving jungle, with neat rows of succulents, a hanging donkey tail plant, a quiet bonsai in the corner and bright green Chinese money plants thriving in their spaces. Each pot has a story and each plant serves a purpose.
“This space saved me,” says Dominic. “These plants helped me find myself again.”
But his journey didn't begin on this balcony; it started seven years ago, when he was living near the Cinemax cinema in Komani, Nyali. “Life was difficult then,” he recalls.
He had lost his father in 2014, a man with whom he had had a complicated and strained relationship. The grief hit harder than he expected because of the things left unsaid.
Dominic had already fought many uphill battles. After high school, his parents couldn’t afford the college fees, so he took matters into his own hands.
He taught himself graphic design and digital marketing, relying on long nights, tutorials, and a hunger to make something of himself.
He worked hard, but the long hours, constant pressure and weight of responsibility took their toll. Anxiety and depression began to creep in toward 2020.
“I had issues from my childhood, teenage years and early adulthood that I hadn’t dealt with, and they started resurfacing between 2017 and 2019,” Dominic explains.
“I was overwhelmed. Everything felt too much. At first, I didn’t even realise I was depressed —I just knew I was tired all the time and felt numb,” he recalls.
While many people seek therapy, Dominic instead began his healing journey with plants—not as a solution, but as small acts of survival.
He bought a cactus and an echeveria, two small plants that he placed in his house. Then came another, and another.
“It wasn’t planned. I just found comfort in them. There was something about taking care of them that gave me peace,” he says.
But life continued to test him. During the Covid-19 pandemic, he had just married and welcomed his first child. He tried to turn his love for plants into a small business while living in Mombasa, dreaming of selling his plants or setting up a stall.
However, the timing wasn’t right. The logistics were challenging, he was a new parent, and his stress levels were high, so he took a step back.
It wasn’t until 2023, just before his 35th birthday, that he decided to make a fresh start.
Saculent plant at the Dominic Gift Kanake’s balcony in Thika, Kiambu County on July 9, 2025.
Photo credit: Evans Habil | Nation Media Group
“I needed something grounding. I was emotionally drained. I remembered how much joy the plants gave me, and I wanted that back.”
He visited Plants Galore near Village Market, Nairobi and bought a few succulents. When he and his wife moved to Thika in September, he asked her for one thing: control of the balcony.
“She agreed, but made one rule: it had to stay clean,” he laughs. “I’ve kept that promise.”
From that small space, his collection grew. Most of the plants came from cuttings that were gifted to him by friends, clients and neighbours. He rooted them in water, potted them in hand-mixed soil and slowly built up a lush, organised setup.
Today, he has over 80 pots in his balcony, and in the house. Together he has over 33 species of plants with some at his mother’s place.
He particularly enjoys succulents and has about 23 different types, including over a dozen varieties of echeverias, which are his favourite.
“They’re easy to care for and always look good,” he says.
However, some plants have been more challenging. He lost several caladiums, but one small root survived in a jar of water. “It’s still there—and thriving,” he smiles. “Maybe it just prefers water. Sometimes, you can't fight nature; you have to adjust.”
Dominic’s favourite indoor plant is the Chinese money plant. “It grows easily and generously. I got mine in January this year. I’ve propagated it multiple times, given some away and sold a few. It just keeps giving.”
His second favourite is the Monstera adansonii. “Tropical plants can be fussy, but this one’s easy. You just snip a cutting, put it in water and it grows. I started mine in a glass before Valentine’s Day, and now it’s flourishing,” he says.
Despite having a full-time job, Dominic cares for his plants consistently and attentively. He doesn’t water them every day, just once a week after checking which pots need it.
He visits his plants three times a day: in the early morning with a cup of tea, at lunchtime, and again in the evening. “Sometimes I don’t even touch anything. I just stand there, watching. It’s therapeutic,” says Dominic.
He reserves his weekends for more intensive care, such as cleaning pots, wiping leaves, treating pests and checking for growth. “It's not always fun. It’s hard work. But I’ve committed to it.”
This commitment evolved in December 2023 when he started sharing plant videos online. One short video —a humorous take on millennials and houseplants —went viral, amassing over 45,000 views.
A collection of Succulents at the Dominic Gift Kanake’s balcony in Thika, Kiambu County on July 9, 2025.
Photo credit: Evans Habil | Nation Media Group
The feedback was instant, with people asking questions such as, “What plant is that?”, “Why is mine dying?” and “Where can I buy one?” Dominic saw this as an opportunity to share his knowledge and build a community.
In January 2024, he launched a plant consultation service to help people care for their plants, choose the right species, treat diseases and source pots and soil.
“I wasn’t trying to be a vendor. There are already plenty of shops.I wanted to focus on plant care education, an area with fewer competitors,” he says.
He also started selling custom soil mixes designed for specific plant types, available in 500 grammeand one kilogramme packs. By September, he plans to launch plant accessories, such as stools, holders and hanging frames, created in collaboration with a local metalworker.
“I want people to have stylish and practical ways to display their plants, especially in small spaces.”
Behind it all is a bigger dream. “My number one goal? To win an Influencer Award at the Pulse Awards. That might sound crazy, but it would mean a lot. Not for fame, but as proof that this path I’ve taken is worthwhile.”
His second goal is to grow his consultancy into a sustainable business that will support him even in retirement. ‘I’m 36 now. The digital space is evolving fast. Young creatives are emerging, and they’re amazing. I love design, but I want to do something that I can continue into my 40s and 50s. This —plants, teaching, consulting —feels right.”
As well as plants, Dominic is passionate about meaningful conversations, especially those surrounding family, masculinity and mental health. He regularly joins civic forums and X Spaces to discuss topics such as responsible fatherhood and community leadership.
“I’ve become more introspective. I used to be loud and outgoing, but these days, it's just me, my family, my plants and my work. And I’m okay with that,” says the father of two.
Echeveria plant at the Dominic Gift Kanake’s balcony in Thika, Kiambu County on July 9, 2025.
Photo credit: Evans Habil | Nation Media Group
His Sundays follow a set routine. After tending to the garden, he films and edits his weekly content. If the weather allows, his wife and daughter then join him outside. They sit, talk and unwind. “This garden has become our family space. It grounds us.”
Still, there are moments of doubt —days when he looks at his overflowing plant pots and asks himself, 'Why do I have so many plants?' But then he remembers the journey and what the plants represent: healing, growth and purpose.
And so he continues, quietly, consistently and with commitment.
