Cut through the grey with a houseplant or two

St. Boniface

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 26/04/2023 (1129 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

I don’t know about you but at this time of year my yearning for all things green becomes an obsession. A few remnants of slippery ice spots remain here and there but mostly, once the snow melts, all that seems to be left is a whole mess of grey and dark and light brown patches, dog poop and litter. It’s just not a pretty sight. And with several weeks of that, it can get a little ugly to look at.

Between January and April I begin to seek out anything that grows to bring indoors. Whether in the form of fresh flowers, herbs, or houseplants, I have to have more green in my environment to stay uplifted. Studies have shown that indoor plants enhance mood, increase creativity, reduce stress and even help eliminate air pollutants. Plants are natural air purifiers. The benefits of bringing them inside are significant. Not only do they look good but they help make us feel good, too. It’s hard to express how much better I feel when surrounded by greenery.

I remember as a child watching my mother look after a huge wall of plants in the living room. There were hanging baskets, plant stands and shelves burgeoning with every kind of plant imaginable. She knew them all by name and would know exactly how to care for each one of them. I watched as she watered them, gave them fertilizer, misted them and sometimes even breathed on them and talked to them. She was proud of her indoor garden and visitors would always comment on it. It was beautiful. Yes, my mother had a green thumb, and over the years I aspired to have one, too. But with three cats in the house, it wasn’t always easy to maintain. Many houseplants are toxic to cats so I put a lot of time and effort into placing the few houseplants I do have in places they can’t get to.

I bought a large fern on the weekend and spent an afternoon finding just the right spot for it. I would have preferred it in the window but the cats wouldn’t allow that. So, we make compromises and find ways for all of us to live in harmony.

We don’t need to have a green thumb to look after houseplants, just an interest in brightening our surroundings. So, for those in-between months in Manitoba when things are grey and gloomy, I highly recommend adding a houseplant or two to your home, maybe some vibrantly coloured fresh-cut flowers. All of it goes a long way to remind us of the beauty of what is to come.

Gardening season is almost here and soon it’ll be time to focus on the green outdoors. For now, I’m going to go and have a little chat with my new fern while I mist it.