I’m not sure how you have been coping with COVID, but I have found a lot of comfort by renewing my long-time passion for plants. Growing up, I helped my father in the garden, and had my own collection of indoor plants, which I continued to grow in my first house when I was in my mid-twenties. Somewhere along the line, once I moved to Cleveland, I stopped wanting to take care of the plants I had in the house. Perhaps it was that I became too busy, my focus changing to my new family and household. Now that I have been spending much more time at home, I have been trying to find ways to make my surroundings bring me joy amidst all the pain and unrest beyond my front door. Thus, the need for having living things around me in my home has “blossomed” in me again.
In particular, I have been feeling very nostalgic about a particular Impatiens plant. I had one in my first house in New Mexico, and it flourished for years under my skylight across from my piano. Sadly – when I moved to Cleveland, the plant did not survive. Because of the strong memory of this plant which brightened my home for so many years, I began propagating Impatiens with the intention of giving them away to others. Inow have several different plants to share and will continue to find more to propagate. My dream is to eventually track where all these and other plant cuttings end up through my gifting (and your gifting – should you accept this not so difficult challenge). Eventually, we will be able to see where these cuttings end up and track their future generations.
I ask the following of you upon accepting this gift from me or from others:
- You make an honest attempt to care for the plant. Think of this not as a replacement for, but a reminder of your friends, family and loved ones. You will find that you are more invested in caring for this plant and in seeing where its offspring will end up.
- When, NOT IF (think positively!) your cutting grows into a good-sized plant, you will share your cuttings with at least five others, just as I or your friend has shared mine with you.
- You will record your plant and its cuttings to create a plant “family tree” on the Plantcestry.club website. You, and all those with whom you share your plants will have a free membership. You will be able to record new cuttings and the status of your plant once you register.
- You keep your plant indoors before you share it, so it is not exposed to pests or disease, which you don’t want to spread when you gift your cutting.
- You agree to vision, mission and values of Plantcestry.
With love and hope for a better world for all,
Rachel