Tags: Advice, Environment, Plants, Tips & Advice

6 Plants That Induce Sleep

The Daily Mirror once reported that over a third of the British public was suffering from sleep problems. The NHS have since provided a report that considers the methods in which this information was gathered, and how much the results should be trusted. To surmise, the final evaluation was that the report was not, and never pretended to be, a scientific study and therefore should be treated with caution.

On the other hand, it is not wrong that a worryingly large percentage of people do struggle with their sleep, and poor sleep can negatively impact an individual’s life in many areas. The Daily Mirror brought sleep back to the centre of public thought, and since then, other studies about how sleep patterns affect mental health and physical health have become more widely read.

How Can I Improve My Sleep?

There are many things that you can do to improve your sleep. You could avoid taking caffeinated products and drinks before bedtime, engage in relaxing activities before bed, and set regular times to encourage good habits, but you could also consider adding some plant life to your bedroom.

We are experts with indoor plants and indoor flowers, so let us help you to achieve a better night’s sleep with some natural interior design changes.

Lavender

The scent of lavender is well known for being relaxing. Scientifically, it has been shown to reduce blood pressure and heart rate, which is beneficial if you find yourself struggling with anxiety when you get into bed.

Many people use lavender spray on their pillows, others use pouches of dried lavender in their pyjama drawers to scent their sleep clothes, but we think that the best solution is a pot of fresh lavender by your bed. Lavender has a beautiful colour that you will appreciate every morning, whilst its scent calms your nights.

Lavender plants like warmth and sunlight, so keep one on your windowsill.

(Sansevieria) Snake Plant

Air quality is another factor that might be affecting your ability to sleep easily and through the night. We spend a lot of time breathing moisture into our bedrooms, and this can increase the humidity levels in the room, especially if you keep the door shut as this decreases air circulation around your house.

High humidity increases the likelihood of mould and dust mites, which can affect your ability to breathe and leave you with a poor night’s sleep. Snake plants are great at pumping oxygen into your bedroom to improve your air quality, and their large leaves are also good for removing plenty of harmful chemicals such as xylene, trichloroethylene, toluene, benzene, and formaldehyde.

Peace Lily

Air that is too damp can cause plenty of problems, but dry air can also be an issue for sleep. If your bedroom has an issue with dry air, you might be better using a peace lily. These lilies can increase your bedroom’s humidity by up to 5%, which is known to decrease dry skin and hair, static electricity, and increased susceptibility to colds (ApartmentTherapy).

A peace lily will not require much watering or light, so you can keep it right next to your bed without worrying that it has enough resources.

Aloe

Aloe is a popular plant in most households, famous for its ability to soothe minor cuts, burns, bites and dry skin – but have you thought about introducing one into your bedroom? Aloe vera makes oxygen at night-time, which is great for your bedroom’s environment. Aloe likes a lot of sun, so keep it in the window next to your lavender.

Areca Palm

Areca palm is known for being one of the best air purifiers. Like the snake plant, it has great ability in removing toxins from the air. The areca palm is also a natural air humidifier, ensuring that bedroom maintains great air quality while you sleep.

This plant requires a lot of bright but indirect light. If the light is too harsh, the leaves will turn yellow. Keep your areca palm healthy by keeping the soil moist during the spring and summer, allowing it to dry out between watering in autumn and winter.

English Ivy

If your bedroom struggles with damp, English ivy is another plant that can help to combat some of the issues that could be causing poor respiration in your bedroom. This sprawling, leafy plant is fantastic at collecting airborne mould – preventing you from ingesting it and developing an infection.

Are Plants in the Bedroom Harmful?

No, most plants are not harmful to keep in your bedroom. Plants produce small amounts of carbon dioxide (CO₂) during the day which some people worry about, but they produce far less than a human partner or pet and are therefore they are not harmful to your home. These plants’ ability to produce oxygen means that they are actually very beneficial sleeping partners.

For more information about putting plants on your premises, go to our blog.

Tags: Advice, Biophilic design, Plants, Workplace wellness

Biophilia & other Reasons to Have Plants in the Workplace

If you’ve been reading about the buzzword Biophilia but have yet to understand what the buzz is about, then we’ve made a helpful infographic for you, designed to show you the amazing relationships that can occur between workers and plants in the modern office.

