Corn Plant

[orchidguy]

Oh Smitty, it's nice to know that someone like you (happy-go-lucky) is working with people with needs. I started my career in institutions, and remember when plants were not allowed. It's nice to see we have come this far. To deprive any human being of contact with another living organism other than human is inhumane, and I remember bringing a few plants in way back in the day, and found them confiscated by noon. Was told it over stimulated the clients. In the nineties, when institutionalization was not as prevelent, and people were moved into group homes, I was in a Toronto nursery quite a few years later and found a few of the former "clients" working there, as plantsman. They looked happy

[bluebird]

We've come such a long way regarding plants. I remember my Mom telling me that they had to remove plants from hospital rooms at night as it was believed back then that plants "stole" oxygen. Of course these days we know how important plants are for clean indoor air.

Also, for institutions, it is a budding (sorry bad pun!) growth industry for therapy and healing gardens to be included in care facilities. We've come a long way from spiderplants in macrame. (Not that there is anything wrong with spiderplants in macrame...kind of kewl in a retro way!)

[Smitty]

yep I remember those days too Dan..been 30 years at this job and have seen much in my time.
The powers that be have incorporated a new way of thinking into their philosophy..called the 'Eden Philosophy' in short it says that folks need plants,kids,pets ,etc to make their lives full! If they'd listen to the low man on the totem pole they'd have been doing it all along. remember vividly days of sneaking my dogs in on evening shifts and hiding lilacs when bosses came around
smitty who couldn't imagine NOT working with people..challenged or not.