Barry "Junglebarry" Schwartz:

As a plant grower, collector, and artist, Barry Schwartz wears many hats. His wife and he tend to several greenhouses where they tend to a collection that would make any plant lover swoon. 

Barry didn’t feel like he fit in very well when he was young, so he found himself most comfortable in nature. He’s proud that he was able to create a life that his younger self would have thrived in. 

“Tarzan was like this man of the jungle, and I dreamed of living in a jungle…And, I mean it was a fantasy that I kind of lived out part of my life to make it as true as it could be for me.”

Being able to share his green oasis with others is really important to Barry. He’s had friends compare his greenhouses to their “church,” so he knows the value that these spaces hold. 

He hopes that after he’s gone, he can find people who will continue to care for his massive collection so that everyone can still enjoy all that he’s grown. 

“People can come in here all grumpy and unhappy, and by the time they leave, they’re smiling and they got a whole different attitude about life.”

A film by Jacopo Fantastichini.