Speaking of the witchy-- I’m about halfway through The Very Secret Society of the Irregular Witches that was recommended in your weekday post. It’s yummy. Muchas gracias. 😊
My favorite post so far since becoming a subscriber!
Living in a tropical environment, I keep no house plants now other than an orchid or two before they go out to live on a tree. On the property that came into my care 18 months ago I have mainly removed about 50 neglected and inappropriate trees. The land has come into different life with the sun reaching it again. Feral pigs have come out of the macadamia nut orchard to dig and roll and tear up most of the "lawn" around the house and I think why mow an acre or two anyway? That's obviously the witch in me. I'm watching, waiting, tending pots with everything from roses and rosemary to kalo and a'ali'i.
And this phrase: "I never really saw the difference between horoscopes and sermons" made me want to holler "EXACTLY!"
I love everything about this! Funny, when I was younger I couldn't keep plants alive. My grandfather could make ANYTHING grow. He owned a nursery and he grew things on his lovely 2-acre-in-the-middle-of-what-had-become-city property that should not have grown there (a huge southern magnolia with human head size blossoms for one). So he would give me plants, I would keep them until they started to die and I'd give them back, swapping them for a healthier plant (sometimes a plant I'd had before). His birthday was the first day of Spring, so perfect. He died when I was 23.
Fast forward about 15 years and my life started to open up in new ways. I had left the corporate world, I was trying my hand at a different kind of life and I was growing house plants. I don't know how I acquired so many, but I had a huge house with tons of windows and I lived alone. They were everywhere. Then I built gardens outside, ripping out a ton of sod and making four 6x20' raised gardens before I was all done. I grew everything. And it all grew. And I figured my grandfather was looking over me because nothing else could explain it. My corn plant flowered and filled my house with this amazing scent - I didn't even know they could flower!
But then my life kind of crashed, one thing lead to another and I had to leave that house. I wasn't heartbroken about the house - it was the plants! The realtor was like "at least half of these have to go before we can show it". I moved from there into a bedroom in a friends house (I was broke) and I had to give away over 50 plants. Some were so big and hardy but I had nowhere for them. I've had nowhere for them since really. That's when I started walking in nature with my camera. So my "garden" became the entirety of the local county park I guess. I too find spirit in nature. I say all the time it's my church (and nothing pisses me off more than being proselytized while I'm out in the park which happens every year when the local cult releases their latest round of recruits). I realize now it was my grandfather's religion too. Even though he went to church every Sunday because it was important to my grandmother, what he mainly did was tend all the plants in and around the church. And he was the main money counter - which now that I have opened up to tarot I get the biggest chuckle out of, seeing as how pentacles = earth = coins. :)
My current townhouse is small with very enough windows but nowhere to put plants in front of the windows. I have one plant and an aero garden right now. I haven't been able to get myself to garden outside. I keep thinking the time will come for me to tend plants again. I hope so.
But now you have me thinking about my ancestors and what was their religion before protestantism took over? I know my recent ancestors - the generations since about 1700 that have all been in the US - were all farmers. All 4 of my grandparents were born on farms. But what about before that in Ireland, Sweden, and a few other? I don't really know. None of it was passed down and though Ancestry has told me their names, I haven't learned much about them.
No need to apologize — loved this note. I loved hearing about your grandfather. And this all puts so much perspective into your beautiful photos. Thank you for sharing it.
I realized not too long ago that we are the only ones of our friends who have houseplants. We live in a 55+ community, and it’s true that our friends each travel a couple of times a year, so maybe that has something to do with it. Many have a dog and/or cat that they get sitters for, but they don’t have plants. I think they’re weird.
Hahah, that's so interesting! I bought my parents their first plant only last year, and they're in their 70s. They still talk about it like there's an alien in the house. 😂 And they both worked for the Forest Service! Some people just aren't into it for reasons lost on me.
Love the plant love. If you’d like another realm to explore, try looking into native plants. There are certain plants that evolved to grow where you live that only certain insects eat and only certain birds eat those certain insects and since you’re a property owner you can be responsible for caring not just for imported plants whose main purpose is decoration (and being receptacles of love of course) but a whole food web relationship of nature! If you wanna explore the next level check out natures best hope by Doug Tallamy for a primer as you continue your outside gardening. Especially up high there’s a whole host of rare plants who can’t grow elsewhere, neat to get to know them which brings more connection to the greater sphere of nature. Perhaps you already have some milkweed for the monarchs, a good place many people start. 💚💚
That's exactly the approach we're taking outside! We have a committee of sorts here that manages native planting and invasive species, and joining a few of their outings was so rewarding.
This spoke to my soul; spiritually and with intent. As always, thank you.
I have been saving dying orchids from grocery stores for a few years now. I do water them with warm water once a week (not an ice cube like suggested on their tag) and they’re in direct sunlight in my single pane kitchen window that gets wind blowing through it all winter, which apparently they don’t prefer, but they’re thriving. Three of the seven have buds currently just like everything outside my kitchen window and all feels right again in my little corner of this earth. ;)
Hoo boy. I inherited green fingers from my grandfather, but only for outdoor plants. I have long been a failure with houseplants, but 4 years ago I bought a fiddle leaf fig, and managed to keep it alive by doing only what the Planta app told me to do.
