A salve for isolation
Gardening experts share their passions
Gardening, like baking bread, has become an outlet for caring — and sharing — during the pandemic.
“For those dealing with anxiety and depression or find themselves isolated,” says plant aficionado Eric Shoemaker, “having a plant hobby can connect you to a worldwide network of really diverse, creative folk. The conversation is completely positive and a breath of fresh air.”
Henry Gordon-smith, CEO of gardening consultant Agritecture, has built a global business around the concept of biophilia, the idea that humans have an innate biological connection with nature.
“It’s not some feel-good thing,” he says. “When you are around things that are healthy and thriving, it helps you become healthy and thriving.”
Summer Rayne Oakes, an environmental scientist, moved to New York 15 years ago and began growing plants in her apartment. She now has 1,100 in her home and gives out regular tips to her more than 300,000 followers across Instagram and Youtube.
“You’d think this obsession would have waned by now, but in a pandemic it’s not going to because we are all indoors,” she says.
Here are the indoor plants some of our favourite experts are digging right now.
GARDENIA
“The best-smelling flower in my opinion is the gardenia,” says Eric Shoemaker, owner of Plant Dad.
It does require a lot of sun, though. The same goes for other fragrant options such as lavender, rosemary and pink jasmine.
JAVA FERN
Mihalis Petrou, founder of Fulli NYC, says one of the easiest ways to get started is with aquatic plants.
Petrou, who runs a botanical show garden in Astoria that has more than 400 flowering plants and trees, says, “You throw them into a container and put a light on top and you’re good to go. They’re submerged in water, so you don’t have to worry about watering.”
BIRD OF PARADISE
Christan Summers, co-founder of Tula Plants & Design, likes the more labour-intensive requirements of certain plants.
“Even pruning a small leaf or watching a small bloom come to life, those tiny things are beyond gratifying,” she says.
“It’s a small intangible thing that this plant community shares, but you talk to any of us, watching that first leaf unfurl gives a euphoria because you’re keeping something alive.”
For the past six years, she has been keeping a very large bird of paradise alive at home.
HERB GARDEN
“This is a great time to start an herb garden on a sunny windowsill,” says Joe Ferrari, founder of the plant shop Tend Greenpoint. “Hardier herbs like thyme, rosemary and sage can do well outside but will work equally well indoors. I’d also recommend basil, parsley, or cilantro for indoors.
SPROUTS
Gilian Rappaport of the Outside Institute in upstate New York, says sprouts are “easy to grow, just rinse and clean the seeds to remove the dust, and then soak them to wake them up.”