Keep your plants in UAE 'busy' while you're on holiday

There's a new summer camp in town - not for kids, but for plants.
Residents who are travelling over the summer months are being invited to drop off their indoor plants at Dubai Garden Centre on the Sheikh Zayed Road in July and August.
Under the initiative titled 'Plant Summer Camp', Dubai Garden Centre is offering to adopt and take care of indoor plants of people while they are away on vacations. And the service is free.
An indoor green tunnel at the centre will be the new home of the plants that have to be of a certain height to fit the criteria.
"The Plant Summer Camp will take place from July until the end of August this year.
There are a few requirements for your plants to be eligible including that it must be of indoor variety, in good condition, and less than 1.5 metre tall. Each resident may leave up to three plants," according to a brochure for the initiative.
Saresa Anthonnissen, creative director at Dubai Garden Centre, told Khaleej Times:
"At the Dubai Garden Centre Plant Summer Camp, we promise to keep your plants busy with interactive story-telling sessions (Jack and the Beanstalk is always a favourite); music sessions; and even group therapy. The plants will be given proper nutrients and care during snack time. When you are ready to collect them after the break, you will receive a detailed report on how your plants were behaving during the summer camp.
"We're running this campaign with the sole purpose of giving back to our customers. We share our customers' love and attachment for plants, and nothing beats that feeling of welcoming home your green companions after a long and leisurely summer holiday," she added.
This is the fifth edition of the centre's camp. The service, which is completely free of charge, has received an overwhelming response as thousands of expats go on summer vacations every year.
Plant lover Halima Begum, who always struggles to keep her plants alive when she goes on vacation, said: "How thoughtful of the centre to launch this initiative because every year when I go for vacations, I always have to either ask our building watchman or maid to take care of my plants or drop off some of them to friends' places. But this service makes it a hassle-free process and I am happy to be availing of this service.
"I feel plants have feelings, they need to be kept with love and not just water alone. My plants are like my family members and I want them to be in a safe environment."
saman@khaleejtimes.com