If you’re finding getting into your working from home groove a little difficult, maybe it’s time to invite some pot plants into your place. Not only can they help you focus by releasing oxygen, refreshing your desk with some pretty foliage can also refresh your mind.
We asked Patch’s resident plant doctor, Meg Spink, for her advice on which plants are best for home working spaces, big, small, light and dark.
You may think that being indoors means you're safe from unclear air. Unfortunately, that's not really the case. Toxic compounds from furnishings, building materials and cleaning products all contribute to making indoor air quality less than squeaky clean. Outdoor air contaminants can also find their way inside, such as pollen, bacteria and moulds.
This is where houseplants save the day – as well as looking great, they are pretty nifty air purifiers. When they absorb carbon dioxide, they also remove toxins from the air and, during photosynthesis, transform them into oxygen which they then release back into their environment.
Well-oxygenated rooms help to promote relaxation and focus, with studies showing that having a number of plants in a working environment will result in a 60% improvement to one’s mental wellbeing. So, which is best for your home working space?
The best plants for your home office if space is no problem
For a well-lit study...
Rob
Rob, the ficus elastica, is a great starter plant for new plant parents. Not only is he super easy to look after, tests have shown that he's a very efficient pollutant-sucker-upper.
Fidel
A favourite with the very fashionable, Fidel’s broad, fiddle-shaped leaves make him a focal point of any room. Treat him well and you’ll have a real showstopper.
For a dimly-lit study...
Ben
Ben, well-known as the weeping fig, is a super popular house plant said to be one of the best air-purifiers. Give him a bit of TLC and he’ll grow tall and strong. Although he doesn't produce any flowers, his leafy foliage makes him a firm favourite.
Big Ken
Big Ken is a super low-maintenance guy. He’s happy to stand tall and remind you of a time when you were somewhere a little more exotic than your home office.
The perfect plants for small desks
Rapunzel
Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your leaves. Rapunzel the golden pothos has irresistible green-and-yellow heart-shaped locks, which drape beautifully from a shelf above your desk. Not only is she beautiful to look at but she’s a great air-purifier, so she’ll help you to focus for longer.
Bali
He requires very little attention, in fact as long as you keep his tray topped up with filtered water, he’ll do the rest meaning that you can get stuck into that spreadsheet and forget about him for a while.
Note: Both Bali & Rapunzel make for interesting topics of conversation should you suffer a zoom meeting lull.
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