Planting in your car, or ‘cardening’ is the latest trend after lockdown had us all raising at least one succulent at home.
Potted plants have taken over the world – there’s no doubt about that. Every home now has a succulent or two, whether they’re real or fake. But some people have taken it a step further, and begun to keep plants on their car dashboards – thus the trend of ‘cardening’ is born.
It’s not difficult to see why this bonkers idea is slowly spreading – it does look pretty funky. And in terms of the plants, where better for them to live than in a giant greenhouse? We all know how hot cars can get in the summer, and the dashboard is a prime spot for sunshine, so it’s a great environment for plants to thrive.
There are definitely limits on what you could grow in your car though, as a vegetable patch would hardly be realistic. Some cress could possibly work if you’re really feeling inspired to start a healthy lifestyle, but other than that you’d be mostly limited to small succulents.
Some cardeners have gone more decorative than others, adding in small trinkets such as houses and animal ornaments. There are those purely in it for the visual impact, putting down shingle and opting for fake plants. This option requires the least maintenance and is good for those of us who definitely won’t remember to water our plants daily.
Another undemanding choice are cacti, which only need watering around once a week. They’ll make your car look aesthetically pleasing, but we do have one question – how screwed would you be in a crash? It’s one thing to break suddenly and be covered in soil, but another to hurtle towards the dashboard and into the path of a spiky plant. We have a feeling that the people who want a cactus in front of their seat haven’t thought it through properly.
You also have to wonder how these green spaces impact your insurance – do you really have a leg to stand on when there is a whole shrubbery blocking your view of oncoming traffic? Don’t even get us started on airbags, which some of these cardeners must have tampered with in order to decorate their dashboards.
Serious notes aside, there are definitely sensible (and still pretty wacky) ways to make your car a little more green on the inside. You could get a little more creative with your central console, even if that just means buying potted plants for the cupholder, which is sure to jazz up your daily drives.
If you’re bold enough to make a little mess in your car, then happy cardening – and always remember to put safety before succulents.
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