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Houseplants to Make You Feel Good – Part 1

The Stress-Busting Power of Plants

Did you know that in addition to the well-known events of Easter and St George’s Day, the month of April also plays host to Stress Awareness Month and World Health Day? In recognition of these last two events, we’re kicking April off with the first in a two-part blog focussing on the power that indoor plants have, in relieving stress and improving your health and wellbeing.

Everyday life can be a little stressful, or a lot stressful at times, and here at TLB we think it’s so important to give ourselves the opportunity to relieve some of those stresses and strains. The great news for all you plant-loving people out there, is that our green beauties can help, hurrah! So, this week (and next) we’re going to look at the many ways in which indoor plants can give your mental and physical wellbeing a boost.

What are the Benefits of Indoor Houseplants?

Team TLB has been known to shout quite regularly about the wondrous power of houseplants; not only do they make a fab addition to your home from a visual viewpoint but they also have the power to reduce stress, increase productivity, enhance wellbeing, improve memory and reduce tiredness.

Including plants in your living space is a great way to induce calm and reduce stress and they can help in a number of ways. This week we’re bringing you some top tips about which plants to choose for specific benefits. Read on and prepare to be de-stressed and re-energised in no time.

Plants for Calm and Relaxation

One of the most obvious ways to reduce your stress is to find moments in your daily or weekly routine for some calm and relaxation. But when life gets busy this can be harder to achieve than it should be. If this is something you struggle with then bringing indoor plants into your life is a fab solution. The colour green is known to be calming so their very presence has the ability to make you feel soothed and comfortable. And not only that, but the act of caring for our green beauties also provides a moment of calm, giving us time away from our hectic, rather screen heavy daily lives.

There are certain plants in our TLB range that we would particularly recommend to help you generate feelings of calm and relaxation.

The Calathea is a strikingly beautiful houseplant, the simple act of admiring his gorgeous two-tone leaves is sure to make you feel calm and relaxed. This guy is also known as the Prayer Plant, because his leaves move upwards at dusk and open out again at dawn; this gentle, prayer-like movement is so beautifully mesmerising, perfect to keep you relaxed.

Another fab plant for bringing a sense of calm is the gorgeously feathery Asparagus Fern. Ferns are so good for adding a touch of texture and interest to your indoor jungle and this guy is no exception.

Inject a calming pop of vibrant green into your space with the magnificent Monstera, also known as the Swiss Cheese Plant thanks to the holes in his large, green leaves. This fast-growing, easy-care beauty proves ever-popular among houseplants fans and it’s easy to see why.

Could there be anything more calm-inducing than a beautiful trailing plant cascading from a high shelf or plant hanger? Take a look at the simply stunning Phildendron Cordatum, also known as the Sweetheart Plant because of his trademark heart-shaped leaves. A beautiful addition to your plant-scape.

Plants for a Good Night’s Sleep

It is an undeniable fact that stress levels can definitely increase when you are not well-rested. Achieving a good night’s sleep is such an important factor in our quest to reduce the stress in our lives and dotting some green beauties around your bedrooms is a great way to encourage a serene slumber. Have a read of our blog; How to Style Your Bedroom with Indoor Plants to learn about all the amazing benefits plants in your bedroom can bring.

As you’ll see from the blog there are plenty of plant options to consider but one of our all-time top picks for a botanical bedroom buddy is the oh-so-tropical Areca Palm. This injection of large, palmy, tropical gorgeousness will have you drifting into a wonderfully sound sleep and he’s available in large or extra large for the ultimate bedroom style statement.

Plants for the Workspace

Often, the stress in our lives is related to the pressures of our work. So where better than your workplace to incorporate some stress-reducing greenery. In fact, including houseplants in your working environment can increase productivity by up to 15% and they can also improve your concentration and mood, hands up if you’d like a bit of that at work! We’re so convinced of the benefits of styling your office with plants that we recently dedicated a whole blog post to it. Here’s a little rundown of our favourite green office options.

Succulents and Cacti are a fab choice for a workspace, especially if you don’t have oodles of space for plant décor. They’re also reliably resilient, they don’t need much attention at all to stay thriving so their care doesn’t need to be top of the to do list – another plus when our aim is to reduce stress not increase it! We have three particular favourites in the Succulents and Cacti collection here at TLB. The lovely Miranda succulent is a spiky, green plant with lovely thick leaves that look almost flower-like nestled in their gorgeous TLB bespoke ceramics. This guy is also available in a mini version, so even the tiniest of office spaces can have a hint of green. The beautiful Lilacina is another super succulent choice. The unique, pale lilac-grey colour of the leaves have inspired the nickname the ghost succulent and this beauty will certainly add an air of sophistication to your working environment.

When it comes to cacti, we just love the oh-so-cute Bunny Ear variety; add this prickly pair to your space for a dose of spiky interest and texture, they’ll be happy styling up your workplace with very little attention needed from you.

Moving away from succulents and cacti; the Zamioculcas, commonly known as a ZZ Plant, is another brilliant choice for bringing stress reducing vibes to work. This gorgeous leafy guy is another easy-care, green beauty and he’s available in medium and large and in a choice of pots and belly baskets; style and stress-reducing benefits all in one pop!

Next up is the Cast Iron Houseplant, a wonderfully elegant choice with his beautiful, elongated green leaves. This stylish beauty not only looks fab, but he’s also a hero when it comes to air purifying too, simply amazing.

For a bright and bold office feature, consider the gorgeous Fiddle Leaf Fig. This guy will make a statement, standing over 1 metre in height, a must-have, if you have the space -available in a smaller size if you don’t – happy, stress-free days.

Plants to Boost Brain Power and Focus

If we are able to boost our brain power and increase our focus, it stands to reason that reduced stress levels will follow right? We think so! And so, we’ve taken a look at some of the plants in our range that will help improve your focus, meaning when you set yourself a task, you’ll get it done and can banish any stress related to feelings of being unproductive and leaving things unfinished.

Our favourites in this department include anything in our Croton Range. These plants are fabulously distinctive, showcasing a range of colours and textures for an injection of brain boosting inspiration. We are particularly fond of the standard Croton with its gorgeous green and yellow leaves, or the Croton Petra for an inspirational splash of colour – who could resist the gorgeous combo of stunning green and purple?

For a burst of cool, spiky texture, take a look at our Sansevieriea Punk, fondly referred to as ‘Spiky’ here at TLB. This crazy-looking little guy with his spray of thick, pointy leaves, will bring a smile whenever you look at him and banish any stress-related thoughts, ensuring your brain is fully switched on and focussed.

The Ficus Elastica, also known as the rubber plant is our next and final pick here. This green beauty is popular thanks to his handsome appearance, easy-care credentials and air purifying superpowers. Take your green style up a notch whilst also benefitting from supercharged brain power and focus! An ideal combination. To find out all there is to know about this super plant, have a read of our blog.

We hope the first part of this blog has brought you some inspiration for including houseplants in your home and work décor – they really are a gorgeous accessory with added stress-busting benefits. Tune in next week to learn even more about these fabulous green beauties and how they can give your health a boost, it’s not one to miss! As always, if you have any questions in the meantime, do get in touch at [email protected]. Until next time plant people.

With Love

Team TLB x

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