Then I had to go back to England for 6 weeks to look after my dad, and my husband was in charge of the plants. When I got back it looked very sad, and in my attempts to rescue it I killed it off. This week I managed to kill off a fairy tale castle cactus - I have never been able to keep succulents alive.
I've been thinking of giving up on houseplants, which makes me sad because we live in an apartment with no outdoor space. But Kelton I think you have just convinced me to have another try!
I love how many people are referencing their grandparents as their plant influences!
My approach in this house has been conditions first, plants second. Like, is it over a radiator in an east facing window? Is it Northern exposure with a draft? It's really helped me not just obliterate plants.
For me, indoor gardening is less a religious service and more a conjuring of my late grandma. Her efforts bent towards fruit trees and succulents. She also mowed lawns and trimmed trees for the other widows in her neighborhood. I think she'd approve of my ever expanding house plant collection. Every thriving plant (and newspaper recipe clipped & taped to the inside of kitchen cabinets) nudges me a little more in her direction.
Practical question- as a cat and plant house, are they all non toxic? How do you keep them from getting eaten? My cat goes crazy on every plant she can get to…
Many of them are toxic, I've just never had a cat that tried to eat plants they weren't supposed to. Very lucky! But, to keep them away from things in general, we have a citrus spray we use — which they haaaate. Sometimes we'll do a hydrogen peroxide spray or vinegar depending on the plant.
I love this. It resonates so much, and it’s nice to feel so seen.
Once I discovered I could keep plants alive I fell in love and now have oh so many. Sunday is watering day here too and I’ll be thinking of your plants while I care for the ones with me today.
Speaking of the witchy-- I’m about halfway through The Very Secret Society of the Irregular Witches that was recommended in your weekday post. It’s yummy. Muchas gracias. 😊
Yay, I'm glad you're enjoying it!
My favorite post so far since becoming a subscriber!
Living in a tropical environment, I keep no house plants now other than an orchid or two before they go out to live on a tree. On the property that came into my care 18 months ago I have mainly removed about 50 neglected and inappropriate trees. The land has come into different life with the sun reaching it again. Feral pigs have come out of the macadamia nut orchard to dig and roll and tear up most of the "lawn" around the house and I think why mow an acre or two anyway? That's obviously the witch in me. I'm watching, waiting, tending pots with everything from roses and rosemary to kalo and a'ali'i.
And this phrase: "I never really saw the difference between horoscopes and sermons" made me want to holler "EXACTLY!"
Oh that means so much to me. It's always hard with the "likes" — I loved this one!
So envious of your tropical locale - I love this image of the feral pigs, though I know they can be a menace 😂
So glad that phrase resonated with you, too.
this was beautiful, kelton!! so glad you are in the course <3 i hope it continues to serve you.
xo
catherine
Thank you for building it!
I love everything about this! Funny, when I was younger I couldn't keep plants alive. My grandfather could make ANYTHING grow. He owned a nursery and he grew things on his lovely 2-acre-in-the-middle-of-what-had-become-city property that should not have grown there (a huge southern magnolia with human head size blossoms for one). So he would give me plants, I would keep them until they started to die and I'd give them back, swapping them for a healthier plant (sometimes a plant I'd had before). His birthday was the first day of Spring, so perfect. He died when I was 23.
Fast forward about 15 years and my life started to open up in new ways. I had left the corporate world, I was trying my hand at a different kind of life and I was growing house plants. I don't know how I acquired so many, but I had a huge house with tons of windows and I lived alone. They were everywhere. Then I built gardens outside, ripping out a ton of sod and making four 6x20' raised gardens before I was all done. I grew everything. And it all grew. And I figured my grandfather was looking over me because nothing else could explain it. My corn plant flowered and filled my house with this amazing scent - I didn't even know they could flower!
But then my life kind of crashed, one thing lead to another and I had to leave that house. I wasn't heartbroken about the house - it was the plants! The realtor was like "at least half of these have to go before we can show it". I moved from there into a bedroom in a friends house (I was broke) and I had to give away over 50 plants. Some were so big and hardy but I had nowhere for them. I've had nowhere for them since really. That's when I started walking in nature with my camera. So my "garden" became the entirety of the local county park I guess. I too find spirit in nature. I say all the time it's my church (and nothing pisses me off more than being proselytized while I'm out in the park which happens every year when the local cult releases their latest round of recruits). I realize now it was my grandfather's religion too. Even though he went to church every Sunday because it was important to my grandmother, what he mainly did was tend all the plants in and around the church. And he was the main money counter - which now that I have opened up to tarot I get the biggest chuckle out of, seeing as how pentacles = earth = coins. :)
My current townhouse is small with very enough windows but nowhere to put plants in front of the windows. I have one plant and an aero garden right now. I haven't been able to get myself to garden outside. I keep thinking the time will come for me to tend plants again. I hope so.
