10 JAN 2022

the benefits of houseplants

Who doesn’t want a home full of houseplants? Indoor gardening, as it’s become popularly known, is a lifestyle choice for many, especially those urban apartment dwellers who don’t have access to their own garden. Walk into a room filled with greenery and you invariably feel your mood lifted. No wonder. Studies show that there are compelling scientific reasons why being surrounded by beautiful plants is good for your health and well-being.

The Royal Horticultural Society lists a range of both psychological and physical health benefits of growing indoor plants. Let’s start with the psychological. Seasoned house plant aficionados will be nodding when we mention improved mood and reduced stress. Apart from the immediate visual appeal of being surrounded by pots filled with wonderful plants, you’d not be mistaken if you said you can feel something positive in the air. House plants remove harmful chemical compounds from the atmosphere. (It may surprise you to know that pollution levels are frequently higher indoors than out.) Different plants remove different chemicals and the more plants you have, the more effective the transformation. It’s not just the plants either that work hard to improve the air you breathe. According to the RHS, growing media (posh expression for compost like For Peat’s Sake) also extract contaminants from the atmosphere – extractor ferns anyone? According to Healthline, plants that freshen the air naturally are palms (such as Areca, Lady and Bamboo), rubber plants, dracaena, Boston ferns and ficus.

There are many physical health benefits of growing houseplants too such as lower blood pressure, reduced fatigue and fewer headaches. In one study, patients in hospital rooms stated that they experienced less post-operative pain. Pick one up the next time you’re visiting. Healthier than a bag of sweets.

The benefits of indoor plants aren’t restricted just to our homes. Plants are great in the workplace too. If you’ve ever felt that your office is holding you back, stifling your imagination and hampering your output, get to the garden centre pronto! Multiple studies have shown that plants in the workspace improve creativity, attention span and productivity. Got a blank sheet of paper to fill with something visionary? Enlist the help of a Codiaeum. You couldn’t but be inspired by such a natural beauty. And if you’re the boss, memo to self: load up the boot of your executive limo (electric-powered of course) with plants. Plants in the workplace have been shown to reduce sick days therefore increasing profits so that you can reward your staff with pay rises. Hooray!

In summary, if you want to live your best life, surround yourself with positivity aka houseplants!