 Top down view of my bromeliad mother plant and her newly planted pups. Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2022. About bromeliads… Without getting too technical, bromeliads are a type of air plant or epiphyte, meaning the plant draws what it needs from the humidity in the air. This plant doesn’t technically need soil, but the soil does provide a way to anchor the plant into a pot and provide an extra boost of nutrients and water. In nature, an epiphyte’s roots attach to trees or other plants, anchoring them to a good place where they catch the best nutrients and humidity from the surrounding air.
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 Pothos plant just misted. Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2022. I have been refreshing the decor in my master bathroom and decided to add some greenery to the mix. Adding plants in a bathroom is a win-win for everybody. The plant gets plenty of humidity (which many tropical plants love), and we get a sense of healing and calm. If you’re using your shower regularly (which I hope you are!), your plants will benefit from the humidity in the air. If you have a window for natural light, that’s even better. Typically, tropical plants are the best for bathrooms or areas with high humidity.
 Bromeliad plant. Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2021. Plants can add beauty and a depth of color and texture to a space, but there are also health benefits to having plants around. There is a houseplant for you, even if you don't have a green thumb! Just do some research for low-maintenance houseplants…and buy just one plant. Keep one plant alive, and you’ll soon catch the houseplant bug…I know from experience! (Plants are the new candy for me now!) If you are interested in houseplants and would like to know some of the benefits, read on to learn how adding live plants in your space can benefit your health. Bringing houseplants into your home can be a daunting process, especially if you are inexperienced or think you have a “black” thumb. I have found that a little bit of thought beforehand and a little research can go a long way towards helping you make a choice about what plants to bring home, if any at all. Below are five things you should consider before buying and rehoming real plants.  My vibrant colored bromeliad guzmania. Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2021.  My indoor herb pots on the windowsill. Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2021. This year was the year I decided to take the leap and grow some of my herbs indoors. In the past I planted a few herbs (like chives, mint, sage, chamomile, parsley, cilantro, and rosemary) outside in the garden, but having some herb plants indoors would be so much more convenient when cooking and would provide the opportunity to appreciate the beauty of the plants as they grow throughout the year.  Bromeliad. Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2021. We’ve all been there…You take down all the festive holiday and winter decor and you’re left looking at a cold empty chasm whose soul left the building! This year I tried—in vain—to decorate and make things look nice, but I needed more. I needed my space to feel alive. I needed something organic and living (besides my cats) in my “living” room. I don’t know why I never bothered to get a lot of houseplants before. I like plants. I like poking at them and watching them grow. I do have a few of them already—they have become sad and neglected, but still alive (well, mostly!). Sure I kill a few here and there, but overall we have a symbiotic relationship. This year—of all years—I decided I had to make a major change. This year I wanted to buy some beautiful houseplants and become a proud plant mom. (Yeah, that sounds weird even to me!) Bio…what?! Merriam-Webster defines biophilia as “a hypothetical human tendency to interact or be closely associated with other forms of life in nature : a desire or tendency to commune with nature”.  Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2019.  Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2020. I’ve had an outdoor herb garden with mint, sage, and chives for several years. And boy, are they flourishing this year! Lavender and rosemary were also planted, but neither ever came up. Finding an empty spot in my garden, I decided to pop in some carrots. Time will tell whether they will grow!
 Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2019 Last summer, my husband and I went to Longwood Gardens in Chester County, Pennsylvania. Honestly, I don’t know why we don’t go there more often, because it is less than an hour from where we live! Hmmm…I think I am just now hatching a plan to visit again this summer—provided this coronavirus doesn’t keep us away.
 Lums Pond, Delaware. Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2009. I have always been deeply affected by nature—trees, flowers, plants, animals, water, soil, and stone. It’s not just about hugging trees. (In fact, leave those trees alone! They don’t deserve the indignity!) This is a beautiful and sacred rock that we live on and on this rock spring forth all of the life-sustaining elements that we need as organic beings. The natural world provides the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the water we drink. This is not optional—we NEED these things, so they need to be respected and preserved. Hide in your concrete jungle all you want, but you can’t survive without the natural world. Not even in the worst-case scenario post-apocalyptic vision of the future. (Does Wall-E ring a bell?) |
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