'Gene', my 'Mother in Law's tongue' plant (Hence the name) is one of my favourite plants in my home. I picked him up in Homebase a couple of years back, when I was out grabbing some DIY bits...maybe became a little distracted, finding myself in the plant section all of a sudden (I love DIY shops!) and spotted him looking all lost on the reduced rack, just because he was a little dry and needed a water! £15 to £2.99 - yes please!! Love a bargain and he has sat proudly, almost centre stage in our lounge ever since, propped up on his very own pedestal in the form of a woven Jute stool which my friend gave me - another non-spend that also comes with sentimental value which is even better! I purchased Gene's natural woven basket along with a few other bits from one of my favourite places for trinket hunting, The Farthing, an online family run interiors boutique offering a fabulous collection of chic and eclectic homewares. Selecting items for their individuality, a great deal of them handmade, The Farthing make a huge effort to source from fair trade suppliers and manufacturers where possible, which goes a long way with me when making shopping decisions.
These days, more than ever it is so important to support our small businesses. Knowing that something has been created by someone's bare hands makes that item all the more special. That you are putting pennies in that person's pocket for that purchase means the world to them (I know this first hand as I sell my own makes and I can tell you now, us individual makers all do that little happy dance every time we make a sale, knowing that someone appreciates our creations enough to want to display them in their home and that all our hard work and effort is worth it!). It also means that the huge production companies with their man made materials, process lines, machinery & huge margins don't get to reap the benefits of the sale. I am not slating all large production companies, but I do tend to find that smaller companies care more about the end product and their customer's satisfaction and that you are far more likely to get better quality from a small business who hand-make their products. To add to that, you are less likely to find over-manufacturing of stock with smaller business, which means less stock waste and things being thrown to landfill, so we are helping our environment by shopping small too!
So, back to Gene!! He has truly grown and flourished and I think he knows he is loved! I love how his vibrant green colours contrast with the bold colours of the corner he sits in - dividing the vivid pink and vibrant yellow and complementing the floral 'Barastepeter' wallpaper print. The different textures of the woven pot, the stool and the bamboo woven baskets in the drawer unit next to him all work so well to add a bit of nature and nurture into our lives, bringing a bit of the outside in.
Plants are truly good for the soul! And our health! I truly believe a happy home should have at least one in every room!
Some people are afraid to have plants in the home as they don't believe themselves 'green fingered' enough. I can assure you, if I can keep a plant alive, you can too! There are many low-maintenance plants available, why not give it a try?
#houseplants #naturenurture #healthyhome #healthymind #shopsmall #supportsmallbusinesses #handmade #qualityproducts #fairtrade #bargainhunting
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