We had a good chat with our friends at The Stem, ethical online garden centre and Plant Happiness Gurus. We discussed interior, wellbeing and how plants can contribute to make us happier and our homes healthier.
We often hear that plants are good for our wellbeing but can you tell us a bit more about it and how they can affect our lives?
Spending time in nature is not just enjoyable but there’s loads of evidence to suggest it can improve our mental and physical well-being. Gardening has also been proven to reduce stress and lift our mood. For those of us that live in cities, finding time to escape urban life can be a little tricky and many of us don’t have the luxury of a garden or a balcony. Bringing outside inside, by introducing plants to your home, is a great way to reap the benefits of nature where access to outdoor space is limited.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, houseplant popularity has bloomed. How do you explain this trend?
As more people spend time at home we are looking for ways to make improvements to our immediate surroundings and houseplants are a great way to do this, affordably. Plants make a great addition to the new ‘working from home’ norm. As well as looking great, having indoor plants in your work space can help us complete tasks with greater accuracy and have been proven to improve our productivity by up to 15%.
Do you think that certain plants particularly suit certain rooms of the house?
Each plant is different and requires different levels of light, amounts of water and care. Working out which plants should go in each room is often key to their health. A lot of indoor plants including Boston Ferns and Peace Lily are native to the jungle and like to be placed in areas of high moisture - ie. a bathroom. Some, for example Banana Plants and Cowboy Cactus like lots of light and would do well in a bright room like a kitchen. To make sure your plants thrive in your space you’re able to filter them by which room you're looking to fill on our website.
Aesthetic is very important to us - what do you think are the most stylish plants that bring an immediate WOW effect to a room?
A Bird of Paradise definitely provides the WOW factor, and can grow up to 6ft tall. Other large statement plants include Kentia Palms and ZZ Plants. Although not as large a Swiss Cheese Plant is always a winner. If you’re after something smaller adding hanging plants to shelves is a great way to add a touch of green to your home without have to commit to clearing floor space for the larger plants.
How many plants in a room is too many? (asking for a friend 😬)
No amount of houseplants is too many. As long as you’re able to care for them I’d never say no!
Probably something that you must be asked a lot but we can’t help but ask anyway: what are the ultimate un-killable plants for beginners?
There are some really beautiful plants that are super low-maintenance and great for beginners or people that are worried about killing plants. Snake Plants are good, and come in three varieties, as well as ZZ plants and Kentia Palms. The question is so popular that we have a collection on our website of bullet-proof plants that are near impossible to kill.
And to finish, any words of wisdom on plant care for people who don’t necessarily have a green thumb?
The main things to consider when looking after plants are water and light. Make sure you don’t over-water your plant - one of the biggest killers of houseplants and look out for the signs that your plant is thirsty. If you have a space you're looking to add some green to I would highly recommend choosing a plant that would thrive in the light conditions of that room. Or if there’s a plant you have your eye one make sure to place it in a spot with the light conditions it’s happiest in. Finally - plants don’t like to be moved about too much so once you find its optimal spot keep it there.
About The Stem
I started The Stem in October 2019, after battling mental health challenges whilst working in the City. Spending time in nature was an important sanctuary for me and enabled me to rebuild my sense of self. I wanted to start a business that helped others find their own connection with nature by making plants and gardening more accessible than ever. Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do and we believe in doing business for good not just for profit. From planting a tree for every order, offsetting any carbon emissions in our supply chain, to delivering in 100% electric vehicles - we are committed to building a business that puts the planet first.
James