Plants truly are amazing. If you’re looking to improve your office space with some smart greenery, why not enhance your office with our office plants for hire service. Impress your workers and guests with an outstanding boardroom, ensure that they remember you as an innovative and forward-thinking company by transforming your spaces into greener, healthier, places to enjoy working in.

And if you’re interested in reading more about the joys of biophilia and the many benefits of plants, we have plenty of blogs to keep you up-to-date on the latest hints, tips and news:

Biophilia – What is It and Why is it Important

Indoor Air Quality: Facts & How to Improve

The Best Plants for Your Office Environment

Biophilic Design in the Workplace

Tags: Advice, Flowers in the Office, Reception

An Exclusive Look at Contemporary Office Flower Arrangements

When considering flower displays and arrangements for the office, there are a number of factors to keep in mind.

Colour, scent and size of your flowers are just some of these factors, and all of these can easily contribute to a healthier and happier working environment.

The Benefits of Having Flowers in Your Office Space

As discussed in our recent blog post, 10 Tips for Workplace Wellness, utilising flowers and plants in the office increases productivity, reduces stress and provides cleaner air, helping your employees to have a more comfortable day at work.

Flowers and plants are visually stimulating, encouraging reduced stress levels in the individual, whilst also creating a welcoming environment for any visitors which you may have to your office.

Biophilia, which is the science behind the need to align ourselves with nature, is gaining recognition, and with it’s intrinsic ‘feel-good’ benefits having a positive impact on people in the workplace, it is clear to see why.

Having flower and plant arrangements provided by Planteria is an easy way to accomplish this.

Keeping Flowers on Trend

We recognise the importance of keeping flowers and plants in line with seasonal demands.

Just as in a good restaurant you’d expect to find the freshest, seasonal produce, you’d expect any good florist to have an innate understanding of the seasonality and quality of flower varieties.

This idea influences all of our corporate flower arrangements, where fresh, original and seasonal flowers are used consistently throughout the year, providing only the best flowers and plants for a stunning contemporary arrangement.

Contemporary Arrangements

Today’s, arrangements tend to have fewer restrictions and vary depending on the time of year and the environment in which they are going to be situated in. For an office, examples of case studies show the difference that our flower arrangements can make to your company.

If you are working with a large amount of space, it might be worthwhile looking at the possibility of Planteria’s office plants service rather than flower arrangements. Due to their standard larger size, plants are perfect to optimise space when you think a pop of natural colour is needed.

We can offer assistance and suggestions of different planters and colour schemes too, ensuring that your plants look brilliant amidst the daily routines of your company. If physical space is limited, or a greater assortment of colour is required, opting for bright and bold flower arrangements might be more beneficial (and noticeable!).

As is common with any contemporary flower arrangement, the traditional rules do not apply. Contemporary arrangements are brighter, bolder in form, there is no size restriction, other than budget allows, and no set patterns are to be expected.

Symmetrical balance is emphasised, creating an even arrangement which is pleasing to the eye, and any part of the design may be the dominant focal point.

Take a look at how colourful office plants and contemporary corporate flower arrangements can improve the look of your office:

The options are endless when it comes to Planteria’s flowers for offices and, in such an important environment, with several health and work benefits included, the answer is clear.

Contact our friendly team of experts today by calling 0345 505 3333 or emailing enquiries@planteriagroup.com.

Tags: Advice, Biophilic design, Plants, Workplace

Moss Walls: Q & A

Greenery is much sought-after in today’s workplaces and within the hospitality industry, not only because it enhances a space visually, but it also has positive effects on health & wellbeing.

There are numerous studies about boosting mental wellbeing, increasing productivity & creativity and for those in the Hospitality industry a new report indicates that having more greenery in reception areas can increase the amount of time spent in these areas, translating to more revenue generated for your business (Human Spaces Biophilic Design In Hospitality report).

There are several benefits to choosing a moss wall in your workspace, including the fact that they are completely maintenance-free. Working within facilities management, business & hospitality sectors, we can offer bespoke moss walls with your company logo or corporate colours and we can help you achieve the look you’re after, even in the smallest of spaces.

Moss Walls are in high-demand, and we’ve asked our resident moss wall experts some questions to help explain what they are, how to look after them and more.

Q: What is the difference between a moss wall and a living wall?

