Bloom

On September 12th 2020, I got my first plant: a Nephrolepis Exaltata at a tuincentrum (garden center in Dutch). Thinking about it, I had never bought nor took care of any plant myself before, but having moved to a new country and unable to get a pet, I felt a bit of living green in the room could create a difference. I grew up with this plant through my aunt and grandmother, so I was very confident it would last and I’d know what to do (we’re in 2022 already!). I love this plant mainly for its leaves and its natural growing presence wherever it’s placed. I’d even dare to say it’s my ultimate favorite.

First Plants

On July 7th 2021, I got a couple more plants after my mother and a friend kept talking about how great they are and how relaxing the process of taking care of them and watching them grow is. As a beginner, I went across some blogs and chose a Maranta Leuconeura ‘Fascinator Tricolor’ and a Monstera Deliciosa. As for the succulents (because I couldn’t resist joining the “propagate succulents from cuttings” club), I got a mini succulent mix of 3 pieces.

Well, the succulents did last but I'm really bad at propagating them, and rather enjoy growing hydroponic plants. My first experiment (besides the popular bean experiment for kids back in school) were sweet potato vines. They are slow starters, but in a matter of weeks you’ll be surprised by how much they’ve grown. And how beautiful they turn out to be!

After the length as seen in the picture below, they didn’t grow more and turned yellow.

Growing Monsteras

Sadly, I had to leave them behind and left them at the building’s entrance atrium with the paper note “free to take”. Hope they have found a welcoming new home.

My Musa

On July 29th, I got my first dwarf banana plant from a local horticulture. I love bananas (the fruit), and the plant, especially because of its leaves (the first picture on the left was taken at Palmengarten in July 2022 in Frankfurt). I had been wanting this plant for a long time and hadn’t go after it until right on the last week before moving away, I saw it on sale at the local Albert Heijn for 8€, and stayed on my mind. My mother got herself a Ficus Elastica Robusta (on the right-side).

Curious Fact taken from Google: “Botanically, the bananas belong to the monocotyledonous family Musaceae (Zingiberales) under the revised section Musa and with the genus Musa”.