08/06/2022
Why living with and tending plants is good for you
Millennials and Gen Z love caring for indoor plants. But why? Lindsay Baker speaks to the ‘plantfluencers’, and explores self-care – and the perennial appeal of the houseplant.
‘In Cacti We Trust’ is the motto of one of the many passionate plant lovers to be found on social media. In fact, according to a survey by HomeHow, the cactus is the most Instagrammable houseplant by far, with an extraordinary 23 million posts dedicated to the spiny plant. Following in second place is the photogenic Hoya, and then the Monstera, also known as the Swiss Cheese plant. And not forgetting the also popular air-purifying plants, notably the Snake plant, the Chinese Evergreen and the Spider plant.
More like this:
- The maverick Brits with unique homes
- Why change is the key to a good life
- Why we need soft textures right now
This overwhelmingly Millennial and Gen Z obsession has exploded in recent years. But why do these particular generations love tending plants so much? It’s a question explored in British author Alice Vincent’s recent book Rootbound: Rewilding a Life. A ‘nature memoir’, which follows real events in the life of the author during her mid 20s. “When a lot of things took different directions in my life to that I had expected, I found solace in gardening and plants,” she says.
