I was Skeptical about Pamela Anderson's Quirky Gardening Ritual – But a Horticultural Therapist Told Me it Could be the Secret to Making You and Your Plants Happy

In her interview with Elle Decor, Pamela Anderson revealed a surprising hobby. No, not that she gardens. We all know that! The real surprise is that she reads to her flowers in her garden on Vancouver Island. It instantly reframes the idea of plant care as something slower and softer. As she put it simply, “I read poetry to my plants.”

It’s quite a charming admission, and one that also raised some questions for me. Do plants actually benefit from being read to? Or is this more about the person doing the reading to the garden than the garden itself? The answer: a little bit of both, apparently.

Why Pamela Anderson Reads to Her Garden

Pamela’s garden philosophy is all about being present and calm. In the interview, she described her time outside in her garden as deeply grounding, revealing that she enjoys being in nature because it allows her to slow down and be attentive.

Mindset is key. Whether she’s reading poetry to her flowers or simply spending time among them, the practice encourages observation, which is something every healthy garden depends on. While it sounds like an age-old mystical tradition, it’s actually nothing new.

Gary Altman, a teaching instructor and Director of the Horticultural Therapy Program at Rutgers, tells us, “I have seen the comments from Pamela Anderson regarding talking to plants, but I have heard about this practice since I was a child and even more so since I started my career in Horticultural Therapy.”

Do Plants Actually Respond to Voices?

From a scientific perspective, plants don’t process language. They don’t get any soothing from poetry, and they aren’t startled by book spoilers. Altman says, “From my perspective, plants cannot ‘hear’ voices, but they do respond to vibration (think wind and touch), and sound waves are just another type of vibration.”

Some studies say plants respond positively to certain vibrations, showing improved growth or stress responses; however, that doesn’t mean they can understand the words.

Altman tells us, “There is no evidence to say that plants understand human language – the positive benefits come from physical vibration, not understanding language.”

So, while Pamela’s flowers aren’t following along with a plot from one of her books, they do still get benefits from her presence.

The Real Benefit: Attention and Consistency

Altman says, “From the perspective of horticultural therapy, the reason why we see positive benefit when someone engages in the act of talking to their plants is due to the individual slowing down to pay more attention.”

When you read to your plants and actually spend time with them, you notice little things more. For example, you’ll notice yellowed leaves, catch pests earlier, water them enough, and prune them when they need it. Put simply, this practice improves your care habits.

Altman tells us, “In this sense, the practice of talking to plants benefits the plant indirectly by improving the grower’s attentiveness and consistency in providing care.”

That’s the real growth factor.

Mindful Alternatives If Talking Feels Awkward

While not everyone feels comfortable narrating their inner world to a ficus, Pamela’s approach is somewhat poetic. Altman agrees, saying, “As for mindful attention tips for people who may be uncomfortable with talking to plants (I am one of these people)…you don’t have to talk to your plants to care for them well.”

Instead, you can try these practical steps that revolve around slowing down and being in the moment.

• Morning observation: Take a close look at your plants in natural light when you water them to build up your habit of noticing change.
• Touch-based awareness: Touch the soil to feel for moisture, and notice the texture of the leaves; this will help you practice sensory awareness. To test the soil moisture, try this soil meter from Amazon.
• Narrate your care actions to yourself as you do them: Saying, “This leaf is yellow, so I’m taking it off,” reinforces the idea of intentional care.
• Track weekly changes: Keep track of your plants with a plant journal so you can spot patterns over time. This one from Target is a guided journal that asks you the plant name, what it requires for water, soil, etc.

Create a Ritual, Not a Performance

Pamela has said that when she’s in her garden, it’s one of the places she feels most herself. In your garden, you can be quiet, observant, and slow. This energy matters much more than any specific ritual.

Whatever your version of care looks like – poetry, silence or simply watering with intention, the outcome is always the same: better care.

A helpful tool to make consistency easier: This indoor watering can from Target, which is copper and pink, and absolutely adorable.

So, Should You Read to Your Plants?

Bottom line: If it brings you peace to read to your plants, do it. If it feels super weird, skip it. As Altman says, “Attention, observation, and consistency matter to plant growth much more than words.”