Happy Plants – mobile app
Problem: Plant owners often struggle with inconsistent care because they lack knowledge about plant needs and environment conditions.
Goal: Create a tool that helps people maintain healthy plants with minimal effort in their personal space.
Plant Care App – UX/UI Case Study
Role: UX/UI Designer
Duration: 8 weeks
Team: 1 designer
Tools: Figma, Magic Patterns
Background
Nature and plants have always been a passion of mine. However, I often noticed that I cared for plants based on assumptions or incomplete knowledge. This inspired me to explore how a digital tool could help people care for plants more confidently and successfully.
With this project, I explored how people think about and approach plant care, and how a digital solution could make the process easier and more knowledge-driven.
After conducting initial research, I discovered that many plant identification apps already exist. To differentiate my concept, I focused on contextualization and personalization. Helping users choose and care for plants based on their specific environment, lifestyle, and experience level.
What I Accomplished
The concept focuses on the relationship between person, plant, and living environment, helping users choose plants that fit their conditions rather than expecting users to adapt to the plant.
01 Research
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01 Research ·
Defining Research Goals
Identify people’s primary feelings/attitudes towards plants and gardens
Uncover what may motivate users to enjoy gardening / home plants
Identify any existing apps or solutions that help users do this
Understanding the need of scientifically proven knowledge for plant care
Identify any actions users are already taking to care for their plants
User Interviews
I interviewed 12 people about their plants and their care routine, The interviews were unmoderated in a written form. I also did research about competitors and what they could improve or did well. Here are some pain points:
Pain Point 1
It is difficult to find scientific research in the web. Lots of the articles come from non professionals and it is a hassle to find the good ones
Pain Point 2
To find people who share the passion for plants and to stay in contact is difficult.
Pain Point 3
Plant care is often practiced informal, results are dying plants and frustration, but the intention is to be relaxing and calming
Pain Point 4
Outdoor plants need a schedule based on weather data
Pain Point 5
For non plant owners the gap to go into plant care is huge
Pain Point 6
Some plant apps have unreliable results. They do not factor the room/environment of the plant
02 Define
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02 Define ·
User Persona
Problem statement:
Pietr is a 71 year old retired teacher who has a garden. This garden and the plants are Pietrs absolute pleasure. He tries to grow things in a permaculture way. He sometimes doesn’t know the perfect spot and treatment for a plant. He needs advices on the optimal interfaces, which can be solved by layering different patterns of needs for a plant over each other. Also community and science advices are perfect for Pietr. He wants the best health for each individual plant in his garden.
Problem statement:
Marek currently has no plants in his apartment in Munich. He hasn’t found a good integration of plants in his daily life. He is afraid of adding another responsibility.
An app for him should be easy and clear to use, with minimal effort and scientifically proven solutions.
He would definitely enjoy plants, if it was clear in advance what is needed.
Problem statement:
Rachelle is a 37 year old planning director based in London, she lives with her wife in a flat in London, and loves her plants. She has plenty of different also exotic plants in her flat and she is trying to optimize for her plants in terms of placement, where to best place each individual plant. Sometimes the plants suffer from unknown factors. Rachelle has a limited time span, but would love to take best care for her plants and them suffering. She needs to identify the problem and the problem solving easily.
Defining User Problem / Needs
Next step, I wanted to break down the existing challenges users were facing. Including a <how might we> and a KPI section.
User Journey
Mareks user journey map is showing a user, that has no plants at home and has to get a first impression of plant care.
Storyboard
To better understand how a potential user might discover and interact with the app, I created a storyboard that illustrates Mareks experience from the user’s/his perspective.
The goal of the app is therefore not only to provide information, but to build confidence and make plant care approachable and manageable.
Supporting users in building a sustainable plant care routine through personalized guidance and practical knowledge.
User Flow
03 Design
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03 Design ·
Lo-Fi Wireframes
Low-fidelity wireframes helped me explore the structure, key functions, and overall flow of the app. At this stage, the goal was to focus on layout, hierarchy, and the placement of core features before moving into visual design.
Early wireframes exploring the onboarding flow and plant recommendation process.
04 UI + Brand
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04 UI + Brand ·
Brand Identity
Natural textures, soft light, and organic forms create a calm and welcoming atmosphere that mirrors the experience of caring for plants. The visual language combines simplicity with warmth, aiming to make plant care feel approachable rather than overwhelming.
The logo symbolizes growth and connection: a young plant emerging from the Earth, suggesting both personal well-being and environmental awareness. The brand identity supports the app’s goal of helping users build confidence in plant care while fostering a deeper connection with nature in everyday spaces.
Visual System
The visual system for Happy Plants was designed to create a calm, natural, and approachable experience that reflects the relationship between people and plants. The color palette is inspired by natural greens and earthy tones, reinforcing the theme of growth, balance, and environmental awareness while maintaining clear visual hierarchy within the interface.
Typography combines Merriweather for headlines with Cabin for body text to balance warmth and readability. A simple icon set and soft, rounded UI elements support clarity and ease of navigation, helping users focus on caring for their plants rather than learning how to use the interface. Together, these elements create a consistent and friendly visual language that supports the app’s goal of making plant care accessible and intuitive.
05 Final Result
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05 Final Result ·
High Fidelity Prototype
You can explore the interactive prototype through the link above. It was built with Magic Patterns and includes both light and dark modes, which can be switched using the sun and moon icons.
06 Learnings
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06 Learnings ·
Reflection
This project helped me explore the full design process, from early sketches and hand-drawn concepts to wireframing and prototyping in tools such as Figma and Magic Patterns. I particularly enjoyed translating ideas into tangible interactions and imagining how people might use the app in their everyday lives.
One key learning was understanding where to spend more time experimenting and refining ideas. My visual sensitivity and interest in observing patterns helped me shape the experience and explore how small design decisions influence the overall feel of the product.
Working through parts of the process by hand first allowed me to slow down and reflect more deeply on the structure and flow of the app before moving into digital tools. This helped me develop a clearer perspective on the design process and the value of iteration.
Going forward, I want to continue strengthening my technical UX skills and gain more experience collaborating in design teams. I am currently continuing to refine the Figma file as part of my ongoing learning process.