But now you have me thinking about my ancestors and what was their religion before protestantism took over? I know my recent ancestors - the generations since about 1700 that have all been in the US - were all farmers. All 4 of my grandparents were born on farms. But what about before that in Ireland, Sweden, and a few other? I don't really know. None of it was passed down and though Ancestry has told me their names, I haven't learned much about them.
Anyway - sorry this is so long! Keep on growing!
No need to apologize — loved this note. I loved hearing about your grandfather. And this all puts so much perspective into your beautiful photos. Thank you for sharing it.
Oh my god, did you just convince me to get my first real houseplant?
*brain explores*
Truly an honor
I realized not too long ago that we are the only ones of our friends who have houseplants. We live in a 55+ community, and it’s true that our friends each travel a couple of times a year, so maybe that has something to do with it. Many have a dog and/or cat that they get sitters for, but they don’t have plants. I think they’re weird.
Hahah, that's so interesting! I bought my parents their first plant only last year, and they're in their 70s. They still talk about it like there's an alien in the house. 😂 And they both worked for the Forest Service! Some people just aren't into it for reasons lost on me.
Love the plant love. If you’d like another realm to explore, try looking into native plants. There are certain plants that evolved to grow where you live that only certain insects eat and only certain birds eat those certain insects and since you’re a property owner you can be responsible for caring not just for imported plants whose main purpose is decoration (and being receptacles of love of course) but a whole food web relationship of nature! If you wanna explore the next level check out natures best hope by Doug Tallamy for a primer as you continue your outside gardening. Especially up high there’s a whole host of rare plants who can’t grow elsewhere, neat to get to know them which brings more connection to the greater sphere of nature. Perhaps you already have some milkweed for the monarchs, a good place many people start. 💚💚
That's exactly the approach we're taking outside! We have a committee of sorts here that manages native planting and invasive species, and joining a few of their outings was so rewarding.
This spoke to my soul; spiritually and with intent. As always, thank you.
I have been saving dying orchids from grocery stores for a few years now. I do water them with warm water once a week (not an ice cube like suggested on their tag) and they’re in direct sunlight in my single pane kitchen window that gets wind blowing through it all winter, which apparently they don’t prefer, but they’re thriving. Three of the seven have buds currently just like everything outside my kitchen window and all feels right again in my little corner of this earth. ;)
I love that!! I'm so glad this spoke to you. This one was really from the corners of my soul.
The Shangrilogs Plant Guide!!!!!!
Excuse me while I spend my entire Monday ignoring my to-do list and making a guide for all my houseplants, of which there are many!
It's so satisfying!!
Hoo boy. I inherited green fingers from my grandfather, but only for outdoor plants. I have long been a failure with houseplants, but 4 years ago I bought a fiddle leaf fig, and managed to keep it alive by doing only what the Planta app told me to do.
Then I had to go back to England for 6 weeks to look after my dad, and my husband was in charge of the plants. When I got back it looked very sad, and in my attempts to rescue it I killed it off. This week I managed to kill off a fairy tale castle cactus - I have never been able to keep succulents alive.
I've been thinking of giving up on houseplants, which makes me sad because we live in an apartment with no outdoor space. But Kelton I think you have just convinced me to have another try!
I love how many people are referencing their grandparents as their plant influences!
My approach in this house has been conditions first, plants second. Like, is it over a radiator in an east facing window? Is it Northern exposure with a draft? It's really helped me not just obliterate plants.
I really enjoyed this one.
For me, indoor gardening is less a religious service and more a conjuring of my late grandma. Her efforts bent towards fruit trees and succulents. She also mowed lawns and trimmed trees for the other widows in her neighborhood. I think she'd approve of my ever expanding house plant collection. Every thriving plant (and newspaper recipe clipped & taped to the inside of kitchen cabinets) nudges me a little more in her direction.
This image of her trimming trees for the other widows is lighting me up.
This was such a joy to read. Thank you for writing it!
Aw I'm so glad you liked it!
This an ode to nature, to introspection, to a life examined. I loved reading it.
🥰
Loved the reverence, pleasure and thoughtfulness of this piece. A great read and as always an astute use of vocabulary.
Practical question- as a cat and plant house, are they all non toxic? How do you keep them from getting eaten? My cat goes crazy on every plant she can get to…
Many of them are toxic, I've just never had a cat that tried to eat plants they weren't supposed to. Very lucky! But, to keep them away from things in general, we have a citrus spray we use — which they haaaate. Sometimes we'll do a hydrogen peroxide spray or vinegar depending on the plant.
Oooooh we have a citrus spray we use for some furniture, never thought to use it on plants! Thanks!!
I love this. It resonates so much, and it’s nice to feel so seen.
Once I discovered I could keep plants alive I fell in love and now have oh so many. Sunday is watering day here too and I’ll be thinking of your plants while I care for the ones with me today.
💞💞