Care-full design of plant-human companionship for more-than-human neighbourhoods

Fostering more-than-human neighbourhoods means considering the well-being of nonhuman beings, such as plants, animals, and ecosystems, alongside human needs. This approach recognises that humans are part of a larger ecological system, and that care of all beings is interconnected. As populations of humans and nonhumans grow in urban areas, collective response-ability is key to doing this work. Within an urban context, human-led greening initiatives show the potential to support the regeneration of biodiversity in a way that mutually benefits humans and nonhumans. Alongside the growing body of evidence for the benefits of greening initiatives and urban biodiversity more widely, researchers in the emergent field of critical plant studies are also investigating flora in biodiversity initiatives, beyond their anthropogenic utility. This PhD research project is creating a hyper-local case study that explores plant-human companionship within informal green spaces such as nature strips in Bulleke-bek (Brunswick), Naarm, Australia. Building on my practice in communication and experience design for placemaking, this creative practice-based research investigates how design can elicit care with plants in more-than-human neighbourhoods.