Ok this is very exciting to me because watching plants grow is the most wonderful thing.

Before quarantine, I would somehow end up in a nursery or local plant shop all the time. Mostly because I knew where all of them were and whenever I was in the area I made a point to go there. I was definitely becoming more selective with which plants I brought home at this point, but I would still leave with a plant (or two) pretty often. Lately I’m not out-and-about as much (plus, in-person shopping experiences are so different right now) I just decided to just enjoy the growth of my own plants this summer.

This is my monstera and she is my pride and JOY. I bought her last year when I really started getting into houseplants. She was a beauty when I got her but such a baby compared to what she looks like now! And earlier this year, we fought a BATTLE with thrips and now she’s back to pushing out these incredible mature leaves. I lost a lot of the lower leaves from the thrips, and that’s why some of the remaining leaves look a little messed up, but she’s alive! And I have plenty of time to prune and propagate if I ever choose to.

I just found this picture of when I got her — April 2019

I’m noticing that Monsteras are just one of my favorite genus because my Thai Constellation Monstera has also stolen my heart. This one was actually 3 massive leaves when I got it, but I left it potted in some whack soil (rookie move) and it got root rot. I unfortunately lost 2/3 leaves and most roots, but I kept it in water for a few months and it developed a CHUNKY root system. But I was still traumatized by the soil incident before, I chose to keep it in a soil-free hydroponic solution. It’s just puffed clay LECA balls in a perforated nursery pot, nestled inside a ceramic cachepot. Then I fill it up with a solution of water and 1/4 dose of organic liquid fertilizer. She loves it! These five leaves in the photos are just since she’s been in this setup. No fenestrations on these yet, but the variegation is mesmerizing and each new leaf has been bigger than the last.

Also look at my Raphidophora Tetrasperma that started as ONE leaf and is now climbing up the side up my dining room. I LOVE IT!

And outside ….

this STUNNING bloom on my Ephiphyluym Hookeri. Wow. Also let it blow your mind that this bloom only lasted about 12 frickin’ hours. After over a week of build up with the bud!

Anyways, good thing I did a photo shoot with it

Then of course since I was taking photos of my plants, I ended up taking photos of my cat and then some self portraits with Bruno. A natural transition.