At Green Rooms we wholeheartedly embrace living with plants to give us a mindful break from our screen-led lives.
During our recent collaboration with ercol and stylists L’Appartement we created a space in ercol’s stunning showroom, to explore how our work-from-home life can have a mindful balance between work and family life with the addition of plants.
Photo by Beth Davis
The positive effects that plants can have on our wellbeing has been put into practice more than ever this past year as staying at home has caused our lives to shrink in around us. As lockdowns hit, plant retail websites shot up in popularity as more and more people sought to bring greenery into their homes.
Creating a plant-filled nook
Creating a lush plant-filled nook is perfect for some much needed time away from the laptop. As we displayed within the compact area of the Style Pod, this space to relax and recuperate can be achieved even in the smallest of spaces.
Photo by Beth Davis
A comforting armchair like ercol’s Marlia is an immediate draw, inviting you to enjoy time amongst the plants. Using a contrasting but relaxing colour on the wall promotes the area (even in the smallest of spaces) as being a special space away from the hubbub of family life or the glare of screens. We used Little Green Aquamarine 138.
When shelf space is limited, using hanging planters and plant stands of varying heights is an effective way to create an abundant jungle-feel. Having plants with different patterns and textures will bring intrigue and interest to small spaces.
Grouping plants together not only makes an attractive display, it is also a great way to raise the humidity around the plants, replicating the way many plants would grow most naturally, helping them to thrive.
Photo by Beth Davis
Having a plant nook where there is a good amount of daylight, like close to an east or west facing window will be ideal for most plants. However grow lights can be used in darker corners to allow plants to live where there is not enough light. See our blog on Grow Lights Recommended by Houseplant Enthusiasts.
Propagating plants; a gratifying way to grow
One of the biggest joys of keeping houseplants is propagating them to create new plants for free. This hugely rewarding process allows you to nurture a plant from the smallest of cuttings to a fully grown, thriving plant. As we nurture our plants there is no doubt that we are also nurturing an improved mental wellbeing within ourselves.
Having a dedicated shelf or shelving unit for propagation is a lovely way to keep an eye on the growth of the plant babies as well as being a place to store your propagation equipment.
Photo by Beth Davis
Having a shelf at child’s eye height also encourages little ones to check up on the growth, inspiring them to care for plants and nature, a vital lesson for the rest of their lifetime.
Shelving that is light and open-topped like the ercol Ballatta unit is great as it allows for as much light to reach the plants as possible. A propagation method that we find very effective and enjoyable is rooting plants in water. This allows you to see the satisfying root growth. The LSA Canopy Vase is designed perfectly for this, however any clear glass jars or vases also work perfectly well.
Photo by Beth Davis, Propagation vessels from LSA
There are a variety of methods for propagating and all are fun to try. Different plants will propagate best in different ways. For step by step propagation methods see our Simple Propagation Techniques blog.
Simple, mindful plant care activities
Even the simplest of plant care tasks can be a welcome boost to mental wellbeing. Spending a few minutes a day away from a laptop doing the following tasks can be really beneficial in de-stressing and renewing vigour. All these activities can be done together with children, giving them the vital lesson of caring for nature.
Watering or just as important, checking whether your plants need to be watered is the key to plant health. Overwatering is by far the biggest killer of houseplants so knowing how much water your plants need, when to water and how best to water is paramount. See our Beginners Guide to Houseplants for all you need to know.
Cleaning the dust off leaves is a satisfying and mindful job to ensure plants photosynthesise efficiently.
Checking for pests or pest damage is a vital task that results in healthy, happy plants. For what to look out for and how to treat, see our Common Houseplant Pests Blog.
Potting-on plants can be done in spring, planting them into a slightly larger pot gives plants a good refresh of nutrients and more room to grow.
We hope this inspires you to create your own plant nook, propagation station or simply take time out to care for plants.
For a closer look into the Style Pod we created at ercol, and a full furniture and accessories list, see our recent blog.
Styling by L’Appartement & Green Rooms
Photography by Beth Davis
Furniture by ercol