Meet and geek out over plants
Are you a member of the lonely gardeners club? If you’re struggling to meet fellow plant enthusiasts who will lavish praise on your darling Monstera Deliciosa, there are plenty of online forums you can turn to. Take a peek over at the r/Gardening and r/PlantClinic subReddits for useful information like how to care for your sickly plants and DIY tricks for growing vegetables. Head over to r/Houseplants subReddit if you’re looking to share and indulge in some pretty pictures of indoor plants.
Looking for like-minded Egyptians? You can get involved in a number of Facebook groups — Cairo Plant Lovers and Organic Egypt, for example — if you’re interested in discussing plantcare tips and tricks that are more specifically tailored to Cairene challenges.
If you’re looking for some inspiration and are down to leave your house to find it, check out the Mazhar Botanical Garden, just off the 26th of July Corridor in Giza. The privately-owned garden belonging to architect Shehab Mazhar is home to over 3k unique plant species from around the world. Guided tours are available from time to time.
If you’re heading a little further south: Check out the lush beauty of the Aswan Botanical Garden, situated on Nabatat island, which was known as Kitchener’s Island in the late 19th century. It has since become home to hundreds of species of plants, and 25 distinct palm tree varieties.
Also worth checking out this month: Orman Botanical Garden’s annual Spring Flower Festival is up and running in Dokki through the end of March. Don't be dissuaded by the name: the festival typically has loads of plants for sale, including lots of rare and hard to find varieties you won’t find at nurseries during the rest of the year.