A: Living Walls are made up from live plants planted in modular compartments and require regular maintenance, with an irrigation system is built into the wall. Moss Walls are made from moss that has been preserved, so it won’t grow anymore, and it won’t decompose.

Q: How is the moss preserved?

A: This is like asking a chef for a recipe! The moss is usually preserved with glycerine. The moss is then washed though using food grade type colourants, so not to be harmful in anyway, and to ensure the colour stays vibrant.

Q: Do moss walls require water & light?

A: No, Moss Walls can go anywhere internally and no water or light is required. This is one of the benefits of choosing a moss wall.

Q: What level of maintenance is required for a moss wall?

A: No maintenance at all is required for Moss Walls other than a spot of dusting every now and then. (we recommend a feather duster)

Q: How long does a moss wall last?

A: Moss walls are long lasting installations and will need the least care and repair if they are in lower traffic areas where they won’t get touched or bumped into.

Q: What are my choices for a moss wall? Are there different types and colours of moss?

A: The moss we use is available in 16 different colours, and we can create client logos or other patterns in the walls if desired (as seen in the photo above).

Q: Where can it be installed, is it suited to some environments more than others?

A: Moss can be installed in any interior location, for aesthetic enhancement and/or for sound absorption. They are not recommended for exterior use

Q: What are the benefits of a moss wall?

A: Moss walls can help with noise reduction, they require minimal maintenance, they add greenery and a biophilic design element, help increase productivity & creativity, adds a feel-good factor to those in the space, promotes calmness and wellness and much more.

Do you have other questions not listed here? If so, let us know so that we can answer them for you.

Request your FREE quote for a moss wall today: https://www.planteriagroup.com/free-quote/

Tags: Advice, Plant care tips, Plants

5 Things You Should Never Do to Your Office Plants

Office plants can be great for reducing office stress, promoting productivity and creating a welcoming working environment. But plants require a certain level of care to ensure they stay healthy and thrive. Here we look at 5 things you should never do if you want to keep your office plants alive:

1. Give Them too Much Water

It’s possible to kill a plant with kindness. Too much water for your office plant can be just as bad as forgetting to water it at all. Different plants require different water levels, and you’ll know if your plant is getting too much water, because its leaves will look limp, turn yellow and fall off.

One problem with overwatering comes from placing plants on dishes allowing them to sit in a puddle after being watered, leading to potential root rot. The best method for watering a plant is to give it a good drench over a sink and then let the excess water drain away. Alternatively, you can place the plant on a dish but pour the excess water away after about ten minutes.

2. Let Them Finish Your Drink

One of the worst things you could do for your office is to ‘feed’ the plant the dregs from your cup of coffee or tea. Not only does this contribute to overwatering them, but this could cause the plant to attract sciarid flies. Similar to fruit flies, these bothersome things germinate quickly and will annoy everyone in the office.

When watering your office plant, just use water, and make sure no one in the office is using it as a make-shift sink for their beverage waste.

3. Keep Them in Suboptimal Conditions

Plants can feel the rise and drop in temperature just like you do and kept in the wrong conditions the plant will be unable to thrive. However, given that most indoor plants are native to tropical temperatures where conditions are warmer than what most of our gardens will experience, the temperature within your office should be a good match to help them grow.

But you should be aware of the optimal temperature range for your species of plant. Some potential problems can arise, such as keeping plants on a windowsill – whilst great for light and warmth, cold draughts in the winter can cause problems – or any sudden drops in temperature or prolonged periods of cold. Keep your plant in a good spot, where they have enough light, ideally daylight, and away from fluctuating heat. Keep an eye out for signs the temperature might be incorrect, such as flowers dying, and yellowing, wilting and falling leaves.

4. Let Them Overgrow

There are several reasons to prune your office plants. You might need to trim away dead leaves or branches to keep the plant presentable. You might prune to encourage a more balanced growth habit, or you might prune to keep a runaway plant from taking over the office. Whatever the reason, you should take steps when pruning to encourage healthy growth. Pruning encourages healthy growth and should be done periodically when needed. You should be able to find out information about your plant species, regarding how and when to prune.

5. House Them Incorrectly

Plants have an ideal home in mind, just like us. Housed in the wrong place, plant growth can be stunted by a lack of light, or their leaves can become bleached from too much light. Be sure to research your office plant species to determine the levels of light needed. Consider having a light metre for the office to determine how much light you get in various places and house your office plants accordingly.

