Music For Plants #2

Music

Begonia 'Escargot'

A sweet genus of shade-loving understory jungle plants from South and Central America, Africa and Asia, begonias are an intriguing mix of shy and showy. A quiet growing demeanour, offset with an incredible array of outlandishly patterned leaves.

Today I’m taking a trip with ‘Escargot’, who is awakening from winter dormancy and slowly spiralling outwards new purple, silver and green fractal patterned leaves held low on red hairy stems. Blissfully happy in low light levels in a peaceful corner of your home, remember to keep her away from direct sunlight and big egos. The more shade, the more prominent the argent silver markings will appear on the leaves. These plants also like high humidity and are therefore very happy in terrariums or grouped together with other similarly minded plants – both of which increase natural humidity levels.

When they need watering begonia leaves will start to droop and look sad. Cheer them up by watering with a light hand. If left to stand in too much water, their rhizomes will rot. Share the love with friends by either dividing plants when they get too large for their pots or by taking leaf cuttings in the growing season.

Casino Versus Japan – Hope in Color

Erik Kowalski, aka Casino Versus Japan, is a Wisconsin-based electronic producer who has always operated in the shadows. In a genre populated by introverts, you can go for years without hearing from Kowalski and then he’ll awaken from his dormancy and unleash the fruits of his latest home recording sessions.

Hope in Color, the track I am pairing with Begonia ‘Escargot’, is taken from his latest album, Suicide By Sun, 73-minutes of “narcotic reverberation, reflective loops and dream-soaked delay”. Like the plant, initially the song has a quiet demeanour, fading in slowly, before revealing its acid-spiked, surging psychedelic washes of reverb-drenched synths. And the title is apt too – there is hope in colour, as the blossom explodes, the flowers bloom and the sun starts shining. Even in lockdown, nothing lifts the spirits like plants and music…