My family has always had a very strong relationship with plants. I think the oldest memory I have relating to botany is visiting my Nana's home and helping her and her husband plant a new tree in their dry, desert driveway. It was a very young tree, one she was hoping to see grow into a staunch, powerful warrior of nature. But sadly, she'd never get to see that tree grow to its tallest.
She sold the house, I mean. She didn't die. She's not that old.
My sister and I spent a lot of time at our Nana's house when we were kids. She always had plenty of plants, big and small, methodically placed throughout her house. Trees were plastered throughout the front and back of the house, and the Queen of them all was the massive peach tree she kept in the backyard. Whenever we were there, it was like we were living in conjunction with the most gentle, quiet, and loving of lifeforms. It seems that, somehow, plants have always been a part of my life.
As we got older, our Nana would often gift us plants from out-of-town family members. To her, it was gifting a small plant to her grandchildren, but to me, it felt like a rite of passage, a mark of approval from a wise sage that I, a young pupil, were ready to take part in the art. And that I did.
It was the first time I had ever really been responsible for something else. Though the first plants I had received from my Nana were two very small succulents, they can only go so far. They needed water. They needed sunlight. They needed me.
These events, I think, are what sparked my love for plant life and the study of them as a whole, something I had never really realized I had. I have a co-rented apartment now and it makes me proud to say I've made it a home for a menagerie of flora, though I didn't intend to. Last year was my first year of college and, to keep things brief, it was terrible. I was completely out of my element, fully incapable, and utterly unable. I couldn't figure out how to manage my own life. So, I turned to the most reliable support group I know. Plants. I filled my new home with as many plants as I could find and as many as I was given. If I was struggling figuring out how to be responsible for me, then I'd force myself to be responsible for other forms of life. I think it's because I've figured that much out that I can safely say things are much better now. These messy, dirty, green creatures make me happy and make me certain that I'm doing something right.
Besides, there are so many benefits to plant-care. Bringing plants into your home can do wonders for your mental health. According to the University of North Carolina of Chapel Hill, taking care of plants in your home can do a lot for your wellbeing. It allows you to relax and helps combat a sense of isolation, two things that I could have told you from experience. Not only that, but NASA has actually found that indoor houseplants can eliminate air pollutants.
Engaging in botany is one of the best decisions I've ever made. No two plants I own are the same. Each one demands different amounts of water at different times and different amounts of sunlight. They get angry and shut down over different the simplest of things, like the temperature or the humidity, kind of like we do. Every new plant I bring into my home is like a new book in a very old library: different pages, different words, and an entirely different genre. So, this blog post goes out to four of my favorite green ladies. Spinach, the pothos aboard my nightstand, Stripe, the striped succulent on my dinner table, Eyes, the very spiky succulent near the washer and dryer, and my biggest and tallest peace lily, Llante, named after the biological kaiju from the Godzilla movies, Biollante, as pictured below.
She's not actually this big, but compared to my other plants, she might as well be. She also produces a lot of pollen and flings it about, so she's more like the actual Biollante than I've realized.
Plants are not that hard to come by either. Seeds are very cheap, and while it can be hard to grow something that is out of season, most places sell seeds that are mostly in season. Besides that, many places like Lowe's Home and Garden and Home Depot, as previously stated, sell them already grown, you just need to take care of them. The greatest advice I can give is to start small. Succulents are great for people who are just getting into the scene, as they're very self-sufficient and don't need to be watered that frequently. The second greatest advice I can give is to be patient. Just like how your mom really likes the show Friends and you really don't, no two plants behave exactly the same, and sometimes they really don't behave like they should. Llante, my peace lily, is supposed to be watered about once a week according to peace lily standards, but she drinks like a fish. If I don't water her once every three days, she gets very upset and starts throwing a fit. At the same time, one of the succulents my sister gave me keeps itself on a very strict schedule and needs water every seven days, on the dollar.
They really are just like us.
Though it's not botany in its most scholarly, plant-care is probably the closest you can get to it without a degree. You still need to study the plants you take care of. Learn about them, learn for them, and, most importantly, learn for them. The care you give to them is a care that comes back to you.
That's so cool it was one of your first responsibilities. I grew up having planting plants in the backyard and enjoying them as well. Cool to see your passion for it.
I loved this post so much. Learning facts about the beautiful plants around us, and learning about the beautiful connections it made with it. What a lovely post, thank you for sharing to us all!
I absolutely love your passion with botany, and I agree on how it can improve your wellbeing to nurture all the wonderful greens. I know it's a fact that botany can improve someone's life because my grandmother absolutely loves and adores plants herself. My grandmother is insanely healthy in her 70's, and I know it is because of her passion for botany as she talks to her plants, bathes them in water, and protects them during the winter season. It's wonderful to see that there are people who hold the same love and affection for botany as my grandmother, thank you for sharing your insight on the greener side which is where you water it!
Well I really like the way you explain your relationship with plants and what they do for you. Plants are very spiritual and I believe that's why many people can't take care of them. I like how special it is to you and your family.
I completely agree that plants can change your life. My parents started to buy plants to put around the house and they love it. Having to take care of all the plants they got keeps them busy and happy from what I can see.