Being surrounded by nature is good for our health and well-being. And one of the most powerful things we can do in these uncertain times, is to create a sanctuary for ourselves, and if we have family living with us, for our families. One of the easiest ways to do this is by using nature's gift of plants.
Studies have shown what our grandparents instinctively knew, that having plants around us helps to comfort us, eases our anxiety and gives us a safe reprieve from all the scary stories circulating now.
And we don't need a lot of space, or even a lot of plants, to do this. Many plants, whether they're in pots on a balcony, or a small backyard, can be arranged to form a small reading nook, or a corner to play in, have meals in, or just somewhere lovely to sit. And we can do this from virtually nothing.
With even just one plant, we can create a pretty little sanctuary to enjoy. Imagine a low hedge of shrubs, herbs or even grasses creating an outdoor room that feels safe and spacious at the same time.
And all this can be created from just one plant. If you have a Japanese box, gardenia, rosemary, lavender, or lemon grass plant sitting idly in a pot or in a corner of the garden, they can be propagated to create loads more plants.
If you don't have a yard, a small balcony will do just nicely. All that is needed are some pots, one shrub, some sharp scissors, potting mix and you're off to a great start. . It would even be lovely to put up a row of lemon grass in small pots to create a lovely hedge that filters in light and waves in the breeze.
A favourite shrub, rescued from the 'throw out' section of a large nursery, was a forlorn little Viburnum Tinus or Laurustinus. It has grown into a lovely shrub, smothering itself in pretty white flowers in a corner of the garden. So it was a perfect choice to use to create lots of new plants to plant as a hedge. While we have more space here, this can easily be done for smaller spaces very easily.
So here's the process .. (If you have children, this is a wonderful activity to do with them. And you'll be giving them skills they can use for life!)
Take a cutting from your chosen plant. Cut just below where the leaf joins the stem, making a cutting of about 10-15cm. If your plant is small, the cuttings will be shorter.
Alternatively, gently tear a stem from a larger branch, leaving a tiny piece of the large stem on the cutting. This is called a 'heel' cutting and usually grows new roots more easily.
Strip off the lower leaves from each stem, leaving a pair of leaves at the top of the cutting. Place gently in a plant pot filled with compost. Make lots of cuttings this way and put them all into the same pot.
Gently water the pot and place in a shady corner with filtered light and keep moist, but not saturated. You will know the stems have started to grow new roots when you see little white threads reaching through the holes in your pot.
Once you see roots emerging from the bottom of the pot, you can now begin to pot them up into their own individual pots. To do this, gently remove the pot, carefully tease the new little plants apart, and put each one into its own pot filled with compost or potting mix. Again, water in gently and place in a bright, shady corner.
Wait until you see roots emerging from the bottom holes of the pot and the plant is growing new leaves. Now you can prepare larger pots to put each one into, or prepare a place in your garden to put in your new plants.
Keep watering regularly and soon your plants will grow lush and beautiful.
Before you know it, you'll have your own beautiful little sanctuary that you created from nothing!
All that is needed now is to sit back and enjoy! But be warned, making new plants from virtually nothing can be addictive. You might find yourself sitting back and wondering which plant you can propagate next!
Enjoy!
