I have lived in a series of small apartments for the past four years. I have three roommates, and the four of us truck our stuff from place to place around Montreal hoping to find less mice, more heat and a better freezer every time. Despite all this relocation and movement, however, I have managed to cultivate a very nice garden of houseplants for us.
It has not been easy – some plants have inexplicably wilted while others have flourished, rainstorms have knocked pots off balconies, bugs have invaded our home and at least six basil plants have died without warning. I have not been discouraged, however, and I still take on any plant anyone offers me. This year alone I rooted four new plants and was given two.
I take the mini-garden on as a personal responsibility because it calms me. I like knowing the rhythm of the plants, when they need water and when they need sun. When they need to be cut back and when they can be safely rooted. What’s more, I like collecting old pots and clippings and rooting things from plants on the street. I feel like I am contributing to the health of the planet and the happiness of my home – when a flower blooms my roommates and I smile each time we see it.
Someday I will move into a big home with a garden, but until then I am happy with my portable, puny, potted paradise.