Going green

A collection of houseplants in brass pots.

Help! My husband's turned into a Millennial!

(That's a joke. Some of my best friends are Millennials...)

Mr Robot has rediscovered the joy of houseplants, which means he shares an obsession with lots of my younger pals. He had loads as a boy (plants, not young people), but they all died when he went to university, and he never got back into them. Like most people with office jobs he's been working from home fulltime for the past year and has the spare room as his office. He got a plant to cheer it up, and things have just snowballed from there. There are some really good plant retailers online, who don't just sell you a type of plant, but allow you to buy the exact one you see in the picture.

He's been scouting for pots and planters in the charity shops on eBay and Etsy, and has bought a few nice ones. There don't seem to be many in the chazzas, but eBay's been a great source. The magnificent three-bowl brass beast is his star buy. It wasn't cheap, but then he's going to see it every single working day, so he may as well have something he likes. The little octagonal cupboard is apparently about 40 years old and from Hong Kong. It's lined inside with Chinese-patterned paper. A little junk shop has opened up in Trow and he got the cupboard there for £30.  

A small octagonal cupboard in dark wood, with a plant in a brass pot on top.

I also bought a pot, because while he was ordering his latest batch of green chums he got me an aspidistra. Our living room is north-facing and so not very well lit, but aspidistras don't mind that. The living room is now looking more Victorian than ever as we replaced the shabby old curtains with some red ones in the William Morris 'Strawberry Thief' design too.

Over the years we've come to accept that we're terrible at DIY, so we're getting Ian from down the road to do some decorating soon. Everybody in the area gets Ian to do their DIY and gardening projects. Normally we're fine at painting, but we want the stairwell done, and the lining paper needs stripping and replacing in the living room – that's never been done in the 20 years we've lived here, and we figure we may as well get it done, and get the plastering round the fireplace sorted at long last. To be honest, I'm anticipating more lockdowns later in the year, or at least the 'rona to be so rampant I'll be staying in anyhow. Might as well make the most of where we are, eh?

 A collection of houseplants in brass pots, and an octagonal wooden cabinet.

Comments

  1. I seem to have accumulated a lot of house plants over the last couple of years. I'm very fond of very small cacti...

    Loved Mr. Robot's plants and pots and the little cupboard is absolutely gorgeous. There is a definite Victorian vibe going on.

    You are very lucky to have an Ian - I have my daughter's partner who is a very good DIYer and OH tries his best, too!
    xxx

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    1. Ian's fab. He doesn't have to advertise, he's always rushed off his feet with people wanting stuff done. He likes us because we invite him onto the patio for a cider when he's done.

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  2. I didn't realise houseplants were big with the youth. I love the Mr's collection and those brass pots and Oriental cabinet are fantastic finds. I never have much luck with planters in chazzas either.
    Loving the sound of your Strawberry Thief curtains.
    Well done for finding a decent handyman. Jon will have a bash at most things but anything that involves ladders and it's a job for an expert! xxx

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    1. Yeah, the young 'uns love plants. Possibly a result of so many having to live in rented housing without pets and with no outdoor space, possibly just a trend.

      We're the same. Pete will do some stuff on ladders, but I refuse.

      Ian also has punk bands in his garden (which explains some of the music we hear drifting down the terrace); he's said next time he's got a band over we should go round. DIY *and* music! Win.

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  3. I love houseplants but I'm notoriously bad with them. For some reasons, my green fingers only apply to the garden. Mr. Robot's are looking magnificent and that brass three-bowl planter is stunning. Very Victorian indeed, and I absolutely love it! xxx P.S. I take it the urchins are leaving them alone? We haven't tried with Bess yet, but houseplants + Phoebe were a definite no-no!

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    1. I think because the urchins go out whenever they like, they don't have any interest in houseplants. Grass from the lawn is what they like.

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  4. I love that Chinese cupboard - I'm looking for something similar for my deck right now. I am also slow at renos in our house (I mean, it took me nearly 20 years to paint the deck!), so you're not alone, Mim! I love plants, but need someone else to take care of them for me. I like that you're sourcing stuff second-hand, yay!

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    1. I'm glad it's not just us who takes ages to get round to stuff.

      We shop a lot secondhand anyway, but buying stuff for Pete's office has been an eye-opener. Brown furniture's not very trendy, so he got an Edwardian desk for £20!

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  5. They're lovely plants. I think I'm better suited to the silk variety!

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    1. Hehehe. I like plants, but he loves his plants. They get daily care and attention.

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