Plants bring indoor spaces alive and are low-maintenance ways to surround yourself with beauty and tranquility. Not only are they aesthetically appealing, they have very real health benefits. There are many different varieties that are wonderful in the home and you can find ones that best suit your situation with a little research.
Even if you travel a lot, there are ways to keep your plants thriving while you are gone. Choose low-maintenance varieties if you want the benefits of plants without having to spend a lot of time looking after them.
Action – Rooms with plants in them have less dust and mold than rooms that don’t. If you suffer from any breathing issues or allergies, plants are useful to keep the air quality at its best as their leaves catch air-borne particles and other allergens. Just avoid plants with pollen or spores and focus instead on those with textured leaves such as violets.
Flowering plants are always nice because the beauty of a plant in bloom always brightens up a space. Even fresh-cut flowers can be enough to help you improve your mood and they require no care at all, although they must be replaced frequently.
Steps – Go to a greenhouse or somewhere that specializes in plants. That way you can enlist the staff to help you select varieties that will thrive in the room you choose for them. Different plants do better with various lighting and some prefer more sun than others. By identifying which ones will suit your space, you have a good chance of seeing them do well for many years.
Doing some research before you go can be helpful. Because there are so many varieties of houseplants, a little knowledge in advance of what you are looking for can save you time before you make the commitment to buy.
Why It Makes You Feel Better – In addition to being good air purifiers, plants can increase the level of humidity in a room and the oxygen they give off can help you sleep better. The bedroom isn’t normally a place where we put plants but it makes sense because being around them has a natural calming effect. If you have ever visited an atrium or greenhouse or even taken a walk in the forest, you likely have experienced this.
Plants can be therapeutic too. Research has shown that patients who had surgery recover faster and feel less pain if they have flowers or plants in their room, and even being able to see nature outside of the window helps.
Plants themselves can be used to heal. Herbs such as mint and basil are good for soothing the stomach and can be grown easily just about anywhere. Aloe plants can treat minor burns and various skin conditions.
Example – One of the easiest plants to care for is the spider plant, and it effectively purifies the air in a room while adding moisture back. If you don’t have a green thumb they are ideal as they are easy to care for. Lavender plants infuse a room with a wonderful scent and can help you sleep. English ivy can prevent mold but it is poisonous so must be kept away from pets and children. It does well without direct sun and with artificial lighting so is a good option for a bedroom.
There are multiple plants to choose from, so decide where you want to have them and what you want them to do. Then bring a couple home and see how they can change your environment instantly.