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I do not like winter. I do not like the cold. I do not like the gray. I do not like the threat of breaking a part of my body because the ground has turned into an obstacle course of skill and lottery.

I am a solar powered human and the winter months leave me drained and tired.

Luckily, now the worst of winter seems to be behind us. The weekly snowstorms will slowly change to rain and the ice (and threat of broken bones) will disappear. To keep my, and maybe your, eye on the prize of spring I met with Robin Godfrey, owner and operator of Lakeland Plant World.

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FERRY TALES: Evergreen in name and use

FERRY TALES: Battling misinformation and getting the whole story

I’ve visited Lakeland since I was a child and I was low-key excited to go down the hall I’ve seen for most of my life and wondered what was down there. It’s offices but I still was happy to access the area.

Godfrey and I talked about gardening, seed starting and trends he has seen in the world of plants. He told me a few years ago gardening seemed to be on the decline with many older folks downsizing or no longer having the ability to keep up a garden. The pandemic has changed that.

“There’s a resurgence. People are really into gardening again on so many different levels; whether it’s for your health, whether it’s for food or whether it’s for a hobby or exercise, it gets people outside,” said Godfrey.

He also talked about another big boom in the industry: tropical plants. When I spoke with Godfrey, he had recently returned from Florida where he has a direct supplier of the plants. He said people, and especially millennials, have taken to having plants in their homes.

People find indoor plants to be therapeutic and help with their mental health. Whether it’s a succulent of a cactus or tropical plants in your home it can make people feel at ease, especially when we have been isolated.

Godfrey expressed how he loves to see his customers have success with their plants whether they’re indoor or outdoors. He seemed very proud of his employees and their knowledge as well as the products he offers. Lakeland doesn’t have much in decor because their focus is on what will grow.

“We are the germination propagation station,” said Godfrey.

They have everything from seeds, cell packs, pots, organic soil, regular soil and more.

“We do everything possible to give people a successful experience.”

For people like me who can’t wait for spring and are impatient for garden rituals, I asked Godfrey what seeds we can start now. He recommended pansies, impatiens, violas and even tomato plants and other veggies if you’re able to upgrade your pots. He did caution not to put them outside too soon where the threat of frost continues into spring. It’s best to put things into the ground around the new moon in June.

You can visit Lakeland at 909 Main St. in Dartmouth. It will have a trailer of tropical plants arriving this month and later in the season have transplants available in its expansive garden centre.

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