Does adding plants to our home office make us happier?

We consult the experts about biophilic or nature-connected design when bringing the outdoors indoors to our workspace

Fri, 13 Aug, 2021 - 17:05

Eve Kelliher

We've been bringing the indoors out all summer for an unprecedented amount of al-fresco living but it looks like the reverse is also true.

As people spend a significant amount of time working from home, there has been a 2600% increase in Google searches for “easy to care for plants”.

Biophilic or nature-connected design is an effective way to increase performance and happiness, we're told.

In simple terms? Just bring the outdoors indoors by introducing well-chosen plants.

Ballyseedy Garden Centre has experienced a demand for indoor plants this summer.

"Incorporating biophilic design into your home office is one of the best ways to help encourage wellbeing and stress reduction,” according to Mark Taylor the Office Furniture Online company.

Why? Indoor plants essentially do the opposite of what we do when we breathe: They release oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide. This freshens up the air and eliminates harmful toxins throughout our office space.

Research by NASA has found that indoor plants can remove 87% of air toxins in just 24 hours.

Other studies show how plants are known to help psychological and physiological stress, and those who work in environments with natural elements report a 15% higher level of well-being, are 6% more productive and 15% more creative overall.

Ballyseedy Home & Garden Boston Fern €20.

Adding plants to our home office is therefore an effective way to transform the space whilst bringing in an element of calm.

Plants can increase happiness as well as productivity, says Elizabeth Fearns of Ballyseedy Home & Garden Centre.

Looking for a low-maintenance plant to add pizzazz to my sitting room/workspace, I tried Philodendron Red Beauty, with glossy burgundy and green leaves.

It certainly jazzes things up, but did I choose wisely?

Philodendrons make for a top indoor plants choice because they can adapt to a wide variety of lighting and water conditions in the wild and so will thrive indoors also, says Elizabeth.

The plants have large, green, dark leaves which allow them to absorb even minute traces of moisture and light and they’re popular at Ballyseedy Home & Garden which is seeing an enormous demand for indoor plants, adds Elizabeth, from people who “fancy treating themselves or someone special” to gifts.

So, what’s top of the shopping lists at Munster garden centre business Ballyseedy?

Luxury plants, such as the above Philodendron Red Beauty, as well as Aglaonema, Boston Fern, String of Pearls, and Pilea Peperomioides to name but a few, make the cut among shoppers, says Elizabeth.

Dracaena lemon lime at Ballyseedy Garden Centre.

Dracaena is one of the easiest to grow indoor plants thanks to its striking appearance and ease of care, adds Mark Taylor.

These plants don’t do well in direct sunlight so you can keep them in filtered indoor light, just as you would often experience in an office.

“They also need a lot less water than most indoor plants — simply mist the soil every two weeks and always allow the topsoil to dry out before watering,” according to Mark.

Cacti are another good choice, as their colour and shape variations help them fit many different tastes and styles. Cacti can survive in both sun and artificial light.

Peace lilies and snake plants are beautiful plants that are popular in offices “because they are excellent at cleaning the air of the room they’re in”, adds Mark.