Behind social media’s #PlantParents

Growing plants would have been traditionally popular among older generations. Yet, Millennials and Zoomers are to thank for a recent boom in popularity, with Instagram feeds now full of #PlantParents - the new term trending online for young people growing plants.

Keeva Byrne, a 23-year-old makeup artist from Dublin, boasts a collection of 20 indoor plants and almost 50 outdoor succulents. This family of drought-resistant plants are great for beginners or those without a “green thumb”.

She has always been surrounded by plants. “My mum was a garden designer and my grandad was a rose breeder so I was always seeing new, gorgeous and exciting plants. The past year or so I’ve become really interested in them again,” Byrne said.

When she was a baby, her grandad bred a rose named the Keeva Rose, which is still growing in her family garden. This is technically where it all started, but her recent collection began with a succulent cutting from a friend.

The Keeva Rose. Photo taken by Keeva Byrne.

Byrne’s mum often tried to explain how relaxing gardening was, but it wasn’t until she took it up herself that she understood. “My head just felt so much clearer,” she said.

It was very therapeutic for Byrne to focus on something that she would eventually see the results of. On top of that, she found that staying busy, getting some fresh air and trying new things were all great for her mental health. She said, “Taking care of something gave me a small amount of responsibility at times when I didn’t even want to look after myself. It was so nice to de-stress and not think about anything else.”

Erin Thomas is the owner of Hopeless Botanics, a Dublin-based indoor plant business. She opened up the shop in August 2020, after seeing the growth in demand for indoor plants. Because they were only opened up in the last year, she said, “We can’t say we’ve noticed an increase in sales ourselves, but sales of house plants have increased year on year in America and the UK. I’d imagine Ireland is mirroring that.”

Peter Dowdall is a gardening expert and TV presenter also known as ‘The Irish Gardener’ due to his years of experience. He agreed that the hobby is very therapeutic and that’s why young people may be taking an interest in it. As people become more urban, they remove themselves from the natural world. Dowdall believes that this can cause mental and physical health issues in our lives to intensify.

“I think with everything that’s going on in the world, plants and gardening can offer us some answers and that might be why young people are turning to them. There’s huge mental health benefits with even just touching the soil,” he said.

Regardless of whether you have a garden or not, there are benefits that come from being surrounded by succulents. “Houseplants are the most efficient air purifiers we can get for our homes,” said Dowdall.

Thomas agreed that plants brighten up a home and make a space feel cosier. She said, “Plants are a great way to decorate a space if you are renting. You don’t need a lot of cash to brighten up a room with greenery and you can take it all with you if you move.”