I go through phases of plant buying- there are days that I spend browsing multiple plant selling websites as I have this excessive need to surround myself with more and more greens at home – then I stop for a while, mainly due to them dying in a relatively short period of time after that purchase. This time one of those deaths was unusual. I had bought a beautiful plant a year ago, it seemed very lively- the speed it was growing was unbelievable and it was clearly living its life. The only issue was its constant need for watering- if you did not add the water to the soil within 4-5 days, the leaves started drying out. It quickly became our neediest and most dramatic plant, but we loved it. A few months ago we started noticing unusual little flies in the flat that I have never seen before. They were not fruit flies, I am very familiar with those, so instead of enjoying our fruit bowl, they gathered around our plant. Not thinking much of it at first, I let them be, which was a big mistake…

A month later our flat was infested with ‘’fungus gnats’’ -as later discovered on google. And although everyone kept saying it is extremely easy to get rid of them, nothing was helping- sticky flycatchers, cinnamon, cider vinegar, garlic, sprays- we tried them all. I was even vacuuming the pot at one point. So long story short- we ended up getting rid of our plant baby and so most of the flies. It ended up being an issue with the compost itself. Apparently, some are generally moister and better suited for outdoor plants. We always learn, do we?

Despite the sad story, plants have various positive effects on our lives. If years ago a ‘’cat lady’’ was a trend, now the cats have been overshadowed by plants and books. If you have enough of them at home, you are popular already.

So what are plants good for?

1. Air purifier. Plants like ferns, dragon trees, and English ivy are one of the plants that are known to soak up pollutants called volatile organic compounds which are found in places like carpets, paint, cleaners, candles etc. And we don’t want to add more pollutants to our already toxic lifestyle, so why not add more green things?
2. When we think of plants, it does not necessarily mean just flowers and pretty leaves. Herbs can be beautiful plants also, which can aid in improving digestion. Basil, mint, parsley, and lavender can be added to your daily meals, reducing the bloat and other digestive issues.
3. Home remedy. You would have heard of the famous Aloe Vera. It has a gel-like substance inside that is known to help treat wounds and various skin conditions, it is often used with sunburn and you often hear people using it as a hair or face mask. The juice is also known to have positive effects on digestion and helps with increasing bowel movements.
4. Stress relief. There are studies that have measured people’s blood pressure, heart rate, and stress hormones while they handled a tough task or were under mental stress and then compared them by switching to plant handling-repotting, weeding, and watering. Positive changes were noted. I guess a similar effect would be reached whilst petting a kitten or a puppy.
5. Mental health. There are therapists who help manage dementia or depressive patients with gardening. It partly goes back to our previous bullet point that talks about stress relief- less stressed people are happier people- they heal better, move more and enjoy life more.

There is a website I have found relatively recently that has had one of the best customer services I have encountered. The plants they deliver are fresh and very well taken care of, plus taken from their social media, they seem passionate about their business and plant babies. I have already picked out a couple of plants for my birthday, hope they survive. Happy Easter everyone!