It was time for a massive houseplant,
a revival of military surplus sideburn times,
for a monstera on the sideboard
and the pathos of the pothos,
humidifiers on the middle floor
away from loft or basement.
I want to turn the whole digital world green,
cultivating split leaves,
leaving succulents to fight for themselves
among low-light philodendrons
by a solitary timelapse.
On the fern forums, there’s a debate
about the bathroom, the regularity
of exposure to indirect light.
What is meant by ‘pinning to soil’
when you introduce a Hoya Australis?
And what about the potter in its little quarter
surviving for weeks without water,
cast iron, growing slowly in the corner
or outside in its high hardiness zone
as ground cover in the shade of trees?
What can we do with the Tradescantia
when it’s diluted in a basket mix?
What can I do with an ailing fern?
Deal with the water issue first;
give it a deep water soaking.
Misting and spraying will never be enough.
A skylight won’t be the answer
for massive houseplants on the sideboards of Lampeter,
changing the colour of your Instagram feed
with cultivated split leaves,
mildly invasive windowleaf,
Penglai banana and Swiss cheese.
Wilderspool Causeway 