Pandemic stress can be relieved by cultivating greenery,which makes people happier and more relaxedThe essayist Jia Tolentino wrote final year approximately people being in the grip of “houseplant fever”; ads for houseplants called “Ken” or “Pippa” pop up on the internet; a Zoom call isn’t total without a plant somewhere in evidence; and social media abounds with tips and pictures. It should surprise no one that greenery offers an antidote to pandemic anxiety.Caring for a living object and creating a tranquil indoor sanctuary can be soothing activities in an uncertain and stressful time. The Royal Horticultural Society reported a 23% rise in plant sales in July compared to 2019. Rare plants are sold on eBay and traded on Facebook. Many come from abroad and might look green in a living room but leave a large ecological footprint. Before the pandemic, in the US, or getting paid to style houseplants was becoming a career. We are nowhere near the levels of mania that led to tulip bulb prices soaring and then collapsing in the 17th century. Still,today’s rarity-chasers will pay £4000 for a four-leaf variegated minima – and such tall prices pose a temptation to others: a variegated monstera, a cutting of which might fetch £1500, and was stolen final month in novel Zealand. Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com