The Sociological Review recently published the study ‘Time with houseplants: A sociological analysis of temporalities, affective entanglements and practices of care‘, co-authored by Prof Dawn Lyon.
The paper highlights that tending to houseplants became more than a hobby; it served as a means to reestablish daily structures and provide a sense of purpose amidst uncertainty. Regular watering schedules and observing plant growth offered a rhythm that countered the disarray of pandemic life. The paper examines the emerging emotional connections between humans and houseplants, highlighting their transformative potential through the shared experience of creating and structuring time at home with plants.
This article will resonate with a wide range of readers, as it offers a fresh perspective on how routines and emotional attachments were restructured through domestic plant care. It also speaks to researchers interested in how nonhuman life shapes human experiences.
The article is open access, read the full version here: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/00380261251335747