The love of plants “grabbed” Carter suddenly several years ago, and he “went from 10 plants to 50 or 60 plants within a few months”. He soon transformed his home into an “indoor jungle” he says with a laugh – a situation that his long-suffering wife has now accepted, he adds. Can he describe the feeling that sparked his obsession? “I felt like a kid in a candy store. And having this living thing in your home, making you focus on the daily caring of something that you’re now bonded to. There’s something in the caring process that’s therapeutic, you can use it to meditate or escape, and for two hours once a week completely zone out.”
In a sense, having plants is like having pets – they bring you joy, but they also need love and attention. “Plants are not a prop,” agrees Carter. “They need light and food. You have to be ready to commit to something that’s living. It’s like if you visit an animal shelter, you don’t bring home every puppy or kitten, you bring one dog not 10 dogs. If you get a ton of plants not knowing how to care for them, you end up very sad, and wasting a lot of money.” Carter points out that plants “make gestures to you, if they have zero light for instance”. And if he had to give one bit of advice for tending plants? “Follow the light, and it’ll be easier to become a plant parent.”