From Australia’s wonderful beaches and native bushlands to its pristine rainforests and waterways, it’s hard to beat the feeling of being out amongst Mother Nature.
Of course, the demands of modern life mean we can’t always get out as often as we’d like. But the great news is we’re beginning to see a real trend back towards indoors plants and gardening, especially amongst Millennials as the Sydney Morning Herald reported recently. In fact, some passionate urban gardeners like Sydney’s Alan Chan have become mini-celebrities on social media. (Alan’s page @plant.jungle has more than 73,000 followers on Instagram!)
Indoor gardening: it’s about more than just plants.
Whether it’s a sprawling urban jungle in your loungeroom, an indoor sprout and veggie patch on the kitchen table, or a tranquil balcony garden, home grown plants can bring all kinds of wonderful benefits. More and more Australians are discovering the rich meditative qualities of tending to, and relaxing in, their urban gardens to help ease the day-to-day stresses of life. Dubbed ‘forest therapy’, some studies have shown spending as little as 30 minutes a day in nature can have a huge positive impact on our mental health. So, if you can’t find time to get outside, why not do it in the comfort of your own home?
Melbourne-based plant stylist Jenna Holmes – aka ‘Plant Mama’ – wholeheartedly agrees. She also explains another reason for the growing popularity of urban gardening, especially with younger Australian adults, is almost certainly rising house prices. “It’s harder for our generation to buy (big) houses,” she told the Sydney Morning Herald. “So we spend more money on making our spaces look nice.”
Sprouts, front and centre.
If you’re thinking about starting your own urban garden, fantastic! Amongst all-time classic indoor plants like Fiddle-Leaf Figs, Staghorn Ferns, Monsteras, String of Pearls, Snake Plants and even Aloe Vera, you probably won’t be surprised to hear we’re also big fans of including a mix of delicious sprouts varieties. Fast growing, space efficient and super easy to care for, in many ways they’re the perfect indoor plants, especially if don’t have the greenest of thumbs. They don’t even need soil or sunlight! Of course, sprouts are also packed with nutrients and antioxidants – and by growing your own food at home you’ll be doing your bit as a bona fide urban primary producer – so you’ll feel great even before you eat them :)
Interested in creating your own urban jungle? This article from Home Beautiful has plenty of hints and tips to help you get started.
We have a range of sprouts for you to try your hand at growing - why not start with a DIY sprouts kit?