I found myself talking regularly to the orchid in my bathroom, when it bloomed during the dead of winter. Its bright yellow and fuchsia blooms lifted my spirits when everything outside was frozen. I know they say that talking to your plants is good for them, but I’ve found that it’s been good for me too.
Not So Silly.
Before you stop reading and think I’m being silly, considered how alienated we are from the natural world. Think of all the things that we do to the earth without considering the consequences. I’m not a gardener and I can’t say that I ever felt an attachment to the plant life around me.
How was this lack of connection affecting the decisions I was making about the environment? Maybe building even a small relationship with a house plant, might not be a bad idea?
Taking Better Care Of My Plants
I have a small chat with this orchid most days and tell it how much I enjoy it’s beautiful blooms. This makes me more aware of when it needs watering or having its leaves dusted. I take better care of it. I’ve started taking better care of my other house plants too. I haven’t gotten around to giving them all names, but that’s not a bad idea. (Ferdy the Fern?). When I build connection with them, I give them better care. It’s healing my relationship with nature.
Changing How You think
The other day I heard a podcast interview with Indigenous writer, Kaitlin Curtis, who confirmed what I was noticing. Talking to house plants helps to change the way we think about the natural world. She tells people to
Talk to your house plants… because these are beings that take care of us every day. They are sitting in our homes. They are bringing us joy. They’re cleaning our air. What if we thanked them and watered them and said, ‘You’re beautiful. Thank you.’”
Podcast: We Can Do Hard Things, S1 E187, March 9, 2023
Chat With Your Cactus
Talking to my house plants helps me to change my mindset about nature. I look more closely at the plants in my home and take better care for them. When I go on walks I stop and look at the trees and see the damage they sustained from the winter storms. I grieve for their broken limbs. My connection to plants, to nature, is gradually widening.
Any way of connection, is connection and it is healing.”
– Kaitlin Curtis
Click here to hear the Podcast: We Can Do Hard Things, S1 E187, March 9, 2023
Retired, and now what? 
Have you read ‘Braiding Sweetgrass’. By Robin Wall Kimmerer?
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I haven’t read it. Tell me why you would recommend it.
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‘Connections’. – A lovely read – indigenous stories and plant wisdom.
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Sounds fascinating. I will add it to my reading list. Thanks.
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