Who among us hasn't strolled through IKEA and emerged with four plants they don't remember picking up? How hasn't scrolled longingly through Instagram feeds and Pinterest boards, building their vision of the perfect at-home jungle?
Houseplants have surged in popularity in recent years, with millennials most often credited with leading the charge. Endless articles have been written about the specific allure a cactus, ficus or Swiss cheese plant holds for young people.
Is it the need to care for something when starting a family is more financially perilous than ever before? Is it because we crave a connection to nature, or maybe a symptom of our fascination with wellness?
Whatever the reason, plants are easy to buy and comparatively less easy to care for.
Erin from Hopeless Botanics, an Instagram-based gardening shop, spoke on the Jennifer Zamparelli Show about the surge in interest in houseplants, and shared her tips for taking care of your plant babies.
Erin's is a decidedly modern kind of shop, selling plants and blooms over Instagram DMs and most recently at a pop-up in Dublin 8's Fumbally Stables. The event was a runaway success, with plants selling almost as fast as they were brought in.
"What we're all about is making it easy for people to bring beautiful greenery into their homes, into their offices, into their home offices!" she told Jennifer.
"We want to showcase the absolutely gorgeous indoor plants that are out there and that are suitable to Irish homes."
The shop is a success story of Covid in many ways, as the pandemic allowed Erin to pursue her "lifelong dream".
"I had a total career change during Covid, during lockdown. I had a little bit of space to think. I've been at home with my two kids for three and a half years and before that I worked for a large Irish NGO doing agriculture projects across Africa.
"I've worked with plants and I've worked in agriculture but I'm totally garden-obsessed, and plant-obsessed so this has been a lifelong dream to get this off the ground."
While we may not be the sunniest country in the world, our climate – and especially that within our homes – is surprisingly suited to many types of houseplant, she says. It all comes down to picking the plant for you.
"I think the main thing is to pick the right plant for your space", she says. "That's what we really help people to do, to understand the needs of the plant and pick one that's right for your space. Don't pick one that's a huge diva that's going to take loads of attention. You want something that's going to be easy going but keep giving and giving for years to come."
In the last few months, many of us have learned how to re-pot, prune and generally dote on our plant babies, but there's one basic thing we're forgetting.
"One thing I have noticed is that people aren't feeding their indoor plants," Erin says. "Your plants are in lovely pots and indoors and they're completely dependent on you and people are wondering why they're dying. You have to feed them."
Her suggestion is to use liquid feeds during the "grow season", which runs from spring summer. "Water is not enough! They need more than water, especially during the growing season."
So what are her basic rules for plant parenthood?
"Indirect sunlight. There's only a few plants that can take scorching heat on a windowsill. Generally plants like a bright room but away from direct light. Some plants love a shady spot in a bright room."
She recommends a calathea, one of the many varieties of plant they stock. "They're almost like a bouquet, the leaves are painted, they look so intricate. But they like a shady spot."
As for watering them, misting them is a good habit to get into, Erin says. "Keep them moist but no soggy bottoms on them."
And if you're looking for more advice, she says her Instagram DMs are always open. "There's great chatter going on our Instagram. People are always DMing me, lots of comments on how to take care of their plants. We always encourage people to get in touch and have the chats."
