Why Matthew Gaston Is on a Mission to Get Folks Excited About Plants
Austin's popular plant educator uses social media to foster an appreciation of the botanical world
Matthew Gaston leads with contagious positivity and passion for his work. If you search for him on social media, you’ll find a plethora of vibrant, humorous content full of song and dance, primarily centered around plant education. Gaston started making videos in 2020 as a way to practice virtual speaking. He was in Hawaii working on his PhD in Tropical Plant and Soil Science when the pandemic suddenly shut everything down. His oral exams were moved to a virtual setting, so in an effort to practice speaking to the camera, Gaston started making videos. He started with cooking videos and eventually shifted to talking about plants. Over the years, he has built a loyal following across Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.
“My goal is for it to be fun for me,” says Gaston regarding the creation of video content. “If I am having fun, then it will likely be fun for folks to watch. Secondarily, I want folks to learn a thing or two about plants as they are often under-appreciated and under-discussed in our school systems.”
From the beginning, his theatrical content has resonated with the queer community. Gaston is honored and delighted by their support.
“Botany is full of queerness from trees that can change their sex to hermaphroditic flowers being scientifically described as perfect,” adds Gaston. “As a gay man myself, I am proud of who I am, and I am proud of the folks in the queer community living their lives true to who they are.”
In January 2022, Gaston took on the role of the Education Director at Zilker Botanical Garden, where his passion for plants paired perfectly with his charming ability to engage an audience.
For Gaston, a garden is more than just a collection of plants; it’s a living classroom. On a mission to foster community and appreciation of the botanical world, Gaston enjoys educating the younger generations.
“When I was in elementary school, I visited a botanical garden and became obsessed with plants. Perhaps, a handful of the kids I interact with come away with a similar experience.”
While he recently left his full-time role at the Zilker Botanical Garden, Gaston thoroughly enjoyed his time there, and the experience inspired him to double down on spreading the word about plants. As for future endeavors, Gaston is working on exciting new personal projects focusing more on widespread education. Fortunately, we may still see him teaching botany classes around town.
People like Gaston help keep lush green spaces alive and accessible for us Austinites. Through his educational social media presence, he also helps youth worldwide stay interested in plants and conservation. Gaston has an infectious passion for history, community and youth education, and he’s using it to stoke folks’ curiosity about the natural world.