A MOMENT WITH THE URBAN JUNGLE BLOGGERS
TEXT: LOGAN VERLAQUE IMAGES URBAN JUNGLE BLOGGERS
PLANT ENTHUSIASTS Igor & Judith ARE HELPING US BRING THE JUNGLE TO OUR HOMES.
Igor and Judith are bloggers, friends, and plant lovers. The two have written several blog posts , have started a trending instagram #hashtag, and have just released their second book together, Plant Tribe. Here, the two talk us through how they started Urban Jungle Bloggers and how living with plants can transform your life.
ON Why THEY startED Urban Jungle Bloggers
Quite a few years ago we met through mutual blogger friends in Paris. Over coffee we talked about design, styling and travels and soon we realized that we had one mutual passion: living with plants. We decided to start a monthly series on our blogs where we would interpret one green topic individually and called it Urban Jungle Bloggers. Immediately after the first posts, in September 2013, we had such a big response from our readers and many of them wanted to participate, we decided to open it up to other bloggers too. That was the moment when Urban Jungle Bloggers™ truly started. Knowledge was shared, inspiring DIY’s were featured, styling tips exchanged. New blogposts were gathered on the Urban Jungle Bloggers website and via Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter. The community kept growing and the #urbanjunglebloggers hashtag on Instagram quickly became one of the most popular houseplant-related hashtags. When we started writing our first book called "Urban Jungle, living and styling with plants" we decided to document the process and all the wonderful content from the community on a dedicated @urbanjungleblog Instagram account. The book became a bestseller, and the Instagram account grew organically to over a million followers and continues to grow now that our second book Plant Tribe, living happily ever after with plants, just came out. Sharing how we, as a community, live with plants, what they bring to us in terms of happiness, well-being, love and energy, how plants change our lives is still at the core of the Urban Jungle Bloggers community.
ON usING plants in our home to replicate the feelings we get from nature
More than half of the world's population live in urban environments, and especially in times like right now, when we are all in lockdown and spending so much time in our homes, we realize we miss nature. The easiest way to add this essential to our homes is by growing houseplants. To enjoy the benefits of living with plants, you don’t have to turn your home into a complete urban jungle with hundreds of plants: even one big Monstera, or a small Sansevieria can bring you the renewed sense of nature that we all need. Nurturing, seeing our plant(s) grow, helps to fuel our soul. In the mean time, to keep our cities healthy, plants and greenery will be part of so many more urban development plans all around the world. Projects like the Bosco Verticale by Studio Boeri in Milan, will be replicated all around the world and our cities will become much greener than they are today. Because we as a society won’t survive if we lose our connection to nature. It’s vital! We live in a fast-paced, super digitalized world where our smartphones and social media dictate the speed of our daily lives. We are also faced with an over-consumption of information and the constant 'Fear of Missing Out' (FOMO). Plants are like a counterbalance to this speedy and digital lifestyle. They ground us and teach us, that life is all about mindfulness and patience. They remind us of the natural cycle of life and keep us present.
ON WHAT plant has the best "energy"
The ancient discipline of Feng Shui helps define the harmony within a domestic space, but first and foremost this depends on the personal belief in such principles. In our book we give some insights into the Feng Shui principles when it comes to plant positioning in the home and energy flow. However, not every home is the same and these principles cannot be applied 100% every time. Plants are living beings and sticking to principles will not always work for them. So we always encourage people to also activate their common sense when placing plants in the home. Feng Shui can be a great guideline if you want to keep a good energy flow, but do not force it if it is not working for your living space. Plants like Jade plants (Crassula ovata) for example symbolize good fortune and the plant is best placed in areas of the home connected to money and success, like a home office. Boston ferns (Nephrolepis exaltata) for example are considered welcoming plants. They work really well in an entrance area or home office. This lush plant is also one of the best natural air purifiers, making it a true good-energy plant for every home! According to feng shui, any plant that is vibrant, lush, and healthy will bring good energy — so the most important principle is to keep your plants happy and healthy. Whatever plant is dear to your heart and gives you a good feeling is the right plant for your home. Principles and rules are one thing, but nothing beats your intuition and feelings. So go for what makes you feel good, happy, and invigorated!
