Pandemic stress can be relieved by cultivating greenery, which makes people happier and more relaxedThe essayist Jia Tolentino wrote last year about 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 complete 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 overseas and might look green in a living room but leave a large ecological footprint. Before the pandemic, in the US, 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 ?4,000 for a four-leaf variegated minima - and such high prices pose a temptation to others: a variegated monstera, a cutting of which might fetch ?1,500, was stolen last month in New Zealand. Continue reading...
The Guardian view on houseplants: balm for troubled times | Editorial
4. října 2020 20:00
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Celý článek: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/oct/04/the-guardian-view-on-houseplants-balm-for-troubled-times
Zdroj: The Guardian