I bought just one as a sort of sympathy shop. You know, like sympathy sex, where you're not remotely invested beyond cool curiosity but feel so sorry for someone putting it out there so earnestly for zero response.
She was at the market I have been helping to start. An older European woman selling all sorts of strange oddments, including an assortment of plants. I was wandering each stall in a sort of managerial way, making polite chit chat and trying to find ways to support people without BUYING STUFF I DON'T NEED. @millycf1976 😆
Now take a weeny step back with me. I'm on a MISSION to bring plants into my house again, in a deliberate way. Houseplants are NOT a thing, at all, in Asia. Rarely seen and considered somewhat dirty. But on my recent trips in Europe I was again reminded of how healthful and life-affirming it is, not to mention air-purifying, to have plants in the house. I have chosen the plants I'd like to have in the house for health, fengshui and energetic reasons, and can see the minimal but healthy groups thriving in my minds-eye. In pots of only 2 colours - plain original terracotta or celadon (sage) green - which is a very traditional Thai colour and easy to find.
It was in that context, having only so far purchased 3 smallish plants, that I decided to buy one plant.
It looked so sad that I could FEEL it calling out for rescuing. It was only later, when I got it home, that I saw IT HAS NO SOIL AT ALL!! The "plant lover" from the market had literally plonked it in a plastic pot full of commercial coconut husk and nothing else. 😱 Philodendrons of all varieties do so well in Asia - often hanging in the forks of trees in the jungles. While it IS true that they like air around their roots and need very little soil, when you see them in nature they choose to settle and thrive in little pockets of natural humus that collects in tree forks. Why was a Philodenron on my list? They are such extravagant leaf growers and oxygen providers - and they SOAK up the carbon dioxide like an industrial sponge. They also thrive in the lower light conditions, which is important in a tropical house where we often close blinds or shutters to keep the hot sun out.
So 50 baht ($1.50 ish) was exchanged and I felt happy. And grateful. I'd supported a struggling vendor, made a good conscious purchase and rescued a green health warrior who needed a better place to thrive.
But then it happened. The "extra" plants.
"Here, take these ones too. They need new homes. You can have them for free - no one buying them anyway!"
I protested politely but she was having none of it. 😆 Started putting them in my truck!!
I felt like saying no would be condemning them to pretty certain bleak futures. And so yes, I took them home. In their horrendous pots with little or no soil.
Yes, it was not wasted on my that the POT is physically crying too. 😆
But the pot... 🙁😪 Not quite in my neutral earth-tones colour scheme...
Sigh.
My mission for the coming weeks? Plant identification for the ones I don't know and learn more about what they need to thrive. Repotting. Some of them probably will end up outside, or in newer, prettier pots when they're healthier and happier, and maybe regifted. *Cos who doesn't love getting a nice, new plant, right?" 🤣
Reflecting on minimalism versus natural abundance, and on how painful it is for a true empath to see plants doing poorly. And how to say NO when people foist their unsold-unwanted items onto me. Meanwhile, loving on them, considering them as fosterlings ... and learning.
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Honestly you can NEVER have too mamy plants - that's one minimalism rule I break every time. Saying that, I do try to limit my houseplants as I have just enough for aesthetic purposes now, hah.
PInk is earthy! I just had pink mushrooms on toast via my mushroom farm!
Sorry for taking tooooo long to get to this. DM me your relevant stories via messenger, honestly, I just miss them otherwise and feel bad. I'm really struggling to keep up with HIVE currently!
Lurid shiny-glaze pink is a lot of things but not really earthy! 😆 I personally almost never even wear patterned clothing, cos I find the colour dissonance affects the way I feel. Having recently stayed in a hotel with the most amazing colour scheme, I'm resolved to work towards something similar in my own home. My whole being went Aaaaahhhhh..... when I walked in!!
I will only DM you the Herbal Hive things & trust you will manage the HiveGarden as well as always - I struggle to keep up with Hive too and figure it doesn't matter - you will find your balance again and a missed post here and there is really not that important.
Oh how I love what you are doing!!!
I too am trying my best to save our plants here in the office.
These mealy bugs are very bad!
Still haven't found an very good pest killer. Something that has no chemicals.
I love gardening and so excited to start when I get home back to my country.
Keep in touch!
I think the best pest-killer in the long run is better soil. A healthier plant doesn't get attacked. So maybe start there?? House plants and things in pots are particularly susceptible to poor soil, over time.
Haha! It was funny to see your comment 😁
I only just returned home to my mum's house in Jamaica 3 days ago, after not being back nearly 9 years. The minute I stepped through the front door, I thought of you. I have a strong feeling that you would scream, and have a panic attack if you had to stay here.
There's so much going on! It's like busy bees everywhere.🙃
Haha.. my breathing feels tight just READING about it and imagining the dust. 😁
Jamaica? Awesome!! Hope you can do us a post in the Herbal Hive community about local Jamaican herbs (beyond the obvious 😆).
I'm sensing some major hording-decluttering content in your future.
It feels great 😃👍 to own these attractive potted garden flowers. Yes, I could see that the plant in that white pot is crying 😢 for additional soil, maybe at home, you will add more soil. plant identification become difficult since most of them have their scientific names. But as we learn we can easily identify them. Thanks for the good usage of words. I really enjoyed reading.
Really appreciated you popping by to comment - but yes, you're right - we LEARN and then the plant identification gets easier. Once we know exactly what the plant is, we can research its optimal growing conditions. 😊
I can't let plants die, I have so many that have been given to me, but it makes me happy to see them thrive. Luckily they all are outside as no way would they fit in the truck. You would be amazed the amount of Aloe Vera that gets thrown away over here, to me that s crazy, what a gift that plant is xxxxx
Nice to be not the only plant rescuer... 😆 I honestly can't bear the feelings I get from them, and they ask for so little really. I have aloe vera in almost plague proportions right now in the garden and it's still too incredible to remove. Clearly it's happy.... and that makes me happy.
Nice plants! You got more than one!😂
haha... yes, I got 12, actually. LOL...
I'm kinda laughing and kinda crying 😂🙂 Love the story. Glad these babes have a new, more caring home... even if you might need to regift a few of them after you've loved them up 💚
Yes, I'm thinking to learn more about them, love them up till they are at their healthy best and then see what happens.
THH IRONY? I'm away for a couple of days at a nature retreat (posts incoming) and the FIRST thing the Thai lady owner did on my arrival yesterday (after I had published this post) was GIFT ME ANOTHER PLANT. And one the same as posted about here. The nice part was she showed me how they thrive here, and I have a nice thought of how to help that little one now, at least.
Do I have "NEEDS PLANTS" stamped on my forehead?? 🤣
😆😅😂🤣 Gold! You must have 🌴☘️🌿🎍🌻🌱🌴🌳 !LOL
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Your job with these plants is very cute!! It’s nice that you can help them in this way and rescue them for being thrown away to the garbage.
I simply can't bear for any plants to be cast aside as 'garbage". So yes, plant rescuing is a JOB and a privilege.
First is monadenium, now part of the euphorbia family and a succulent, rabbit pot looks like it has a euphorbia seedling too, below is a bromeliad of some kind, probably dyckia family and last one is sanseveria, good for air purifying. The ones I noted are all succulents and can use more light and less water but they seem in ok condition
The second and third pics should be coleus and alocasia
Legendary hive-mind assistance on the plant IDs - thank you!!
Yes, the bromeliad intrigues me....
Nice potted plant.
I like.
thank you for sharing
Thanks for commenting. 😊 Do you keep plants in the house in your culture??
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