In March of this year, I started collecting plants. It’s addictive. Once I started, I could not stop. There’s just something so lovely about taking care of plants. It feels simple and relaxing, it’s such a silly thing, but it seems to help my mood!
It’s been a learning experience, but I’m hooked! In this post, I’ll take you through the plants I’ve collected, how I care for them, and some of the challenges I’ve faced. Plus, I’ll throw in some tips for keeping your plants safe around pets (because, yes, I have two curious cats!).
Plants & Pets
Let’s talk about a common concern—plants and pets. I have two cats, and plant safety is a huge priority for me. Unfortunately, a lot of plants are toxic to animals, and it’s tough to navigate the conflicting information you’ll find online. I’m fortunate that my cats don’t seem interested in my plants, but I still try to be cautious. For plants that are mildly toxic, I keep them out of reach, just in case. I make sure that if my cats did develop a taste for greenery, I’d either rehome those plants or move them to safer spots. Always double-check whether a plant is safe if you have pets.
A Glimpse Into My Plant Collection
Please note, you cam see all my plants in the YouTube video linked 🙂
1. Dieffenbachia ‘Camilla’
My first plant! This Dieffenbachia ‘Camilla’ is toxic (oops, I found out after I bought it). It now lives on a high shelf in a closed-off room to keep it out of reach from the cats. Despite a few yellowing leaves due to low light, it’s been fairly low maintenance. I might move it to a brighter spot for winter, but it’s a great beginner plant—just not ideal if you have pets.
2. Fishbone Prayer Plant
This fishbone prayer plant stole my heart with its beautiful striped leaves. However, it wasn’t an easy start. The tips browned because I watered it with tap water, which it turns out, this plant doesn’t like. Switching to rainwater helped, and I also added a pebble bath to increase humidity. It’s doing much better now!
3. Basil Plant
A surprise success story—my basil plant! I bought it from the supermarket and didn’t expect much, but it grew massively on the windowsill. I split it into two—one half outside (which sadly didn’t survive) and the other thrived indoors. It even flowered, but I read that the leaves become bitter afterwards, so it spent most of the summer in the greenhouse.
4. Spider Plant (a.k.a. “Sport”)
Yes, I named this one Sport! I’m not typically one to name plants, but this spider plant is doing well despite not receiving much direct light. I’m excited for it to start producing baby spider plants soon!
5. Venus Fly Trap
This one took some research! My Venus flytrap needs distilled or rainwater and lots of light. I’ve managed to split it into three plants, and they’ve thrived over the summer, even catching flies on their own (which is equal parts fascinating and gross). The upcoming winter hibernation has me nervous, but we’ll see how it goes!
6. Money Plant
I got this money plant in June, and it’s been a favourite. It keeps producing babies, which I’ve gifted to family, but I may need to repot it soon. It’s been super easy to care for—just a bit of watering every 10 days or so, and it’s thriving on my living room windowsill.
7. Turtle Vine
A funny story—these turtle vines started growing out of my money plant! At first, I thought they were baby money plants, but soon realized they were an entirely different species. They’ve grown quickly, and I love how they hang down. I might propagate them to make the plant look fuller.
8. Aluminium Plant
I’m guilty of neglecting this one a little. It sits on a shelf, gets minimal light, and I often forget about it. Yet, it survives. It’s a resilient plant, but it could definitely use some TLC.
9. Succulent
Another slightly neglected plant, this succulent came home with me in June. It’s wrapped in some sort of mesh, which I need to remove to repot it, but for now, it’s hanging in there. I just need to do some research on the best potting mix for it.
10. Monstera (Swiss Cheese Plant)
This Monstera is one of my favourites. Its Swiss cheese-like leaves are iconic, but it’s been struggling lately, with some yellowing leaves. I propagated a part of it, which might explain why it looks a bit sparse. I’ll need to figure out what’s going wrong—perhaps it’s just adjusting to the changing light as winter approaches.
11. Birthday Prayer Plant
I bought this prayer plant on my birthday, so it holds a special place in my heart. The leaves are quite different from my fishbone prayer plant, and I’m still trying to figure out if they have different names. Regardless, it’s one of my prettiest plants, with delicate purple flowers and fast growth on my north-facing kitchen windowsill.
12. Fittonia
And now, my problem child—the Fittonia. I got this plant from IKEA, and while I initially loved its pink leaves, it has dwindled in size. It’s my “worst” plant right now, needing much more attention than I’ve given it. I’ll try to revive it with some love and care!
Do you collect plants?
Collecting plants has been a journey—one filled with trial and error, joy, and a lot of learning. From discovering what water certain plants prefer to managing a pet-safe home, I’ve definitely grown (pun intended) as a plant parent. If you’re just starting out, my advice is simple: don’t worry about getting everything right. The key is to enjoy the process and learn as you go.
Thanks for joining me on this tour of my plant collection. I’d love to hear your plant parenting tips or any advice for getting through the winter months with these beauties. Happy growing!
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