A couple weeks ago I made a $7 purchase and brought two leafy green plants home with me. I’ve known from the past how beneficial having plants in your home can be, my dear friend even talks about this on her blog (and often!). But I think it’s something I easily forget (especially with all the moving we do) because one day my planty lightbulb went off and I realized exactly what our home was missing… leafy green plants.
But not just any kind of plant, a non-flowering plant. I didn’t want any more color in our home. And really, all I was looking for wassomething that would grow with minimal care. So I picked out two plants that would thrive indoors, would be OK without any direct sunlight and could handle only being watered about once a week.
I don’t really know what it is specifically that brings so much happiness when leafy green plants surround us — does anyone know? But I do know they’re an instant happiness boost for me. They draw my attention upward or outward, wherever they’re placed in our home. Plants are the perfect companion to our books stacked tall, to the little clusters of toddler toys that decorate each room. They’re just so fun.
Other things that are making me happy this month:
– I finished reading What Alice Forgot and I highly recommend it!
– watching Maxwell drink out of a straw
– the rhythm of handmade: cutting fabric and sewing Caroline-made items
– orange juice with high pulp! (#pregnancycravings)
– holding newborn Cheyenne, my friends baby girl
PS. I meet up with a group of three friends regularly and we are all having babies this year! AND, there was a (very short) window where we were all pregnant at the same time. Having four new babies in our group has been making me happy all year! :)
I think I love plants because it brings nature in. My favorite times of year are fall and spring when I can open my windows and have a fresh breeze blow through, so I think my plants fill that craving the rest of the year! What fun to have babies all at the same time, your group is going to have an amazing year!
It’s the craziest, most wonderful thing! I’m shooting hearts from my eyes ;)
yes! i’ve become obsessed with houseplants. the plain, leafy green ones. it definitely makes me happier.
What kind of plant did you get?
I don’t even know the name — I don’t think it said on the tag. But I went to Home Depot and it’s a 6″ pot size and the plant was about $3.50
Do you still have the terrarium?
P~
No, sadly (!!!) we didn’t have room for it in our Jeep when we moved from Minneapolis to Los Angeles…
I’m so glad you liked “What Alice Forgot”…Getting plants for the house sound like a fun idea…my 3 year old would probably love it.
I think she would :)
I agree! Having plants is wonderful. I’d really like to make a habit of going to my local florist and buying real flowers every week, or as they wilt, just to keep some freshness and color in the house. I only have two plants, an aloe and some tropical variety that was actually a lost and found item at work and I took it home so it wouldn’t die. Unfortunately, my cats have gotten to it a couple of times and the leaves look rather sad.
I think my cats and my toddler at the only things holding me back from having more plants in apartment. I love having plants and I do remember to water them most of the time, but I have to be careful with what I buy so that I don’t poison my cats and I’d have to install more higher surfaces so that my toddler can’t play with them.
In fact, my local florist has recently acquired succulents and made some hanging terrariums with them which would be PERFECT; our apartment already has some preexisting hooks in the ceiling in some rather perfect corners.
I think I dream of having a few hanging plants… ha! And if you already have the hooks I say go for it! A lot of grocery stores have gorgeous $5 flower bouquets. Lisa Leonard buys them often and I just love that about her.
I love having plants around too! Sadly, our cat seems to think the plants are solely for her chewing pleasure. So there’s only a few places I can have them. But we still have one! I’d love to do little herb pots too at some point.
Great post! Plants bring a lot of good energy into a room in the form of oxygen and through their beauty. Congrats on bringing plants into your life! I would also recommend What Alice Forgot, but don’t want to spoil it for anyone by talking about it haha.
Hi Maggie,
You might want to know that your plant is a Dieffenbachia, and it’s poisonous.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002866.htm