On which plant(s) is easiest to buy online
Common houseplants like Monstera Deliciosa, ZZ plants, Echeveria succulents and Sansevieria are easy to buy online, and easily resist being shipped in a cardboard box. Nowadays online plant shops have such a large variety of plants, seeds and bulbs for sale, that you can find a houseplant for any budget, online. While shopping for plants online can be really fun, especially in these challenging times: consider buying plants online at your local plant shop via click & collect. So many shops are creative and try to set up ways to deliver plants to your home, while taking all the security measures into consideration. Some accept orders by phone, email or their webshop. Wherever you can, support your locals.
On getting started with plants
To make having your own urban jungle as much fun as possible, it’s important that you choose a plant that you like (or better: love). There are so many species to choose from that it’s easy to find a plant with a color, pattern, shape or size that appeals to you aesthetically. It’s also important that you choose a plant that fits your lifestyle. If you travel a lot and don’t spend much time at home, you shouldn’t pick plants that have special needs like daily misting, a higher humidity at all times or temperature control. If your home is bright but without a window sill with direct sunlight, cactus plants won’t feel at home. It’s also important to choose a plant that will fit well into your home and find a good place in which to grow. What kind of light do you have at home? How much room is there? How warm or cool is it? All of these things should be considered when choosing a plant. We truly believe that there is no such thing as a black thumb. If you are willing to invest a little bit of TLC (time, love and care) into your new green friend(s), and if you do your homework, you can have a healthy and thriving jungle at home. Let’s start with the homework: when you purchase a new plant, keep the tag. Or, if you don’t like the tag (we agree: most of the time they are rather ugly), simply snap a picture of your plant and its tag with your phone for future reference. Then google the name of your plant to find some basic care tips on the internet. Also find the right spot for your plant (on your windowsill, in indirect sunlight, in a darker spot, draught-free, in a humid bathroom…) and water according to the instructions. Sometimes you have to experiment a little bit to see which plants thrive in your home, but once you find out there is no turning back. You’ll be hooked! The plants listed above that you can find easily in online plant shops, are all really easy to take care of: some even thrive on a bit of neglect, like the ZZ plant.
on the benefits of plants in the home and Which plants provide benefits
We believe that there is a strong reciprocal relationship between plants and humans. On one hand, we need to care for plants and provide them with basics such as light, soil, water. But also with something we may call more elusively ‘love’. On the other hand, we receive a lot from our plants in return. Plants not only clean the air in our homes and add a decorative touch, they also have an impact on our body, soul, and mind. Plants help us unwind, relax, focus, get creative. And these are the aspects that we highlight in our new book Plant Tribe. It is all about this reciprocity in our life with plants.
It is widely known (and scientifically confirmed) that plants help purify the air in our homes. They not only absorb common household toxins from the air we breathe and release fresh oxygen but also positively impact the energy level in our homes by improving the overall living environment. Most plants have an air-purifying effect. Certain plants, however, are real power boosters for fresh air. They remove toxins that are emitted by synthetic materials and fibers in closed spaces (such as plastic, carpets, etc.), as well as by air pollution from outside. Plants like the Peace Lily, Philodendrons, Golden Pothos, Spider plants or Aloe are some of our favorites.
On growing vegetables and fruits at home
We both don't grow lots of vegetables at home. We do keep some fresh herbs and the occasional pepper plant at home, and we compost and use the liquids as organic fertilizer for our plants, but we're not full blown urban gardeners... yet!
On how they live sustainable lives
We have always promoted the benefits of living with plants. And today more than ever we can emphasize: surround yourself with plants, make your home a green oasis and connect to nature. Who knew we would find ourselves in this lockdown situation?! Imagine if you have no plants at home now and you long for nature! Taking care of our plants is also taking care of our souls and ourselves. We truly believe that our plants will also help us stay safe and sane in these crazy times! One of the things that we've learned in the past years, and that is even more visible right now, is that we don't need so much "stuff". You don't need to become a minimalist to live a green and sustainable life, but making more conscious decisions, what to buy, how much, how often, is what makes all the difference. Instead of buying ten new plants, try to propogate the plants you already have and share them with friends and family as green gifts. Reuse old T-shirts to knot your own plant hanger, look for nice ceramic plant pots in thrift shops and garage sales. To go short: be creative, and stay safe and healthy.
“Plants not only clean the air in our homes and add a decorative touch, they also have an impact on our body, soul, and mind.”
