Simple Way to Add a Little Green Into Your Home!
So finally we’ve crawled over to the most beautiful turnover of nature… Spring! Green, gorgeous and gleaming; it calls on everyone to get outside and dig their hands into the dirt (or at least go our for a stroll and take a breath of that fresh Spring air!). Planting or gardening is not everyone cup of tea. It takes a lot of effort and thought to actually nurture beautiful flowers and plants, yet we all agree that a beautiful garden becomes the highlight of any house. The effort and hours of labor put in are more than commendable!
As said earlier, not everyone is passionate to get their hands dirty; me being one of them. It doesn’t mean that I have no liking for the skill to nurture a garden. Working everyday by digging, clipping, watering and hurting my back might have something to do with it. Also, I have a weird way of connecting to the living things such as plants which makes is hard for me to see them die.
My husband gifted me an orchid plant for some special occasion or for a day of many we celebrated. We called him “Orchii”. In no time, Orchii went from plant to family. I literally talked to Orchii, sharing my complaints and sorrows. Maybe my endless grumble was too much for Orchii. He dried to death… :*( We tried to revive him but it was in vain. Finally, with a knot in my heart, I had to dump him out into the compost. I told myself that its going to be the first and last time I’ll own a plant. It was only a saying tho. All those walks through the plants sections of various stores soon urged me to get more living greens over time (especially when they were on sale!!).
The society we live in have their queer ways of looking into things or coming to conclusions. When a major part of community thinks in one way, the next half follow the later to blend in. A common practice among women is to consider “women who love to grow” as “potential and creative women”. You are said to have a ‘green thumb’ if plants thrive and grow under your hand. Almost like having magical hands with a talent to make greenery bloom and prosper. In some cultures, you are even looked down upon or even considered to lack a commendable skill. Whatever peoples thoughts are around green, red, or yellow thumbs, it is not the magic of the hand but hard work and the conditions of the environment + its requirements which make a plant sustainable.
Plants had altered from being an outside only phenomenon to an indoor aesthetic a long time ago. Today, its become a necessity to do so more than ever. To call it a trend of the 21st century would not be too far off (Pinterest is Proof!). Trends are good but I believe doing things for the mere sake of it is unrewarding. Make it a trend to do what you love and invest your effort and time in things that bring you joy. Not having a green thumb handy definitely did not stop me from cherishing greenery. Being able to do so in my humble abode has brought me more happiness that I could’ve imagined.
So let’s get to the point. Not every plant can thrive inside on its own and they still need the same required maintenance.
Why succulents?
Succulents are adorable leafy plants that come in different shapes and colours. They are a type of cactus that have thick leaves formed into different beautiful shapes and structures that help them retain water. They are not only cute but super easy to grow indoors. There are three main reasons that make the trendy succulents my absolute ‘go-to’ indoor plants:
- Low maintenance – Succulents are one of those plants that can sustain itself well with little water. In-fact, more water can make its roots rot. All it needs is to be kept in a moderately lit area to be green and grow on its own. Another plus point is that it does not need big pots or need to be re-planted as it grows. Size variation in succulent plants help you choose the size you want. Mini ones are my personal favorite.
- Decorate any space – Succulents are a highly popular decorative piece today. These leafy plants form itself in a beautiful designs and colours that turns heads to notice them. It can bring a touch of nature and green to any living corner. Especially if you have a small space and are wondering how to give some character to it. Working tables, shelves, stools, bedside tables, coffee tables, window sills, and nooks can be easily decorated using varieties of succulents in different pots. Fake succulents are also circulating the markets these days. Some of them are hard to distinguish from being fake. If you’ve wanted to decorate with succulents and haven’t got natural light in that area, fake succulents will do just right. The opportunities are endless to use these plants around your living spaces, if you see the potential.
- Transparency – Bringing transparency to our homes has its greater benefit. It’s a topic on its own, however, as human beings we should be connecting outside with inside. The more we appreciate nature the more it will support us. Transparency helps to build the connection that many of us lack with the outside world. A simple act of bringing greenery into the home helps create the platform to connect more with the outer world. Being in the category of not having a green thumb myself, succulents helps me create the transparency I need throughout the year.
These are just three of many benefits succulents can afford to us green thumb or non-green thumb owners. I hope you got inspired with this miniature creation of god. A little happiness in our lives can bring about a huge change. Creating peaceful and beautiful living spaces are one of them for me.
To close off, here is a wonderful Hadith from our beloved traditions to teach us how rewarding the action of taking care of plants can actually be!
Jabir (radi Allahu anhu) reported that the Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said, “When a Muslim plants a tree, whatever is eaten from it is charity from him and whatever is stolen is charity and whatever is subtracted from it is charity.”
[Sahih Muslim]
Happy Planting!
