In the midst of these horrible winter months when blankets of snow cover our once green and colourful neighbourhoods, many people have turned to houseplants to get them through these dark times.  

Windowsill gardens have become a popular tool for stress relief not only in winter but all year long. There is a kind of satisfaction in taking care of something and watching it grow and flourish.  

In the past, I was the least likely person to try and have plants in my home. Although I have been the proud owner of multiple pets, it has always been nearly impossible for me to keep a plant alive long enough to reap any of their benefits.  

This past summer, I decided to try my luck with a beautiful Ming Aralia Bonsai houseplant to liven up my desk at work.   

I named him Ab – and no that is not short for Abraham, just Ab – and he is the love of my life.  

Ab is alive and he depends on me to help him grow, and when he does it feels like a real accomplishment.  

For those of you who may have some concerns about killing your plants, try and start with something that doesn’t need an overwhelming amount of attention – something sturdy that won’t die easily. For example, many people have promised me it is nearly impossible to kill a cactus or bamboo.  

Gardening has also been proven to have mental health benefits and indoor plants can help combat seasonal depression.  

As mentioned before, winter can be long and many of us miss the vibrant colours of Mother Nature. It is amazing the positive effects these houseplants will have on your general mood.  

There are also physical health benefits to having plants in your home. In my house, green beans and kale are two healthy greens that I now incorporate into my diet. As it turns out, I am much more likely to eat the veggies I grow then the ones I get at the grocery store.  

Another apparent benefit to growing veggies inside is the money I save on my grocery bill. This tactic becomes a lot easier in the summer when you can really take advantage of space and weather.  

While some indoor plants are good to eat others can actually help purify the air in your home.  

According to the Huffington Post, these plants are the best at fighting unwanted pollutants and chemicals in your air. The Philodendron is a small leafy plant that can potentially live in your home for years if properly taken care of. A Philodendron is known for absorbing a toxic chemical often found in paint thinner. 

The Snake plant is another great addition to your indoor garden. Not only does this plant remove benzene and formaldehyde but also absorbs carbon dioxide and releases oxygen.  

As reported by Huffington Post, the English Fern is the number one air filtering houseplant and is know to filter out formaldehyde.  

With a rise in popularity plant lovers everywhere have also been dealing with some backlash for our new “obsession”.  

This trend has become so prevalent it has managed to gain some media attention. 

I recently read an obnoxious article about how Millennials are replacing having children with buying plants.   

Of course there is no way that we could just love plants separately from our desire to have or to not have children.  

Hi, my name is Meghan Gauvin, I am a 22 year-old Millennial who loves houseplants and I’m not sorry.  

Apparently, next to avocado toast and having high career expectations, houseplants are the next fad that Millennials are taking a whole bunch of shit for.  

We can probably deduct that the article was not written by one of the childless plant loving Millennials talked about, and yet, people are taking this seriously.  

There are millions of reasons why people may not have children, and to suggest that this is always a choice is pretty unbelievable. However, besides the obvious issues with this article that truly grinds my gears, I am also highly offended that we are being shamed for loving plants. How could this possibly be hurting anyone?