Of course, the easiest thing to do is to leave it to the experts! Here at Planteria we have over 40 years of experience of finding the perfect office plants for every type of office or corporate environment. We provide a full plant design, rental and maintenance service ensuring that your plants are healthy and well cared for all year round.

If you have any questions or would like to talk to us about our office plant service or corporate flower displays at Planteria Group, do not hesitate to contact us today – we will be happy to help.

Tags: Advice, Plants, Succulents

Top Ways You Can Create Stunning Succulent Displays

Succulent plants are currently riding the crest of the trend wave, appearing in homes and gardens across the country.

Here we take a look at why they are so fashionable, how to care for succulents and how you can create stunning, on-trend displays for inside or outside your home.

How to Care for Succulents

As with all plants, the line of best practice is to replicate as far as possible their natural growing conditions. Think of the mantra, ‘right plant, right place’.

Originating from hot, arid climes, succulents are actually very low maintenance; they just need light, warmth and minimal water in order to thrive so if you’re not particularly green-fingered, succulents are the perfect choice.

If you consider that succulents are often found in desert regions, it makes sense that they don’t like to be kept for a prolonged period in saturated ground as these aren’t the conditions they would naturally experience.

Our top tip therefore is to use a general-purpose compost mixed with at least one-third horticultural grit; the open nature of the compost allows root development while the grit enables any excess water to drain away easily.

Keep your succulents happy by giving them a good drink once a week during the summer months and then allow the compost to dry out completely before the next watering, which will replicate a period of drought.

Another top tip is to use rainwater if possible – and this applies to all plants, not just succulents – as the minerals in tap water can cause a build-up in the soil and therefore reduce its quality in addition to staining the beautiful foliage.

How to Create Stunning Succulent Displays

The overwhelming majority of succulents prefer to be a sunny spot, which makes them such versatile options. The only note of caution is that, particularly in the more northern areas of the UK, most succulents aren’t winter hardy. This means they don’t like frost and will benefit from protection, either by moving them to a more sheltered position such as against a wall or bringing them inside.

During the winter, many succulents prefer to have no water at all as this enables them to enter a period of dormancy. This form of hibernation helps replenish energy for flowers for the following season, so you really do have to be cruel to be kind when it comes to succulents!

Apart from the bigger, ‘statement’ specimens, succulents are mostly compact and slow-growing which means they can be accommodated almost anywhere.

Practically any vessel can be used to plant up succulents – as long as it can safely be modified by creating a drainage hole to allow water to escape – with old teapots, wellington boots or even old bird cages being great examples of the current ‘repurposing’ trend.

A group of planted-up succulents together, particularly with a theme, makes a for an interesting focal point display that looks great.

You can put an individual, quirky twist into your home or garden – a great excuse not to throw that old biscuit tin away!

Continuing the theme of ‘bringing the outside in’, a terrarium planted up with succulents is perfect to create a contemporary, minimalist interior.

By dressing it with decorative stones, you can add a touch of modern elegance to your home which has the added bonus of protecting succulent leaves from splashback when watering and so avoiding staining the beautiful foliage.

A popular favourite at the moment is to create a miniature ‘fairy garden’ with the small stature of succulents being ideal to replicate a tiny world and additional accessories, such as fairy doors or pathways, are widely available to add that finishing touch.

Another current gardening trend is to utilise the vertical axis within our space. Succulents offer the perfect opportunity to do this either by creating a living roof – in which a shallow planter is fixed to the top of a structure such as a shed, for example – or by a ‘green wall’ where plants are potted up together, usually in a pre-made wall hanger. This is an especially effective trick if you only have a small outdoor area.

The succulent family is wide-ranging with thousands of varieties available so here we provide a list of our favourites to help you choose the right ones for you.

Statement Succulents for the Garden

The Zwartkop (aeonium arboretum) is a plant that likes to be noticed. Also known as ‘the black rose’, the dark burgundy leaves are a perfect rosette shape which can reach up to 20 inches high.
An added bonus is that during the winter, this plant produces stunning yellow flowers to provide interest all year round.

Aloe Vera, or Medicinal Aloe can be grown in a planter in the garden in summer months but is best brought inside in the winter. You probably know the many benefits of this fleshy succulent, so why not grow your own to use on sunburned or irritated skin,, but it’s also thought to relieve constipation and even treat cancer when ingested (though these last two claims have not been scientifically proven).

