I promised myself I wouldn’t. I swore that this time, I’d just look. Maybe browse the garden centre with the calm, detached curiosity of someone who is in full control of their life and windowsills.
Reader, I came home with a plant.
Again.
But here’s the thing: I regret nothing.
The Scene of the crime
It started innocently enough – a casual stroll through the garden centre, “just picking up some compost”. (We all know that’s a lie we tell ourselves.) The next thing I knew, I was cradling a glossy-leafed beauty like it was a newborn, whispering soothing affirmations to it while internally calculating how much indirect light that one awkward corner of the kitchen really gets.
In the end, the plant came home with me, proudly riding shotgun. It’s not hoarding if your green babies spark joy, right?
The chaos plant mum era
When I started this leafy journey, I was 90% vibes and 10% guesswork. Plants came. Plants went. Some…didn’t make it. I was the definition of a chaos plant mum: overwatering the succulents and forgetting the calathea existed until it dramatically wilted.
But slowly – through trial, error, and a few soggy roots – I’ve figured things out. And now, I embrace the thrill of the unexpected plant purchase. They always seem to work out in the end. Mostly.
If you’re a fellow impulse buyer (no shame), here’s what I recommend to make those plant purchases work for you:
5 tips for embracing the impulse plant purchase
- Know Your Light Levels
Before you fall in love, check your space. That bright window? Might be a sunburn trap. That cosy corner? Might be too dark. If you’re not sure what your home offers, check out my blog post:
2. Don’t Skip the Pot Upgrade
Nursery pots are temporary. Treat your new plant to a proper home like these:
3. Revisit the Watering Rules
Impulse buys often come with no label and a LOT of thirst…or none at all. Check your soil before watering and head over to my full guide:
4. Keep the Humidity in Mind
Especially if you’re bringing home a calathea or fern. I use this sleek little gadget:
5. Label and Track It (Yes, Really!)
If you’re the type to forget what’s what, label it! Or even better, keep a little log of what you’ve got and when you watered it last. It’s a game changer.
It’s not an addiction, it’s a lifestyle
Do I need another plant? Not really.
Do I want another plant? Every day!
Do I regret the ones I’ve bought? Almost never. And if you’re here, reading this, I’m guessing you’re in the same boat – or about to be.
So go ahead. Buy the plant. Find the shelf space later. Life is short, and your living room could use another touch of green.
You in?