By now, we all understand and appreciate the power of plants, especially the positive impact they can have on our health and wellbeing. Choosing the right plant can be a difficult task. You don’t want to choose one that’s going to make itself at home sprawling across your desk if you don’t have the space, just like you won’t want one so small you forget it’s even there. Finding the right balance is where we can come in, transforming your office space into a calm, productive hub.
Did you know that introducing four plants or more to a room can dramatically improve mood and well-being and purify the air around you? The last thing we want is your plants dying on you due to lack of attention, so if you’ve got a pretty bust office life, it’s best you choose some low maintenance ones if your office is a known sun trap, select ones that love to bask in the sunshine. Not sure where to start? Check out this handy guide, and we can help you out!
Ample Space
Just like people, plants need space to grow and thrive. They must have access to good continuous airflow. Restricting this can make it difficult for them to breathe, so try not to squeeze plants between or behind furniture or obstacles.
Airflow is essential for a healthy, long-living plant and a healthy plant not only looks good but improves your health too. They can help maintain better temperature control in their environment, replenish CO2 and reduce humidity, all features that will enhance the air quality of the environment and, in turn, improve the general health and wellbeing of visitors.
When deciding on the plants and aesthetic of your office, remember this golden rule – choose where you want to put your plants before you choose which plants to get. This is the biggest problem in office spaces; people either try to keep a sun-worshipping plant in the dark corner or a sprawling monstera behind a sofa.
How Busy Is The Area?
Your office space probably has a few high-traffic areas like entrances, break rooms, corridors and toilets. Although you might want to put plants in these areas as they’ll get seen by most, think again. The more people there are, the higher risk of your plants getting damaged. If someone bumps into a planter, it will create a huge mess in an already busy area and perhaps kill the plant. The best advice is to observe the area and work out the typical flow of traffic and find ‘dead spots’ that’ll be safe for your plants to live in.
Check The Temperature
The nature of an office means it isn’t always the same temperature every day and night. It also means there isn’t always someone there every day to maintain and look after the plants. Variant temperature is one of the biggest killers of plants. You might have chosen a spot that works well during business hours, but how does it fare when there’s no one around? Keep your plants far away from cooling and heating units as they pull moisture from the air when in the office. Plants need to be in an area with air circulation rather than a room with no air conditioning or heating. It makes sense to move your plants and open a window on occasions you won’t be in the office, if possible.
Choosing The Right Plants
When it’s time to choose the plants for your space, the context is incredibly important. Plants are great to help make a statement about who you are as a business and what you do. It’s essential to look at your office environment as a whole to work out which plants are likely to fit in.
Having plants that don’t require much attention and maintenance is probably one of the most significant deciding factors when choosing plants for the office. Some businesses are taking a hybrid approach to work post-pandemic and are introducing work from home day, meaning fewer people are in the office each day. Choosing plants that are fine by themselves for a few days is the best option in this case.
Indoor Office Plants
Indoor office plants don’t have to be lifeless; choosing the right ones can transform the look of your office and improve air quality. A one-size-fits-all approach won’t work when selecting the plants for your office. Every office is different, not only in shape and light exposure but also in the flow and mood of the office. If you deal with particularly corporate clients, bright, sprawling plants may not be appropriate. It’s best to work with a professional who can learn to understand the workings of your office and choose the right plants for you.
Replica Plants
Do you have a space without sunlight but still want your office dressed head to toe in flowers and plants. Replica plants are about to become your best friend. Even if your office gets the right amount of sunlight for real plants, you might not have the time or capabilities to look after them all, especially if you’re not regularly in the office.
Replica plants can be made in a range of different materials, from plastic to silk. Artificial plants can look and feel as similar as possible to their biological counterparts.
Living Walls
Living walls are designed to make a statement in any office or open space. If you’re serious about the environment, employee health and wellbeing and adding a little colour into your space, green walls are the way forward. They’re designed with a self-watering system, so require little maintenance.
The health benefits of living walls are second to none; they improve the breathing air quality, increase the feeling of well-being, reduce ambient noise and boost productivity.
Biophilic Office Design
If you already have flowers and plants around your office, you might not realise it, but your office is already biophilic. Biophilic office design refers to bringing the outdoors into the workplace. It is designed to support wellbeing and creativity and evoke a sense of community. Introducing a biophilic design into your working space can improve productivity and enhance mental health and happiness, the future of the workplace. If you want a more biophilic office design to work for you, it’s best to work with a professional to ensure you’re choosing the right plants for your space and the correct water system is installed.
The magic healing power of plants is definitely needed in an office, but choose the wrong plants for your space, and they’ll be dead in a week. At Aztec Plants, our professional team works with you to find the right plants for your environment, whether indoor office plants, replicas, or living green walls.
Our maintenance service is available to help you look after your plants and keep them looking their best. For more information on how we can help you bring some plants and colour into your office, contact our friendly team today!