Smaller Succulents for a Terrarium Display

Hens and Chicks (sempervivum tectorum) is also known as the ‘house leek’ and originates in the mountainous regions of Southern Europe. It is one of the more commonly-known succulents and is recognisable by its small clusters of rosette leaves.

The mother (hen) cluster produces reddish-purple flowers and is mat-forming if left to grow so is ideal for a living roof or great for keeping in a controlled environment such as a terrarium or other planter

The Jade Plant (crassula ovata) is a very popular succulent house plant, and it is also known as the friendship tree, lucky plant, money plant or moneytree. Much of its popularity stems from the low level of care needed; the jade plant requires little water and can survive in most indoor conditions. It is commonly used in the art of Feng Shui and believed to bring luck and wealth to the grower.

Once established as a mature plant, it forms a miniature tree-like structure, with a thick trunk and branches. Leaves are thick, fleshy and opal shaped in a deep, glossy jade green.We here at Planteria Group hope that this guide has provided you with some advice on how to care for succulents and of course some inspiration to create stunning succulent displays of your own.

Our specialism is providing plants and flowers for our Corporate clients, so if you are looking to add terrariums, succulents or plants to your office, hotel or restaurant and if you have any questions or would like to talk to one of our team about our products and services, please take a look at our website or get in touch.

Tags: Advice, Plants, Workplace

The Best Plants for Your Office Environment

In our office, if you want to take a break, there is no better way to re-charge your batteries and stretch your legs than with a couple of laps around our greenhouse. Filled with lush plants in every hue – from the broad glossy leaves of a Croton Petra, dappled with gold and red, to the soft fronds of bright green palms – there are so many varieties in every imaginable shape and size.

Run by Martin Collins and Robert Gilder, our greenhouse covers approximately 5,500 square feet and gives us the perfect conditions for housing our carefully managed stock.

When we visit a new client, we discuss their ideas, colour preferences and corporate branding. We then suggest the best varieties of plant to enhance their interior décor; working with the lighting conditions and heat levels of a building is paramount. Particularly sunny offices will need very different plants to dark offices, and we need to ensure both kinds will thrive. When we are happy that we’ve got it just right, we will order our plants in from specialist growers to arrive in time for installation.

Having our fantastic greenhouse means we have plenty of space and the perfect environment to plant-up our new installations, in-house rather an on-site. With this approach the Plants are already beginning to become established in their planters or containers before they are delivered to the client. It’s also safer and more stable for the plants to be transported in this manner.

Our plant technicians will continue to care for our clients’ plants, even after they have been installed; their tasks may involve cleaning, feeding, cutting-back and sometimes replacing plants. In this case, a technician will use their smart phone to alert the service team and order a new plant. The plant is then placed in the technician’s own individual bay in our greenhouse, ready for the next visit to the client.

One of the biggest benefits of our greenhouse is the variety of office plants that we’re able to keep in stock. Our wide selection of plants ensures that we can respond quickly to problems, guaranteeing that our clients always have perfect plants in their offices and receptions.

Here’s a small selection of the office plants we keep in our greenhouse:

Ficus Benjamina – commonly known as weeping fig, benjamin fig or Ficus tree
Howea Forsteriana – commonly known as Kentia palm
Dracaena Janet Craig – commonly known as dragon tree
Dracaena Marginata – commonly known as Madagascar dragon tree
Yucca – specifically perennial shrubs and trees, often confused with root vegetables by the same name
Agloenema – commonly known as Chinese evergreens
Sanseviera – Common names include mother-in-law’s tongue, devil’s tongue, jinn’s tongue, bow string hemp, snake plant and snake tongue
Guzmania – commonly known as tufted airplant
Plus a wide variety of indoor orchids

Along with our greenhouse at our Henham HQ, we also have polytunnels for storing exterior planting, such as the popular Buxus and seasonal bedding plants, plus a floristry workshop which is approximately 2000 square feet and specialist cold-stores to ensure optimal storage for fresh flowers.

So, as you can see, we’re fully equipped to store and maintain the very best plants for your office environment. If you’d like us to create some beautiful interior planting for you, give us a call to find out more about our office plant service. We love what we do and would love to help you.