“Having plants in your house is a natural way to continuously clear yourself!” Doreen Virtue
With another four weeks to go before the start of spring, turning our yearnings for gardening chores to our indoor spaces is ripe with opportunities. For many years we relied on the debunked 1989 NASA report that claimed that houseplants cleaned up to 87% of dangerous VOCs (volatile organic compounds) in our interior air. We thought if we filled our homes with a jungle of plants, we’d breathe easier and even prevent colds. Many scientists still agree that plants do remove pollutants through a process called absorption, although how much is debatable. Recent studies indicate that while a few plants won’t do much purification, a full wall of plants will.
The living walls that we witness at airports and fancy hotels are scenic and inspiring as they freshen the air for the numerous clientele that transit. Creating a living wall of plants and flowers in our homes is not feasible for most of us. Yet, there are other benefits to including plants in our interior designs.
Benefits of Plants Indoors
ü Aesthetic Appeal: Plants add beauty to any room. Plants create a natural feeling, making the atmosphere more inviting and pleasant.
ü Elevate Moods: Being around plants helps to reduce stress, improve moods, and boost cognitive function. Plants make people happy.
ü Increased Oxygen Levels: Through the process of photosynthesis, plants convert carbon dioxide into oxygen.
ü Therapeutic Benefits: Tending to plants, whether outdoors or indoors, is calming and meditative. We create a healthier environment that is pleasing to the senses.
ü Enhanced Productivity and Creativity: Studies have shown that plants in a workplace or study area enrich concentration, sharpen attention, and reduce both physiological and psychological stress.
ü Healing Properties: Looking at greenery when recovering from an illness or surgery helps speed recuperation. Research has focused on patients in hospitals, not in homes, but my personal experience demonstrates that transporting nature to the sickbed, speeds the healing process.
Before you bring plants into your home, make sure to choose varieties that are safe for children and pets. For a list of toxic plants, connect with the resources of the ASPCA and the National Poison Control Center. Some plants could be toxic if ingested, and others may cause skin reactions.
Sadly, two of my favorite indoor plants that are easy to grow, attractive, and flourish for years are on the poisonous list: Peace Lily (known to be an air cleaner) and pothos (a great climber or trailer). Below I’m listing houseplant suggestions that I grow. I leave it to you to double-check for toxicity that would affect your family or animals.
Pothos and Peace Lily
Orchid: I’ve never met an orchid that I didn’t love. The bad rap that orchids receive as being fussy is a myth. Basically, read the plant tag for best results, provide a few drops of water weekly, and ignore them. Mine are continuously reblooming.
Bromeliad: Super simple to grow, long-lasting, low maintenance, and minimal watering needs. Before the flower dies, the plant will produce offsets, called pups, around the base
Snake Plant: Referred to as “Mother-in-Law’s Tongue” tolerates low light and minimal moisture. This plant is almost impossible to kill.
Spider Plant: Known as the “Airplane Plant”, this plant is perfect for beginners. It’s easy to care for, produces long, cascading stems, and is great for hanging baskets or trained to a trellis.
Philodendron: Foliage comes in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. Prefers moist soil and vines to eight feet or more.
Parlor Palm: Add a bit of the tropics to your office. Great in dim light. Only prune dead fronds. Don’t overwater.
Fiddle Leaf Fig: Slow growing to fifteen feet or more. This plant prefers east-facing windows. Water only when the top inch of the soil is dry and never feed during the winter months.
Aloe: Every home needs an aloe plant for medicinal purposes. If you get a burn or a cut, snip a piece of aloe to soothe the area. Aloes prefer to be root-bound in sandy soil and require very little water.
Croton: Growing in warm, humid climates outdoors, crotons may reach eight feet, but indoors, they offer an explosion of color in a small pot when ideal temperatures above 60 degrees are maintained. Place pebbles with water under the pot to increase humidity.
These favorites are all relatively low maintenance and will thrive in a variety of environments. They are terrific choices for beginner indoor gardeners as well as those with more experience. As always, when you make a purchase, carefully read the plant instructions tag and follow directions. The number one cause of house plants failing to succeed is overwatering.
No matter what your lifestyle, add a touch of hassle-free greenery to your home and enjoy a full house of indoor nature to keep you happy, healthy, and gardening rain or shine.
Raised in the vineyards of Napa County, Cynthia Brian is a New York Times best-selling author, actor, radio personality, speaker, media and writing coach as well as the Founder and Executive Director of Be the Star You Are!® 501 c3. Tune into Cynthia’s StarStyle® Radio Broadcast at www.StarStyleRadio.com.
