Confessions of a Plant mom

My tryst with plants started from my childhood, to be precise. One of the duties assigned to us, grandchildren at our grandparents’ place, where we spent our summer vacation, was watering the plants. We had long row of croutons that grew from the gate, to the front of our century old ancestral home, that would measure around 100 feet. When these two rows, reached the steps that led to the house, there were two rectangular patches, which had flowering perennials and annuals that included roses, lilies, jasmines, zinnia and chrysanthemums. After watering them, we also had responsibility of decorating the altar with flowers and leaves in two white colored ceramic vases, in preparation for an hour long prayer. Dinner was served only after the elaborate prayers.

The flower arrangement everyday would be a collaborative effort with my brother and cousins and we did it joyfully.  As I key in this, I get to remember the fresh fragrances of the flowers that we used to pluck.

In Chennai too, where we lived, we had enough space for a decent garden that would bear flowers and fruits.  I remember visitors to my parents place always went away with produce from our garden – papaya, guava, bitter oranges (citron), drumsticks and coconuts. Thanks to my grandparents and parents, love for plants and some intelligence in nurturing them has been instilled in us, children.

The love for my plants resurfaced when we moved into the place we are in right now and I am a proud plant mom, for many years now.  And here are some confessions that I haven’t made to anyone at all, all these years.

1. Love the scent of soil and love laying my hands at it.  A garden takes a lot of effort, even if it is a few pots and I always start with gloves and gardening equipment, but in less than an hour, you will see me muddy in my hands.
2. I have killed plants by over watering.  Not always though.  But yes it happens
3. Okay allow me to let the cat out.  I steal plants.  Not always.  But whenever I get an opportunity, I do. Like let’s say I am walking on the road and I see plants on the roadside, I take a small cutting which I am sure would grow, much to J’s annoyance. (If you invite me home, and I am comfortable with you, I would rather ask you and take a cutting, but otherwise, be sure I will steal )
4. I have stolen plants from international locations too.
5. I also firmly believe stolen plants grow much better. 
6. I talk to my plants.  As if they are people.  I sometimes get angry with them,  I cajole them to flower up, tell them they make me feel happy.
7. Plants are my therapy – have always been.
8. I gift plants and encourage others to be plant parents
9. People who know me well gift me plant babies and some have gifted cute planters
10. I don’t name my plant babies.  But I would know their technical names – Syngonium, Arrowhead, tangled hearts, philodendron, Aloe vera, pothos, snake plant, peace lily, cacti, coleus to name a few from my collection.
11. Even on a holiday, I would be worried if my plants are watered and if they have enough shade or if they will be over-watered, if it rains
12. Touching my plant babies makes them happy and they grow better.  Don’t tell me otherwise.
13. Pinching plants and grooming them is a weekly affair
14. I bathe my plants and gloat looking at their freshness
15. Will you believe if I told you, I have carried pots and planters from all over the world for my plant babies
16. Half an hour every day  and few hours every weekend is spent with my plant babies.
17. Sun-bathing the indoor plants once in a while is also a ritual
18. My real baby, Dennu, thinks I love my plants more than him.  J has no such doubts, cos he knows that is true.

And that's a lot of confessions at one go 😊 sincerely hoping that i have not turned any of my readers into haters after all these.