In Conversation with Hilton Carter
Known for his passion and encyclopedic knowledge of all things plants, Hilton Carter believes in the power of balance. A Baltimore resident and father of 2, we interviewed Hilton on his coffee order, breakfast favorites, and what Oasis means to him.
How do you balance it all?
HC: Balance is difficult. I make it work for myself through the process of setting boundaries and making sure that I give myself realistic goals for the day, for the hour, and for that minute. And at the end of the day, there's always something that you're not tending to. That's just what it is.
As a plant stylist, what is your number one tip for someone who sort of is trying to introduce greenery into their home?
HC: You have to plan, I like to say, ‘plant’ accordingly. You have to understand that not every plant can exist and live in every pocket of a space. Ideally, for me as a plant stylist, it's finding where that plant can thrive, and then what plants look and feel right for that type of space. You can create certain looks with a particular type of plant. So once you have the light right, everything else is now how do we make it feel right for the vibe and mood for the type of space we're creating.
How do you make mornings meaningful?
HC: If you’re trying to make morning meaningful, clear your schedule. Then you're allowing yourself time to embrace the moments as they come. I think the easiest mornings for us are when we don't have anything planned.
Coffee or tea?
HC: Always coffee. First thing I do, even today, I wake up very early, I go make coffee.
What do you make?
HC: French press. Black. Every single day.
If you're cooking breakfast to impress, what are you making?
HC: I'm only trying to impress my wife. That's the main goal as soon as I wake up. How do I impress my wife today? And if I am trying to impress her with breakfast, it's French toast. I love making french toast. It's not my favorite breakfast to eat myself. But you do what you do best when you're trying to impress, right? Before we had kids, it would have a little shot of bourbon in it here and there.
What would you say is your definition of oasis?
HC: Whatever it is, it touches all five senses. Seeing greenery, things that tie back to nature. Smell [can take me] back to where I got married. A lot of copal smoke billowing in the air. In our home, it’s incense, candles, the smell of breakfast in the morning. I remember when we first moved in late spring, and the windows were open when we woke up. And I was like, oh, you hear all those birds? I lived in the city, so when we moved to where we live now, birds are everywhere, chirping. The music that you put on in your home to set the vibe that feels organic in some sort of sense. The taste of the air. The touch of wood grain. The foliage of any sort of plant, different mixes of texture. Humidity, right? Moist skin. I feel like that's oasis.
