Why We Love Indoor Plants
At KGBF, we enjoy outdoor gardening as much as the next person. Sustaining birds and pollinators, growing fruits and vegetables, beautifying the surrounding environment…what’s not to love? Autumn may lie just around the corner, but as we celebrate National Indoor Plant Week, we want to remind you that houseplants can improve life inside the home in any season. Read on to discover how adding simple spots of greenery can clean the air, boost your mood, and add new life to your décor.
1. Improved Air Quality
We all learned in elementary school that plants help us breathe by converting carbon dioxide into oxygen. Did you also know they have the ability to remove other pollutants from the air? According to NASA, a number of houseplants absorb volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as formaldehyde, benzene, and trichloroethylene, which you can find in items like particleboard, foam insulation, cleaning products, oils, paints, and inks. Climate-controlled, airtight, modern buildings, although energy efficient, can trap VOCs inside—make sure to combat that by adding several little green helpers to your home or office. A few of our favorites? Spider plants, peace lilies, snake plants, and bamboo.
2. A Serene Atmosphere
Nothing brings calm and relaxation to a room like a pot of French lavender. Place one on your nightstand or dresser so you can breathe in its scent each night before you go to bed. You’ll sleep easy and your room will smell delightful.
3. Decreased Stress + Increased Productivity
You know how heading into the woods for the weekend can leave you feeling renewed for days to come? Or maybe you’re more into your local botanical garden? Either way, you get where we’re going with this—plants make people feel better. According to one study, participants felt more soothed completing a computer task after spending time transplanting an indoor plant, and in another, productivity increased 12% in the presence of plants. So invest in some greenery and say goodbye to hectic workdays!
4. (Near) Effortless Beauty
Mother Nature decorates like nobody else can. Who needs multiple throw pillows when you can add pops of color with leaves and gorgeous blooms? It’s easy to transform your home into a place of wonder, and you don’t even need to have the greenest thumb on the block. Many houseplants require water only once every 1-2 weeks, and if you place them in spots where they can thrive (do check to see if they prefer windowsills or shadier areas) you’ll be sitting pretty in no time. So head to your local nursery or ask a friend for shoots or cuttings—your beautiful abode awaits!