Mental Health Awareness Week: connecting with nature

This year’s theme for Mental Health Awareness Week is nature. The positive effects the great outdoors can have on our wellbeing has become ‘second nature’ to many of us. 

But nature is no longer confined to just the outdoors. 

Over the recent years, there has been an increasing shift to incorporate greenery and live planting within our indoor environments, especially within workspaces (in industry terms, this is known as biophilic design).  

We enlisted the expertise of the Oasis Plants team to share their tips and tricks of the trade…

First things first, it’s so nice to see Spring coming to life outside; what kinds of plants might people be seeing on their walks at the moment? 

“With Spring unveiling, you may see a lot of Blossom and Blossom trees. Though sadly, the blossom only lasts around 2 weeks, but the colours are so striking so take plenty of pictures whilst you can!”

When space is limited, what would you suggest as a workaround for the home or workspace?

“If you have an interior area that has limited space, moss walls and framed moss are the perfect solution – it’s still beneficial and effective no matter how big or small. For an exterior area, such as a balcony, you could look to incorporate hanging planting, troughs or wall planting. Each are intended to make the best use of space, without losing any floor space to big planters.”  

What are the benefits of having plants in the home or around your workspace?
“As you can imagine, the list is endless! The main benefits which stand out to us, after doing some comprehensive research, are the following: reduced stress, fatigue, anxiety and increased happiness, positive social interaction and boosting wellbeing by 13%. Planting also increases productivity and creativity which is ideal for a working environment – there’s a reason desk plants are a necessity!”

Are there any current trends you’re seeing with planting designs?

“Since the start of the year we have seen an increase in the demand for moss walling and framed moss in various art installations or simple gallery walls. The great thing about moss is that the whole design can be bespoke. You have design freedom with the range of colours and textures available, as well as the option of embedding preserved foliage to add another element. Moss doesn’t require any maintenance either! It’s versatile, long-lasting and visually beautiful, and improves productivity and wellbeing. If you are struggling with acoustic problems, moss is a great sound absorber too.”

Where’s the best place to start if someone was considering a redesign of their garden or wanted to start to incorporate greenery indoors?

“For an exterior space, we would recommend using evergreen plants such as lavender so that the foliage stays green and lush all year round. For an interior space, make sure you use a space that has plenty of natural light, if the plants you are using require this, and pick a space where the plant has space to grow. A striking indoor plant is the Monstera Deliciosa. Be sure to get some eye-catching planting which will be a talking point if you have guests in your interior or exterior space.”

Oasis Plants can provide expertly-designed green spaces to elevate your brand, business or workspace. To get in touch with the team, email info@oasisplants.co.uk