Phlebodium

• Plants look so different from animals, that it’s easy for many people to think of them as alien and separate from us.
• The scientific evidence that plants play a fundamental role in shaping our mental state and decreasing the risk of mental and physical illnesses is mounting.
• A step change in research is shaking up the way scientists think about plants: they are far more complex and more like us than you might imagine.

A growing sense of wellbeing

• Even the little potplant on your desk may have a more potent effect on you than you might realise.
• The houseplants you bought to brighten up your home or workplace may actually be helping you to think more clearly.
• Studies have shown that surrounding yourself by plants could improve your concentration by up to 20% and increase your ability to recall information by 15-20%.

Horti-culture

• But despite all the options for comfort and leisure 21st century technology offers us, we can’t quite seem to stay away.
• Humans have “biophilia”, which means we are wired to seek connection with nature and plants.
• They are not only intertwined with the fate of the human species but deeply rooted in who we are as individuals.
• It is not surprising to find that the word “plant” translates in many native languages to “those who take care of us”.