Her newest children’s picture book, No Barnyard Bullies, from the series, Stella Bella’s Barnyard Adventures is available now atwww.cynthiabrian.com/online-store For an invitation to hang out with Cynthia for fun virtual events, activities, conversations, and exclusive experiences, buy StarStyle® NFTs at https://StarStyleCommunity.com
Cynthia Brian, SAG/AFTRA, A.S.I.D., Founder and Executive Director of Be the Star You Are!® 501 c3 literacy and positive media charity, New York Times best-selling co-author of Chicken Soup for the Gardener’s Soul, author of Be the Star You Are!®, 99 Gifts for Living, Loving, Laughing, and Learning to Make a Difference, Be the Star You Are!® for TEENS, Be the Star You Are!® Millennials to Boomers, Growing with The Goddess Gardener, The Business of Show Business, The Blessing of Love and Relationships, and Miracle Moments®, is an internationally acclaimed keynote speaker, personal growth consultant, actor, producer and host of radio and TV shows, columnist, designer, gardener, and lifestyle coach. (www.CynthiaBrian.com)
Stella Bella’s Barnyard Adventures is Cynthia’s first illustrated children’s book series with true tales from her menagerie of adopted rescues. Titles include No Barnyard Bullies, Family Forever, and Books in the Barnyard: Oh Deer!
Referred by the media as “the Renaissance woman with soul!”, Cynthia is a world traveler who speaks French, Spanish, Italian, and Dutch. With four decades of experience working in the entertainment field as an actor, producer, writer, coach, designer, and casting director, she has had the honor of performing with some of the biggest names in the industry. Cynthia is a Certified Interior Designer and has had her interior and garden design projects featured in TV, commercials, books, and numerous publications. She wrote, produced, and directed the film, The Quest for Pure Design. Cynthia is a much in demand speaker on luxury cruise lines and spas around the world, inspiring others to be the stars they were born to be by creating a life they design.
Because of her devotion to increasing literacy and positive messages in the world, Cynthia founded and is the Executive Director of the 501(c)(3) charity, Be the Star You Are!® (www.BetheStarYouAre.org) empowering women, families, and youth, which won 2024 Nonprofit of the Year. Her motto is “To be a leader, you must be a reader!”. GuideStar and Great Non Profits consistently honor Be the Star You Are!® as a top-rated non-profit. BTSYA was named the 2024 Nonprofit of the Year. As part of her dedication to giving youth a voice, she created and launched the creative community at www.BTSYA.com while also producing and directing the young adult radio broadcast, Express Yourself!™, (www.ExpressYourselfTeenRadio.com) the #1 most listened-to program around the world on the Voice America Network with teen hosts and contributors. Cynthia says “Express Yourself!™ is an uncensored haven where youth talk and the world listens!”
As an empowerment architect and life success coach, Ms. Brian is also dedicated to helping others achieve their dreams, recognize the possibilities, and utilize their potential by implementing their unique gifts. Many aspiring thespians, writers, and professionals have been coached to fun, fame, and fortune through her personal success consultations in acting, media, writing, life skills, and presentations. Because of her energy and passion, companies engage Cynthia’s services as a media spokesperson.
Born on a farm in the Napa Valley in northern California, the eldest of five children, Cynthia raised chickens and sheep, drove tractors, and picked fruit to earn enough money to pay her way through college. She was a Grand Champion rooster raiser, winning hundreds of blue ribbons in 4-H. After being honored as the Outstanding Teenager of California, she was named teenage ambassador to Holland and served as a foreign correspondent for several newspapers. Her travel expeditions gave birth to her writing, speaking, and coaching career.
Since 2008, Cynthia has been the gardening consultant and inspirational garden columnist for The Lamorinda Weekly known as The Goddess Gardener. (www.CynthiaBrian.com/Gardening) There, she also served as the editor and coach for Teen Scene. As a home, garden, and lifestyle expert, she has been privileged to write for Internet sites, and numerous print publications, and is proud to be a Top Reviewer at Trip Advisor and on the Elite Squad at Yelp. She published her first gardening calendar, A Gardener’s Guide, in 1993.
Interviewing is a talent this dynamic woman enjoys. Broadcasting live since 1998, Cynthia interviews the authors and experts considered pioneers on the planet. Tune into her award winning upbeat, positive, internationally broadcast lifestyle radio program, StarStyle-Be the Star You Are!® live and archived every Wednesday from 4-5 pm PT/7-8 pm ET on the Voice America Network Empowerment channel. (www.StarStyleRadio.com)
Cynthia’s goal is to inspire, encourage, inform, and motivate others to be their unapologetically unique selves.
When you are seeking a business expert with earthiness, exuberance, and personality that garner results, Cynthia Brian is the seasoned professional writer, speaker, coach, host, spokesperson, and Goddess Gardener guide for your next project.
Cynthia Brian, empowerment architect, passion, purpose, and possibility professional, is available for private coaching, consultations, and speaking engagements.
To Book Cynthia Brian
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