I started my not-so-tight relationship with plants probably when we started building our house in Antipolo. I felt sad that we had no choice but to cut off some branches and trunks of a resident mango tree and banana trees to give way to the house's construction. So I made a pact to myself that I'm going to replace whatever we removed from the lot so that Mother Nature will not be mad at us.
My husband started buying a few plants and I hoarded my Mom's extra plants so she could clear off some space in her terrace. We always tease her that soon, a snake will be residing on her mini-jungle already if she will not lessen her plants hehe.
Before the construction started, my kids and I transferred the plants to the ground, there's a different feeling when you yourself do the soil digging, making sure the hole is just right to keep the plants stable. Every weekend when we visit, my boys will make sure to water them nicely and trims the small grasses that appear within.
Weekend is for soil digging, cleaning up dried leaves & the basics of planting :)
Over time, after the house is constructed, we keep adding plants. However, it was only when my cousin died last year that I became so much fond of plants. When he died, I bought a new plant I named after him, until then, I started collecting more so that my new plant will have new friends and family.
I only realize it recently that in a span of two years, I have collected so many plants already. Mind you, I never experience taking care of plants before, I have no interest at all. But I'm grateful that I'm so drawn to them now. I feel like for every plant I get to have, I'm entrusted by Mother Nature to keep them alive, to flourish, and to make them bloom at their best.
During the pandemic, I busied myself collecting and nurturing my
plant babies with my human babies.
Plants have helped me a lot when I was grieving on my cousin's death last year. Plants have nurtured my mental health also during the pandemic. |They brought me joy despite the difficult situation we have. They give me new hope every time there's a new sprout of leaf, I feel like somehow, there's new life coming to this earth despite hearing news about the deaths of people. I know the life of humans is incomparable to the life of these plants but somehow, it lessens the feeling of sadness, to me personally.
Plants have added a bright new color of green into my life. They make a dull space beautiful and they have added more life to our house. I don't mind adding and collecting more. I hope someday, I will also be able to buy those expensive ones but for now, I'm happy with what I have :)
I'm happy to see plants everywhere around the house
One of the beautiful things I have discovered during the pandemic is my relationship with my plants. I owe to them a gratifying experience that I was able to survive a mentally challenging phase of the lockdown periods. I look forward to more green & growing adventures with these biological species, and I'd love this blog to document my journey one plant a time :).
1..2..3...Smile!
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