If you’re planning on setting new goals this year why not make plants one of them. Numerous studies have shown that plants:
- Make us happy
- Lower blood pressure and reduce heart rate
- Boost creativity and concentration
- Strenghten our immune system
- Clean our air
And plants are cheaper than therapists!
Most of us city dwellers spend our days contending with traffic, endlessly buzzing phones and staring at lifeless flat screens all day. Virtually everything we touch or come into contact with is hand-made and we're surrounded by concrete.
And then....there are plants.
Wondrous green creatures that (aside from actually keeping us alive on this planet by providing essential food & oxygen) seem to exist for the sole purpose of delighting and surprising us!
We come home to them and can connect with a living thing and interact with nature. Perhaps you notice a new flower… because it's been sunny this week - aha ok, your plant must have liked that. Or you see bugs on a new leaf (aaaaaa, gulp down panic, immediately research said bug and how to kill it).
It's about the gratification of removing the bug and watching your plant thrive again. It’s the endless joy of learning and figuring it all out in a world where so much has been figured out and mapped for us.
And at the end of the day, if it dies it’s ok! Because it's only a plant. And it happens to all of us, it’s part of the journey and how we learn. A dead plant should never set one back, but be an inspiration to try again and try something new. Plants teach us to develop a growth mindset (excuse the pun).
"I find taking care of plants is therapeutic and aligns with the idea of "slower living" - wiping off their leaves, watering all my plants, re-potting. It is like a form of meditation - zoning out, relaxing,” Patricia McClelland, communications director Johannesburg.
"I find taking care of plants is therapeutic and aligns with the idea of "slower living" - wiping off their leaves, watering all my plants, re-potting. It is like a form of meditation - zoning out, relaxing,” Patricia McClelland, communications director Johannesburg.Plants always surprise! And we just love new experiences!
Why not experience this: Shinrin-yoku, the Japanese form of forest bathing can be recreated in your own bathtub! Just add ferns.
And it’s not just plants that are good for us, but the dirt they come in.
Soil bacteria m. vaccae has a drug-like effect on the human brain, boosting levels of serotonin when inhaled. So go on, get your hands dirty.
“Plants show me how I’m doing, they reflect whether or not I’ve been present enough in my day to notice their needs, but without the pressure of them going anywhere if I haven’t. They are quite literally the green peace in my home,” Roch Blomeyer, mental health coach & plant paramour, Cape Town.
When you’ve had a bad day, a walk or jog in the park can make you feel so much better. That’s because when we get in touch with nature we reduce mental fatigue and stress, while increasing relaxation and self-esteem. But sometimes due to time pressures and proximity, we can't always get to the park. Whereas houseplants are a form of 'nature on demand'.
Studies show where indoor plants are present in offices, work performance increases, staff well-being improves and employees take less sick days.
The Atrium makes plant parenting easy, delivering your greens directly to your door! With free access to post-purchase plant care information.
- Plants straight from the greenhouse, they don’t sit on store shelves
- Fuss-free returns, tell us within 72hrs we’ll sort it
- Free access to plant care information, our lines are always open
