I’m grateful we finished April which brings Showers that has brought us to March #Flowers because I love Gardening. Especially when I can #garden on a budget. For Mother’s Day Charlie and I will be fixing up Grany Sherry’s #flowerbeds. Being able to celebrate International Plan t Appreciation Day gives me a reason to purchase the flowers I need for Granny Sherry’s garden and the Mini Rose Bush I need for my garden. If you enjoy gardening would you want to help Charlie and I in Granny Sherry’s garden?
On International Plant Appreciation Day which falls on April 13th, Plant lovers throughout the world get together to express their appreciation for these green oxygen machines. To properly honor this natural gift, the event also discusses the myriad benefits Plants provide to the environment, such as improving air quality, creating small Wildlife habitats, and making dwellings more visually appealing.
Furthermore, International Plant Appreciation Day occurs in Spring, which is the prime Tree and Plant growing season. With 66% of U.S. houses already having at least one Houseplant and an increasing number of worldwide families following suit, we are well on our way to a Plant full existence of greenery and cleaner living.
While we don’t know the history of International Plant Appreciation Day just yet, we are all caught up in how Plants became an integral part of our lives and our homes. Ever since the emergence of the ancient Civilizations, people have been enamored with Plants.
Multiple archaeological sites show evidence of Plants grown in pots, and Egyptian tomb paintings from the 16th Century contain some of the earliest evidence of ornamental horticulture and landscape design. If we were #Homeschooling full time I would have had Charlie study this in his Science Class.
With the 17th Century came colonization, and thus increased exposure to different species of Plants. Explorers would carry exotic Plants back to their land for cultivation, and the idea to grow Plants inside buildings became popular.
Britain’s introduction of various Tropical Plants from Nations like North America, Asia, Australia, and Africa enhanced the popularity of indoor Plants and perhaps influenced the invention of various gardening contraptions.
The invention that had the earliest and, at that time, highest the greatest impact was the ‘Wardian case,’ a sealed glass case perfect for growing and transporting Plants, which was created by London doctor Nathaniel Bagshaw Ward in the 1930s. Ward’s invention allowed the Britain’s to import Plants easily and forever changed how they were cultivated throughout the world.
Whereas Plants were formerly only used to cover surfaces in upper-class homes, by the 19th and 20th Centuries, everyone was on board. Gardening and planting became ubiquitous, and people around the world grew both Exotic Plants and Native Plants in their homes and gardens.
The humble Plant has likewise risen in the world. Where once it adorned the corners of homes, parks, and gardens, it now holds a position of honor wherever it is cultivated. The broad love of the environment and green living means that more and more people are embracing Plants, which can only be healthy for the earth.
International Plant Appreciation Day Activities
- International Plant Appreciation Day is the perfect time to gain more exposure to Plants and what better way to start than to plant a few Plants in and around your home. Plant Plants outside in your backyard/front yard, or get a little indoor Plant to spruce up your interior.
- Invite others in your planting and gardening activities, so they learn to appreciate nature more. You can even entice them into creating their own green spaces by gifting them produce and Plant cuttings from your garden.
- Are you going to a birthday party? Or visiting your folks? Bring them Plants instead of bouquets of Flowers and Flower baskets. Plants are a better, healthier, greener, and longer-lasting option.
Facts About Plants And Gardens
- Specifically, the words ‘garden’ and ‘yard’ have been derived from the old English word ‘geard,’ which means ‘fence’ or ‘enclosure’ . A boundary created by the earliest humans way back in 10,000 B.C. A teaching moment for my family.
- The Hanging Gardens of Babylon is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World described as an engineering feat that looked like a large green Mountain and boasted a wide variety of Trees, Shrubs, and Vines.
- Did you know some studies suggest Plants thrive in environments where music mostly jazz and classical music plays at 115 Hz and 250 Hz, for about one to three hours a day?
- Research by the Royal Horticultural Society showed Plants grew faster when their Plant parents spoke to them, but only if spoken to nicely. Yelling had the opposite effect. People need to stop looking at me like I’m crazy because I do speak to my #Plants. Do you?
- The Ginkgo Biloba which is native to China is the last living Tree species of the Ginkgoales species, which first appeared on the Earth some 290 million years ago.
Why People Love International Plant Appreciation Day
- People love Plants because they make our surroundings more beautiful.
- Plants make our living spaces greener.
- Plants look absolutely wonderful!
- Plants are also healthy and Plants quite literally give us life.
- Looking at Plants is known to be a mood booster, and many therapies advocate spending time among Plants for better mental health.
- If we’re taking care of a Plant, we’d need to shower it with attention and love. If we’re simply appreciating Plants from afar, we’re still caring for something more than just ourself. Our sense of community and kinship with Nature gets stronger.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
