How to Bring Plants Into Your Workspace

Whether you’re working in the corporate jungle or perched at the kitchen table, a little bit of greenery brings a lot of life to your day – and workspace. As part of our Planting series, writer and gardener Alice Vincent explains how nature can nurture you while you work.

Whether you’re working in an office or, increasingly for many of us, from home, it’s amazing how much of a difference is made by bringing in some greenery. Plants can really boost a work space: against the context of utility – computers, tools, ugly wires and practical fixtures and fittings - their innate natural beauty can soften and elevate sombre surroundings.

Besides being beautiful, plants can help cultivate an air of quiet industry and concentration. A 10-year study published by psychologists at Exeter University in 2014 found that people were 15% more productive when they worked among houseplants. Plants, the study found, boosted employees’ memory retention and happiness. This is the theory behind biophilic design, an increasingly popular discipline that blends architecture and interior design with natural elements to better connect people and environment. Living walls and clever planting schemes are just two examples of biophilic concepts that companies such as Apple, Google and Amazon are all building into their office spaces. But while thriving plants can improve our mood and productivity, failing ones can be a drag on both – so it’s important to make sure that whatever plants you’re introducing to your work space are given room to grow.

Workspaces can throw up challenging conditions for plant happiness: low natural light levels and drying air conditioning and heating systems make it doubly important to look for tolerant plants. Even if you work from home, you want your desk plants to enhance your time working, rather than distract from it. Looking out for varieties that can get growing with minimum fuss is a good shout. Pothos and philodendrons are two tough creeping vines that will drape elegantly over a desk or bookshelf even in low-light conditions. They’ll put up with dry periods in case of neglectful watering and propagate easily if you want to take cuttings for your colleagues. Ficus elastica is a structural office favourite: swift-growing and tolerant of drought, these tough tree-like plants will bring life to dingy corridors and darker corners. Spider plants are elegant and unfussy and will also look kindly upon people who forget to water them after a long day. Succulents such as crassulas and Pilea peperomioides have ratcheted up in popularity as desk plants in recent years, and with good reason. They can grow swiftly with little attention, giving a sense of life and progression to a good day’s work.

Beyond making sure your workspace plants are getting as much light as possible, it’s important to keep an eye on their water levels. Plants in the office can be subject to all manner of hydration horrors: I’ve heard stories of people throwing their cold tea and coffee at the nearest plant. If your workspace has a dedicated team of gardeners, leave well alone – they’ll be on a careful watering schedule.

Written by Alice Vincent