My Children

I have 21 house plants. They are the closest thing I have to children.

I look at them often and sometime find myself staring, considering a particular plant, for lengthy moments. I really love them.

I don't know the names of any of them. That's not true. I know the names of some. I know I have a hoya, a spider plant, bamboo, a weeping fig, a peace lily, a christmas cactus, a lipstick plant, chives, a jade plant, and an umbrella tree. So that's 10 out of 21.

My favourite, I do have favourites, is the violet one (name unknown). I bought it at a booth, if that's the right term, at the now non-existent Red Strap Market. It was completely purple and planted in an aluminum tea pot. It almost died a few time. After I replanted it however, it thrived. It is no longer entirely purple. Only the middles of the leaves are purple, the rest is green. I accidentally broke off the longest shoot a few weeks ago, but I threw it in some water and then replanted it and it's doing great! So now I have two.

Even though I do have favourites, I don't really care what they look like. I have a friend who likes her plants to look nice. Her one bamboo is growing crooked and I think it drives her crazy. But I don't really care. So long as they aren't dying. The one sitting on the north window ledge (name unknown) has some stuff growing on the underside of its leaves. I tried to get rid of it but what I did didn't work. Oh well. It seems to be growing fine otherwise. Many of the others are a little lopsided.

And, even though I love them, if one dies, or becomes just too unsightly for even me, I do have my limits, I move on quickly. A couple died when I went away to Europe for about a month earlier this year. It would be nice if they were still around, but I got new ones. (Hopefully I don't have the same attitude about any future children I may have.)

I wish I had more plants but there aren't that many good places in this condo for houseplants. We face north and east and open wall space, where plants might sit atop bookcases, are generally in the dark. I think our new house, possession January 5th, will provide greater opportunities for little plant babies to thrive.