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Do you have a garden? Or trusty houseplants? We asked Cup of Jo readers to share photos of their green spaces — ahhh, it feels like a deep breath — and here are 14 inspiring spaces…
“This is my first time living in an apartment with a balcony. Having a personal outdoor space has been life changing and a huge help for my mental health during quarantine. It’s my favorite place to work during the day and read in the evenings.” — Marisa, Seattle
“I live with my husband, our two daughters, and lots of animals. Our vegetable garden is not at its most beautiful right now, but by the end of July, the trellis will be full with cucumber vines, and the hazelnuts on the trees will be ready to pick.” — Seja Brumley, Bloomington, Indiana
“I’ve lived in this apartment for five years, but we’re moving because my partner and I are expecting a baby in August (exciting and terrifying!). My beloved houseplants are coming with me and I hope they survive the move. This fiddle leaf fig is my pride and joy.” — Beth, Greensboro, North Carolina
“My husband and I turned our front yard into a garden when our youngest son was born. We haven’t turned back since! We are constantly learning about our little eco system here and trying new things.” — Veronica, Vancouver
“My husband and I are currently living in his grandmother’s house and the last couple of years have been a balance of revamping her gardens and seeing what is already in place.” — Natalie, Hudson Valley, NY
“Here I am in my community garden. This garden is my everything.” — Naudia, Brooklyn
“I rent a small home, but I love to utilize my wall space for plants. I found these WallyGro planters made out of recycled milk cartons.” — Alli, Los Alamitos, CA
“The pandemic finally gave me a reason to purchase the Lettuce Grow Farmstand I had been eyeing for months. It’s lots of fun, and we eat from it regularly!” — Victoria, West Los Angeles
“The pandemic was so overwhelming (and my husband works at the CDC and was always flush with new data) that the simple routine of watering and gathering brought our whole family together.” — Shannon, Cincinnati, Ohio
“I am a hotel general manager. Last spring was a strange time in my industry, and to manage the stress I dove into gardening. I ripped up the grass in our front yard and built this cut flower garden. It’s been the most rewarding project, and bringing buckets of flowers to our team at the hotel each week is such a fun way to surprise and delight my co-workers.” — Tessa, Portland, Oregon
“I have a container garden on the back staircase of my apartment!” — Stephanie, San Francisco
“I’m so incredibly grateful for our garden. We had our first baby last spring and basically lived back here from April to November. My husband even put in a ‘pool’ to make the brutal Missouri summers more bearable. Here’s a photo of me, a month postpartum last summer, trying out the pool for the first time and feeling very happy and loved.” — Rachel, Kansas City, MO
“My plants were a result of my labor and kept me sane all through 2020.” — Shweta, Netherlands
P.S. Readers share their cozy corners and relaxing-at-home outfits.
(Top photo of a CoJ reader named Upasana in Boston.)
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