Bonsai Trees. Aloe Vera. Mini Cacti. Peace Lilies. HAPPINESS. Let’s face it: plants are amazing and I have no shame in admitting I am an avid plant parent (and yes it’s a thing).
I am not the only one who holds this proud parent title. Dubbed ‘Plantfluencers’, an increasing amount of millennials are leading the way in the plant parent community. Urban Jungle Blog is a community about all things house plants. With a million followers it is clear to see that it isn’t just me who is obsessed with leafy shrubs and adorable succulents. My Instagram feed is abundant with accounts just like Urban Jungle Blog, posting content designed to light up the hearts of the botanically inclined.
In a world where we are bombarded by stimuli, we humans have the urge to seek information in the easiest and most efficient way. With the human brain processing images 60,000 times faster than text, it’s no surprise that they say a picture speaks a thousand words. Photographs therefore play an important role in everyone’s life. Pictures connect us to our past, remind us of people, places and stories.
Obviously I am obsessed with plants. It’s a given. Being able to process images faster than text probably explains why I noticed the three mini cactuses on the window shelf in the English work room first. Next to these precious plants was a leaflet entitled “#mygreenstudy’ urging students to post and share photos of their new plants on social media.
By uploading photographs online to platforms such as Instagram, it creates a timeline of our lives by sharing the things, people and memories that we love and want others to share with us. It creates a type of social bonding and can increase solidarity between people. Even the #mygreenstudy tag has enabled a community of plant lovers to come together and participate within that community. It blows my mind that a simple picture and a hashtag can connect you to people with the same interest while grouping similar content. #love (which has 1.221B tags on insta btw).
I guess Houseplants can thank social media for their resurgence in popularity. The financial times published an article stating that the UK’s flower and indoor plant market is worth £2.2 billion and that out of the 6 million people who had taken up gardening; 5 million were millennials. It appears that pictures have a huge power which is deeper and more important than what we often care to realise. Posting pictures of plants has enabled a new haven for existing foliage fanatics while encouraging a new generation to hop onto this growing trend (pun unintended).
I’m certain most of you have tried or became obsessed with avocado thanks to pictures on Instagram of #avocadotoast. Maybe now you can try having custody of a cacti thanks to #plantspiration #plantparenthood #plantpower
Feel free to share your #ideas 🙂
Carla's Digital Media and Language Blog 