It is scientifically proven that exposure to nature improves your physical and emotional health. The power of nature is so strong in fact, that even the idea of nature can heal! A study conducted in hospitals showed that simply having a plant in the room, whether it was real or fake, could lift spirits and speed up the healing process. Having said that, fresh is best when it comes to plants and flowers. But who has all that time to go around Beijing shopping for the prettiest picks to place in a vase every few days? Here’s where the convenience of this urban city comes in – there are several flower subscription services that will deliver fresh pickings every week, straight to your doorstep. To begin, we’ll take a look at one we’ve tested ourselves.
Open your Taobao app and search 花点时间旗舰店 huā diǎn shí jiān qí jiàn diàn. Click on the second option from the bottom right 宝贝分类 bǎo bèi fēn lèi, aka Categories. In the column on the left choose the second option from the top and boom, you’re now looking at flower subscriptions. You can choose from weekly, biweekly, or monthly options.
They offer quite a variety of flower arrangements, like the Pro or Less, as well as just different types of roses. You can even select DIY to put together your own bundle. Prices start from RMB 39.9 for the cheapest weekly subscription. If you’re too spoiled for choice and can’t decide on which variety, you can always go with a reasonable budget that works for you and try it out for a month or so. Vases are an optional top-up or free with a minimum three-month subscription. Do note that they will suspend their services during the Chinese New Year period for about 2-3 weeks due to lack of delivery personnel, but they’ll send you extra bouquets to make up for it later. If you get their annual subscription, you’ll get additional bouquets on your birthday and special occasions, free-of-charge too!
If flowers aren’t your thing, you could also check out Taobao to get some plants for the new year. Plants are particularly good for feng shui too, if you’re into that sort of thing. From personal experience, here are three house plants that survive in Beijing and are available on Taobao. Pro tip: I used the platform’s photo search feature to look up the house plants that are currently in my apartment and learn their Chinese names, as they are not well-translated using translation apps.
Snake Plant 虎皮花 (hǔ pí huā)
We may call it the Snake Plant, but in Chinese, it’s the “Tiger Skin Plant” and to be honest, I think that’s a much better name given its look. What’s more, this is the perfect plant for ushering in the Lunar New Year since 2022 is the year of the tiger! Whatever you call it, these guys are pretty hard to kill, except by overwatering – which I’m learning about now in winter when they can go months without water. These plants are known for their air purification effects so they are particularly suited for the capital!
Philodendrons 绿萝 (lǜ luó)
According to thespruce.com, this is basically everyone’s favorite low-maintenance, low-light houseplant as well as one of the top vining plants for the home. Philodendron plants grow quickly, require very little upkeep, and are not picky about their growing conditions.
Succulents 多肉植物 (duō ròu zhí wù)
You see them all over Beijing for a reason – they do really well here. Mine even died, but before I had the chance to throw it out, the thing resurrected itself and has been thriving ever since. It can even grow new stems from fallen leaves, making it a really great science experiment for the kids. Fun fact: Its Chinese name literally means “plant with a lot of meat.”
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Images: Taobao, Unsplash
