Several months ago, I found myself at 'Pocket City Farms' in Camperdown. The place fascinated me- a community garden, a place full of businessmen in a floral-drenched conference room, the site of many receptions, and a quaint cafe that didn't burn soy milk. Impressive. So much so, that today I took my friend Caroline (call her Caz unless you're her mum though, please) back to this inner-city haven. We had a nice breakfast, yet it got me thinking. Caz is the self-inflicted carer of many plants, and she's also one of the most content people I know. My own mum is the same. I myself don't boast such talents- two succulents and a cactus recently died under my care, and yet, I can't help but feel reluctantly at ease when surrounded by flora. There's scientific backing for such feeling- Melbourne University suggest just one plant can improve your immediate breathing air by 25%, and 5 plants in your house ups your mental well-being by a good 50%. Jason Kay reckons a flourishing garden is an attractive quality. (Caz and I would like to second that notion). Not only that, but it seems a fairly freeing hobby- less reliance on mass-produced stock of any kind can only be a good thing, right? So, next time you see the man on your street planting some new roses, or theres a bulb store at your local markets, consider perhaps the Pinterest craze is right- plants might just be the weird kind of friends we need around.