we grow
flower and plant keepsakes

We are really keen plantspeople, but this is where our many years' experience in psychology comes in too. How we love it when feel-good things also make convincing scientific sense and everything just fits together! No need to go over the countless and well-documented benefits of nature to our physical and mental health. Let's go all the way back to the basic human need for emotional attachments. Those familiar with attachment theories; Our need for security and familiarity does not diminish with age. It is how we are wired at all stages in life. And life brings with it many changes, transitions and loss. Through the ages, it has led to the importance of family heirlooms and a strong desire to: 

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Preserve our memories

Family heirlooms preserve memories of our ancestors. They are the physical reminders of important events, days and people in our lives. They help us connect with our past in a tangible way. They keep memories alive. Tending to plants can be a special bonding experience, a sentimental and calming journey that transcends time, location and generations.

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Find a sense of continuity

Heirlooms provide us with a sense of continuity, reminding us that we're part of something bigger before us, and after us. They give us a sense of belonging and identity, and help us feel rooted in our family's story - a story we can carry forward. More than an object on a shelf, more than just things, plants can be living symbols of our past. History is not confined to dusty books and distant dates - it can live on in cherished plant heirlooms that keep bringing joy! A favorite shrub, a climber,... - or herbs passed down from one generation to the next. We can imagine the hands that used them in cooking, while recreating cherished dishes. Heirloom plants are a symbol of unity, igniting a sense of kinship that defies time. 

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Add meaning to our lives

Heirlooms can embody the love from bygone times. They can serve as a reminder of values and traditions of a loved one, and a testament to their diligence, patience and triumph. They can be a portal, transporting us back to a time love was poured into those plants through their cycle of life. These moments become rituals of remembrance, ensuring that some of the past remains alive in our hearts.

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Add familiarity in later life

Half of older adults in Ireland regularly feel lonely which negatively impacts their physical and mental health. Research shows that loneliness later in life happens as a result of a loss of familiarity and connection. Loneliness can affect anyone at any age, but older people are more vulnerable than other groups. The main reasons for this are that older people are more likely to have changing living arrangements and having lost loved ones. Continuing bonds helps coping with grief. Although death and goodbyes change a relationship, the bond may continue in a different way; Through keeping possessions, looking at photographs, telling stories, doing things our loved one would have enjoyed. Tending to a plant heirloom helps feeling connected, useful and also focus on life, not loss alone.

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Fun fact: Did you realize that people who move around a lot show a stronger preference for familiarity? Finding oneself in a strange land evokes the desire for familiar objects. Yes, we like novelty, but we need the comfort of the familiar!

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"Plant heirlooms are living connections to our past that enrich our present. 

We love the combination of plants, people and their story beyond measure and turned it into GrowingLove.

We really hope to extend meaningful ongoing joy and solace to you too."