The Power of Plants

I wasn't born with a green thumb, nor did I really care a lot for gardening. I do however have a soft spot for fresh flowers and blossoms of all kinds which I draw inspiration from since I can remember. Regardless of this ever existing passion, it never occurred to me to go into the 'plant-growing-business' myself. Until I had an epiphany...

Some love affairs happen unexpectedly. This one began with my sister moving out from her apartment. Thanks to her talent for gardening, she accumulated a gazillion different types of plants. Since she couldn't take the whole forest to her new place, she needed someone to take a few of her green friends off her hands. Generous and genius that she is, my lovely sis thought of me - her younger sibling, who does not know a thing about fostering a cactus whatsoever. Honestly, when she showed up at my door with one giant palm tree, one huge cactus (the size of a watermelon), one banana plant and one indefinable green living creature, I was a little worried. Despite my lack of knowledge and experience I accepted the challenge. After all, I didn't want to insult mother nature or disappoint my sister. "The most common mistake is to water them too much", is the only advice I got from her. 

With good intentions and one crucial tip in mind, I managed to keep not one, not two but all four of them alive until today (which is two years now). While this may not seem like an impressive achievement to some people, it certainly felt like one to me. Ever since that success I fell in love with having plants in my apartment and added several members to the ever growing family. Until this very day I enjoy their calming nature, I appreciate their constantly changing beauty and love how they add coziness to my living space by literally breathing life into it. To me, my plants are like works of art. I like to think of them as living sculptures because they actually are alive (seriously, how awesome is that!). The collage above proofs that the "Pink Stripe" aka Phormium, aka New Zealand Pink Flax represents the basis for the color scheme I used to decorate my apartment. I discovered the Pink Stripe during a trip to the New York Botanical Garden a few months ago and I was instantly fascinated by its beauty. Both green and pink go amazingly well with white, shades of brown and grey (think marble). 

The images below depict a few of my plants currently sprucing up my living room, desk area and even my windowless bathroom. All of them are easy-going and kept alive by watering them once a week. For everyone who is still in doubt: plants are essential for human life as they convert CO2 into fresh air through photosynthesis.I did a little research and found a few awesome facts I wanted to share.

1. The Air Purifier

Did you know that NASA conducted a study using plants on space missions to filter polluted air and effectively transform it into oxygen? For earthlings one of the most popular (and low-maintenance) plants with air purifying qualities is the spider plant. Its characteristic arching clumps are perfect for a wall-mounted plant holder. I found mine at die Sellerie, which is a beautiful design store in Vienna. 

2. The Joshua Tree

Search Joshua Tree on Instagram and 1.1 million results will pop up. Showcasing influencers and the likes posing next to succulents and palm trees in Joshua Tree National Park in Coachella-Valley, where (yep, you guessed it) the infamous music festival takes place. Fun fact: the biggest member of my plant family is indeed a Joshua tree. It is known for its calming effect while adding an exotic touch to its environment.

3. Eucalyptus, The Great One

With a height over 60m, the Eucalyptus is the tallest flowering tree on earth. On top of that, it's got a huge family of more than 600 different species. Most of which are found in Australia and Indonesia. I was lucky enough to see a few of its brothers during a trip to Australia. Eucalyptus oil has antiseptic and insect repellent properties and a minty clean scent. Besides being a decorative eye-catcher for my desk, I love the smell of fresh eucalyptus which even stays after it dried. 

4. The Indestructible Bombshell

Zamioculcas is the fancy name of my beloved bathroom plant. Originally discovered in the mountain areas of Kenia, Zimbabwe and Tanzania, this little superhero is probably the most resilient yet handsome home plant you can find. Due to the harsh circumstances in its natural habitat, it learned to survive almost entirely on its own. Ergo: even in a room with zero natural light the Zamioculcas will do her thing.

Bottom Line

Whether it's fresh cut flowers from the garden or having plants living at my home permanently - incorporating a little greenery was a total game changer and enriched my wellbeing. Each and every one of them keeps inspiring me every single day. The presence of plants not only sparks joy, they are so incredibly good looking that taking care of them feels ten times more rewarding than tedious. If you feel intrigued to hop on the green train, I swear, the magic Zamioculcas is foolproof.